The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-02-22
DOINGS AT CAPITOL.
Legislature Makes Busy Times Al
state OFFICES.
(By d. p. Waters.)

/ icy u. l.. WdteTS.)
The state auditors office has the
same numerical working force that it
had in 1907; and yet the business
transacted through this office during
the past fiscal year is double that OF
1907. The number of warrants issued
by the office in that year was $4,000;
the past year shows $4,000 issued. In
1907 the states expenditures amount
ed to $2,663.151; in 1914 they had in
creased to $4.904,8S6. Last year this
department registered and passed on
the legality of municipal bonds to the
amount of 100000, while the reve-
nue. derived from the Sand Act
amounted to more than $4,000. $4O.-
900 of which has been already paid
| in. This new source of revenue is due
to the initiative and work of w. f.
Davis, state auditor, who framed and
| put through the bill.
| In the department of state, under
/ the guidance of ]. T. BOtkin as secre-
tary, are the comparatively new
sources to be found in the automobile
and motorcycle tax, and the corpora
ton tax. For the last six months Of
1914 the amount accruing to the state
| from the machines shows the hand
some total of $26S,453, while the cor
poration toll yielded 100000 during
the past year. There are now about
| $4,000 automobiles and motorcycles
| registered in the department., and the
most of administering the auto law
has been only $12.931, leaving a bal
ance to the road funds OF the counties
of $226,5SS. This cost of administra-
| ton, Az per cent, is lower than that
of any state noted.
The department of agriculture is
always interesting, especially when one
! has an opportunity to talk with it's en-
thusiastic secretary, J. c. Mohler, upon
whose deserving shoulders has fallen
the mantle of the famous eX-Secretary,
F. d. Coburn. Mr.. Mohler has spent
"a years in this department and is
constantly at work on some new phase
of agricultural progress in Kansas.
His hobby is cooperation among the
farmers, and his new book now in the
printers hands, will set forth fully the
results of cooperation among the
farmers of the state, and will be of
great value in bringing the agricul-
tural communities into harmony on
! the great subject of marketing their
products to the best advantage. 1t is
important to know that Kansas now
produces more alfalfa than any other
state in the Union, and an inveStiga-
ton of it's growing conditions in. every
county of the state will soon be COM
menced
Carey Wilson, superintendent of in
surance, reports some interesting facts
and figures concerning his depart
ment. The normal gain from year to
year in taxes and fees collected has
been more than the entire cost of
maintaining the office. Last year these
collections amounted to 100000, an
increase of $4,000 over the previous
year and $141, 900 over the year 1909.
AS this department costs the state but
a trifle more than $4,000 for the 1914
fiscal year it would appear that its
functions as producer of revenue are
fully as important as it's nominal bust
ness OF insurance supervision. The
necessity for supervision is asserting
itself more strongly from year to year,
and under the system of taxes and
fees now in operation by this depart
ment the buyers of insurance in Kan
sas really pay the cost of supervision.
The treasurer's office, with Earl
AkerS at the helm as state treasurer,
is putting in extra hours just now.
Night work is frequently necessary
here, and the balancing and checking
of the daily accounts have assumed
, large proportions. More than 3d.
, 100000 were handled by the treas
urer's office during the 1914 fiscal
year in receipts and disbursements
and during the same period $4,000 In
interest was earned by the depart
ment-enough to maintain it for two
I years Mr. Akers has introduced a
better and more accurate system Of
J, accounting known as an interlOckins
8 system of checking and balancing pre-.
e Guiding liability of an error escaping
J. detection.
= Sardius NJ. Brewster the new attor
n ney general. is busy man in thes,
: Legislative days. The attorney genera
: IS the states attorney in all of it's liti
+ CATION in the supreme court and fed
l eral courts, and nearly all OF it's i'm
d pOrtant litigation in the district AM
g inferior court. He is the legal advise
: of 125 county attorneys and some 2
o or 80 state officers and state boards
# He is a member of the school fun,
h commission. charged with the safe in
= vestment of about S 100000 annually
Also he is president of the State Char
i ter Board. member Of the State Print
# ing Commission. and member of tn
. executive council. Another impOrtan
IS duty of the attorney general is to ex
I, anime tne regal proceedings leading u
t. to the issue OF county bonds, cit
r. bonds. drainage bonds and all sorts G
: mIniciraI bonded olalipations