The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-01-11
SENATE NOTES

Doc moore, or some Other print
er in Crawford county who has been
getting the bulk of the county print
ing without competitive bids ought to
make 1t to Topeka by Saturday if Sem
ator Montee of Crawford gets bill he
has prepared, before the senate today.
1t provides that all county printing
shall be let to the lowest responsible
bidder.
Crawford is not the only county to
be affected by such a measure altho
Senator Montee admits the bill was
drawn primarily to apply to his dis
trict. In Shawnee county. for in
stance, there is no competitive bidding
for printing, except for ballots for the
general election and primary election
In this county the county assessor
acts as purchasing agent. 1t has been
the custom of S. H. Haynes to call
in printer and ask him for figures on
any piece of work the county needs.
If the price was right, if it was about
the same as the price paid for the job
when it was last printed, that printer
got the work. Mr.. Haynes knows
about the cost of printing. He knows
how to figure and knows about what
the printers figures ought to show
But that would not apply in every
county Senator Montee states that in
his district enormous prices have been
paid for county printing for which
contracts were let without competitive
bids
Had it not been for Senator Nc
Claim of Allen county the grist of bills
in the senate Wednesday-the first
day for introduction-would have been
Just seven He introduced as many
as all the remainder of the senate. The
total was fourteen. Bill No. l was in
troduced by Senator Huffman of Cher
okee and provided for raising the tax
limit for the benefit of high schools.
Senator Montee of Crawford county
has introduced a bill permitting the
working of county prisoners on public
work.
All members of the senate and low
er house received invitations this
morning from the Topeka Rotary club
to attend a dinner party at the BAN
quet room of the Chamber OF Com
merce. The dinner will begin prompt
| ly at 6 o'clock. The Invitations in
clude members of both houses and a
lady guest The dinner was to be
given Monday evening, but was post
poned until Tuesday on account of the
Press club banquet Monday night
The city manager bill was intro
duced Wednesday afternoon in the
senate by Nighswonger of SedgWlck.
1t enables cities of the first and sec
| ond class to vote on that plan of city
| government. 1t covers what is gem
orally known as the Dayton plan
| and provides for a city manager at a
| fat salary and five commissioners,
making up the governing board. The
commissioners would serve for nom1-
1 nal salaries. The manager would be
the supreme power. Five city depart
ments are provided for-finance, law,
service, public welfare and safety.
| Under the terms of a bill introduced
| by Senator Mccain of Allen, cities OF
1 the second class would have the right
to take in territory within a mile limit
poses without a vote of the persons in
/ the district and without their consent
! The issuance of passes to the SEN
ate floor began Wednesday and from
now on the rules at the door will be
observed more carefully. The door
keepers will have orders to admit nc
one not member without a pass
There is something of a demand for
passes.
| Senator Montee of Crawford pro-
poses the adjustment of the state fish
hatchery at Pratt and has prepared 9
bill to that effect The bill provides
that the state shall cease raising fish
and placing them in dry ponds an6
waterless creeks and devote it's time
to the propagation of game birds fol
distribution over the state. II have
been looking for two years. SAID
Montee, land have failed to find any
one who ever ate a fish that came
from the state hatchery. 1 fail to see
its value to the state"