The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-05-13
No Institution in the State on
More Efficient Basis
Than the One at Hutchinson
Under Hers Management.
STATES BEST PAYING FARM
Will Turn $4,000 Into State
Treasury This Year.
Legislature of 1907 Wasted
100000 on the Institution.

Governor Capper returned this
morning from Hutchinson, where ne
srent a day inspecting the State In
dustrial reformatory in accordance
with his plan to visit one state institu-
ton each week.
There are three of the seventeen
institutions in the state in which the
best interests of the state demand a
change of management" said Cover
nor Capper this morning, ''but the
Hutchinson reformatory is not one of
them. doubt if there is an institu-
ton in the state on a more efficient
basis, and l attribute this satisfactory
condition largely to the fact that there
has probably been less politics there
than in any other institution. The
arbitrary removal of superintendent
Amrine two years ago was a disgrace
full affair, and was inspired wholly by
cheap politics. good many of my
political friends have advised me tic
reta1iate by adopting the same tactics
that were employed by the former adj
ministration toward Amrine, and
there have been number of candi-
dates fer the present Superintendent'S
place. but cheap politics on the past
of the last administration would not
excuse me if l should resort to the
same despicable methods. Fortunate
ly for the state. a capable man was
installed as Amrine's successor. Mr..
Herr has made good, and although he
permitted to go on with his work as
long as he maintains the present high
standards of efficiency. I am utterly
opposed to injecting politics into edu
catiOnal charitable, reformatory and
other state institutions. Merit and eff
ficiency must come first and not po
litical pull. To get the best. results
the state must have trained and eX
perienced men and women in these
institutions, and that is impossible as
long it is the custom to upset an
institution every time there is a
change in administrations. Superin
and at this time more than two-thirds
of the fOrty-fOur employees at the re-
formatory are men who have served
under former administrations and who
are being retained because of their
peculiar fitness for this work.
Best State Farm.
Investigation convinced me that
the reformatory farm is probably in
better shape than any of the state
farms" said Governor Capper. The
$40 acres on which the reformatory il
located will turn into the state treas
ury something like $4,000 this year,
which will be an increase of almost
so per cent over any previous year.
There is a fine herd of over 200 head
of cattle which not only supply the
milk and butter for the institution,
but are a source of profit, well.
Two hundred and fifty-eight boys are
being trained in agriculture, stock
raising, carpentering, shoemaking and
blacksmithing in addition to a regular
course in the common school branches.
The reformatory is doing a wonderful
work in putting unfortunate young
men on the right track. and it is an
institution the state can be proud Of.
there is some satisfac
ton in knowing that the cost of this
institution for the next two years, as
shown by the appropriation schedule
of the recent legislature, will be SAL
900 less than for the past two years,
although nearly all other institutions
required increased appropriations.
'And speaking of appropriations,
Governor Capper continued, lone of
the most striking examples of waste
Of the peoples money by legislature
is found at the reformatory. The Leg
isleture of 1907 appropriated 100000
for a new dollhouse. There was not
the slightest need of this building, and
today it stands empty and unused. a
to legislative folly. 1t was
a shameful and criminal waste of pub /
lie funds, and how any sane body of
men could have been persuaded into
making such a blunder, l cannot un-
derStand. But just such things as
that are happening in every legisla-
ture under the Infamous pork-barrel
system that every year has been fore !
ing increased appropriations upon the
taxpayers of Kansas"