The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-01-11
Swan Song of Geo. H. Hodges q
Review of Administration.
Farewell Speech Tells Of Ac.
cOmplishments of Two Years.
URGES IMPORTANT REFORMS
One House Legislature and
Short Ballot Main Policies.
Cordial Good Wishes to Cover
nor Capper and His Officers.

In his farewell speech today, Cover
nor Hodges reviewed the work and ac-
complishments of his administration
and urged the adoption of new re-
forms in the form of a one house leg
lslature and the short ballot He also
urged prison reforms and pointed
proudly to the fact that more than 600
paroles have been issued by himself
and the state board of corrections
during his two years as governor.
The retiring governors speech con-
cerned largely the work of the various
departments under Democratic con-
troll and pointed to Improvements in
conditions at state institutions. Thir-
teen of the fourteen platform pledges
or the Democratic party in 1912 were
reoeemed ny the legislature in 1913.
ne said The retiring governor closed
MS speech with cordial good wishes
to the incoming administration He
said:
Work OF the Administration.
We close our administration today
with the consciousness that every
obligation, pledged or implied, has
been complied with. OF the fourteen
platform pledges possible to fulfill,
thirteen have been written into the
statute books of this state. We have
given Kansas the full measure of our
scant concern for the retiring public
official. His efforts are ended. But
they view new officials with an honest
measure of expectation. I do not be-
few OF the records Of Democratic ac-
cOmplishment
I'VE believed. and the public in
general. thought that this state was
upon a cash basis. We found one
fourth of the 1913 taxes, amounting
to S832,0Q0. drawn - in. advance and
practically safi spent, N the 1iquitla-
ton of bills contracted in 1912.
"A penitentiary burned to the
ground, was committed to our keep
ing-encumbered with an indebted
ness of $4,000. We leave it rebuild
ed. and in the best physical condition
and the best moral condition known
in its history.
world has been built. and for the first
time in the history of the state an
adequate supply Of filtered water is
now furnished the prison.
We leave the beautiful Memorial
hall finished, while it was bequeathed
to us an enclosed building with a
$40, 400 Indebtedness against it,
I'VE have, a state textbook plant
that solves the school book question
for ali time to come.
"ROth the tuberculosis SanitOrium
at Norton and the insane asylum at
Larned are completed. Sewers. power
plants, water supplies, are provided,
that will be adequate for the growth
of that institution for twenty years to
come. The orphans home at Atchi-
son, the institution for the feeble
minded at Winfield, the state hospital
at Osawatomie, have all been provided
with adequate water supplies. Silos
of 5000 tons capacity have been
builded during the past two years. at
the state institutions.
Wonderful improvements have
been made at the Osawatomie hos
pital. Food and supplies were being
stored in rat infested, vermin ridden
rooms. They are now taken care OF
| in magnificent fireproof building.
cold storage plant of more than
adequate size has been built. Splin-
ter floors and roach infested wains-
coting have been replaced fifth tiled
floors and tiled wainscotings, and the
| institution is now in splendid physical
condition. which should be a pride to
the people Of the state.
Improve Educational Facilities.
"Our great educational institutions
instead of pulling against each other
are now articulating and working har-
moniously one with the other under q
single board. The wonderful improve.
ment made in these institutions is the
result Of the one board experiment
socalled, and it proved beyond the
peradventure of a doubt, that in limit
ed numbers accountability and re-
sporsibility is defined.
1.-The change in the oil inspection
department has netted the state ar
additional revenue of $35.50O more z
year than ever before.
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