Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1917-01-20
Governor Makes Many Suqges-
tons for Reform in Mes
sage to Legislature.
WANTS A BUSINESS SESSION
executive Recommends Many Changes
in Present System of State and
County Governments
Topeka.-Following is the full text
OF Governor Cappers message del1V-
cred to 1917 legislature:

of Governor Capper's message deliv-
erred to 1917 legislature:
Gentlemen of the-Legfslature:
The constitution of Kansas directs the
Governor at the opening of every session
of the legislature. to communicate in
urting such information as he may pos
sess in regard to the condition of the
state and to recommend measures he
may consider expedient- / ask you to
take the recommendations and sugges-
lions 1 shall make as expressing my sin
cere belief of what this legislature can
do and ought to do for Kansas. and not
perfunctOry document intended mere
lly for the consumption OF the populace-
II this legislature will get down to bust
ness this afternoon; keep down to bust
ness every day for the next few weeks;
restrict the number of its employees to
the minimum; refrain from playing poll
rics: eliminate log-rolling: abstain from
pork; kick out the grafters; maintain
strict regard for economy; guard against
the innocent-looking jokers the lobby will
have ready to slip into bills; transact all
business in the open; enact the legislation
that We have promised the people, but
make few laws as possible; refrain
from legislation in behalf OF special inter-
ests of any sort; straighten out some Of
the worst tangles of our complicated
code; and then adjourn promptly and go
home, the people of Kansas will rise up
and call you blessed.
The people are not clamoring for a
great mass of new legislation The leg
islature of 1915 passed 421 new laws-1Oo
in the last twenty-four hours of the ses-
sion-a large proportion of them unneces-
sary IL not positively detrimental / hope
we may set new mark this year in the
expeditions transaction of business and in
giving time only to those measures that
really worth while
do not mean to imply there is not an
abundance of work for this legislature
ito do; there is work a-plenty-so much
that the half of it cannot be done. unless
I'VE have the business-like, conscientious
session which hope we shall have
More Efficient Government
Kansas has admittedly outgrown our
present system of government 1t is a
hodge podge; a patchwork; Anticipated,
cumbersome. wasteful, inefficient; entire
ly out of keeping with the more scientific
Systems of business. now employed by
private concerns and many other states
a multiplicity of boards. commissions,
bureaus and departments duplicate the
work of one another, divide responsibility
which should be concentrated, and by
interfering with another often retard
the public business. They increase the
cost of government without giving ade
.quate return or efficient service to the
public Some of the defects of which the
people complain embedded in the
state constitution. now more than IIrty
years old Consequently there has arisen
in many quarters an insistent demand for
a new constitution 1t seems only fair
that the people of the state should be
given opportunity of deciding whether
they desire the calling of a constitutional
convention The old objection to such a
iconvention-the fear of endangering the
iprohlbltory amendment-nO longer exists;
and If the people desire now to undertake
this important task. they should not be
denied
In case the legislature in its wisdom
should decide this TO be inopportune
time for the consideration of the ques-
ton of a constitutional convention.
recommend that an amendment to the
constitution be submitted to the people
permitting the submission the people
of indefinite number of amendments at
any general election. instead of three
only. the constitution now provides
This will make possible more consistent
ireadjustment of our machinery of govern
ment than is possible under the three
amendment provisO.
Consolidation of Boards.
In the meantime, while that issue is
pending, there are many changes which
this legislature can effect in the interest
of greater economy of effort and money
There should be general consolidation
of boards. commissions and offices wher-
ever such consolidating will simplify the
machinery of administra ton and effect
economy.
I desire to call your attention to the re-
port of the efficiency and economy COM
1915, and ask that you give careful con-
sideration TO its recommendations, espec-
tally its suggestion for consolidating and
co-ordinating state bureaus and depart
ments; that the four boards now in charge
of the state institutions. namely The
board of administration. the board of con-
o
board of managers of soldiers homes. be
abolished: and that the state schools,
penal institutions, charitable institutions
and soldiers homes. be placed under one
board. to be appointed by the governor
composed of director of educational in
stitutions; director of penal institu-
lions; a director of charitable institutions;
a director of soldiers homes, with the
governor ex-officio member and chair
man, empowered TO appoint a business
manager and purchasing agent for ali
state institutions. If this consolidation is
made. honorary boards could be provided
to counsel and advise with the heads OF
the educational institutions in regard &c
politics affecting the welfare and manage
rnent of the schools
Our present system under which a va
riety of boards receive bids and purchase
supplies separately for the various lnsti-
buttons is neither business-lil~e nor eco
nouaical Other states have effected 3
great saving through creating an expert
purchasing agent with power to take ad-
vantage of market conditions am con
WINGED that a high-grade, experienced
business man in this position, as bushes:
manager and purchasing agent for th'
four classes of state institutions viii saw
ROAD AGENTS HONORED PASS
was practising law in Nevada
writes Thomas Fitch, and had success
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