The Liberal democrat. [volume] (Liberal, Kan.) 1911-1924, 1915-01-15

CONSIDERATION OF the legislature at LnlS
session, a plan of reorganization
which shall abolish needless Offices,
boards and commissions, concentrate
and center responsibilities, eliminate
duplication of authority and reduce
the public business to a compact and
smoothly-working unit This legis-
lature has many members with wide
experience in public affairs am con-
vinced they can devise plan in Keep
ing with modern business systems,
which ultimately will not only save
money for the taxpayers of the state,
but will greatly increase and strength
en- the efficiency of our government,
bring men of highest grade and great
est ability into the public service and
relieve the public of the annoyance,
expense and delay of unnecessary red
tape.
The committee should have the
power to call to its aid such expert
advice as it may require, and should
invite the suggestions of business men
and other citizens.
Combine or Abolish Boards.
| have no wish to define the scope
of this committees work, but | do
desire to suggest that in my opinion.
the consolidating of many state
boards, commissions and Offices can
be effected with improvement rather
than detriment to the public business
The state inspection system should
be overhauled thoroughly. Recently
the state auditor learned that six diff
ferent state inspectors had been in the
same little town on the same day, do
ing work that one inspector probably
could have done equally well.
The state board of irrigation should
be Immediately abolished. 1t is an alb
solute waste of the states money to
continue its existence. The work can
easily be done by the present staff OF
the Agricultural college.
The judicial districts OF the state
may be reduced greatly Ia number
without impairing the service of the
courts or increasing the laws delay.
The board of correction can be
abolished and its duties performed by
the board of control
The Offices of hotel commissioner,
two members. of the state barber
board, and oil inspector can all be
abolished and their work done by eX-
isting employees in other departments.
Several state offices, the duties oil
which are purely administrative OF
clerical, such as the superintendent oil
insurance, state printer, superintend-
ent of public Institution, and possibly
others, should, | believe, be made APP
pointive instead OF elective, in the in
terest of concentrating responsibility.
County government can be simpli-
fed greatly by recognizing and con-
soliddting some OF the Offices, making
others appointive and reducing sal
allies in keeping with the salaries paid
by private business for the perform
ance of similar duties.
/ do not consider a constitutional
convention necessary to accomplish
these reforms. Most of these changes
can be made under our present con-
stitution; where they cannot an
amendment should be submitted to
the people reducing the number OF
elective state offices and providing for
four-year terms with the power of re-
call at any time.
State and County Merit System.
Any plan of administration which
contemplates concentrating of re-
sponsibility is open to the dangers
which follow the creation of bu-
reaucracy But these dangers may be
avoided by Strengthening the merit
system and extending it to all
branches of state and county govern
ment. We now have civil service
law applying to few state institu-
dons; but the weakness Of this law is
apparent when we see how recKlessly
It has been disregarded and violated.
We will never attain an e1icient nor
economic government until Offices,
large and small, are removed from the
hands of spoilsmen. | urge the enact
ing of civil service law so explicit
and SO strong that no partisan Off
cial will dare evade it, basing all re-
wards, promotion and salaries solely
On merit, on loyalty and industry in
The public service.
Public Welfare.
The conservation of human life and
luman resources is every year assum-
ing larger and larger place in Amer
lean ideals of government. We are
.ealizing that human life is the chief
asset of the state; and we are using
our governmental machinery more
and more not only to maintain but
also to increase and better the condi-
ions of life and health and the social
Wellbeing of the people. We have
learned already that If we are to per-
petuate the state, we must not only
produce citizens, but good citizens
men and women of sound bodies, clear
minds and clean souls We now con,
slider as fundamental economic fumc-
lions of the state, many duties that
we're left a generation ago to chance.
And this change in our attitude to-
ward the life and health of the indi-
yidual is not sentimental nor entirely
humanitarian in its source; it is based
on the soundest economic principles.
No question which will come before
you can be of more vital or far-reach-
ing import than those problems which
we have come to group under the gen
eral head of public welfare. 1t is our
duty to see that our future citizens
are well-born; that they are properly
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