The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-01-10

transfer judges from one district to an
come congested. thus distributing the
work more uniformly. Such a measure
VIII reduce expenses and help in cleaning
up cluttered court dockets.
An Executive Budget System.
I recommend adopting the executive
budget system of making appropriat ions.
requiring the governor to submit TO the
legislature Il carefully prepared schedule
ing where and why increases. if any, are
demanded. Our present haphazard spend
pork-barrel legislation and inequalities
and injustices demoralizing to the public
service. At the Governors conference in
Washington last month. the twenty-four
governors present were unanimously of
the opinion that this system marks most
methods 1t is not revolutionary i'll its eff
feet 1t merely Introduces system into
more power under it than under the pres
ent order; all that the budget plan does
is to substitute foresight for hindsight !:
to substitute Il unified. coherent plan of
distribution of the states appropriations
for patched and incoherent plan.
earnestly urge the adoption of the Mary
land budget system for Kansas with such
modification as is necessary to meet any
needs peculiar to the state.
FOur-Year Term of Office.
| recommend that all terms of office in
state and county, be made four years with
all elective officers subject to recall. The
amount to thousands of dollars and 1 be-
lieve the service will be greatly improved
and that there will be fewer scrambles
for public place
Simplified County Government.
The most eXtravagant and wasteful
branch of government is that of the county
i'll its present form. County taxes have
creasing from 81, So ;S35 in 1906 to SIS, 942 736
in 1916. With all complaint of in
creased taxation. it seems incredible that
no effort has been made by the Legislature
to curb extravaganza at this source where
it is greatest we have sometimes seemed
to begrudge the money required for the
maintenance of state institutions. even to
the extent of hampering their growth, de
the money required for them is but Il small
part of the public revenues. We have been
saving at the spigot and wasting at the
bunghole.
Every county now elects thirteen or
more county officers. several of which
are unnecessary. Commission form of gov
eminent for the counties is worthy of Sc
rious consideration, but it is doubtful if
il can be adopted without changing the
of county offices can he abolished com
bined Fo example, the office of register
its duties given to the county clerk. Leg
islation in this direction should not take
effect earlier than expiration of terms of
present incumbents.
The City Manager for Cities.
The citizens of any city in Kansas may
safely be trusted to devise and revise the
method of their own local government
in accordance with their desires and to
meet their peculiar needs without being
compelled to wait the pleasure of a state
legislature. l recommend immediate leg
1islation giving the cities Of Kansas home
( rule. empowering them to adopt the city
manager plan of government at the en-
suing or any. April election: such law to
be fully guarded against conflict with state
laws and interference by the cities with
/ the police powers of the state.
The city manager plan is Il great for
ward step in the direction of better gov
eminent. and everywhere it is in operation
is producing striking results in the way of
economies and better service.
Reform in Receiverships.
The recent scandal caused by the pay
ment of enormous and eXorbitant receivers
and attorneys, fees i'll the of "a bank
rupt natural gas company. impels me to
urge you to enact law placing in the
hands of the public utilities commission
the business of all bankrupt public service
companies the commission to appoint the
receiver and to have general supervision
of the business. in the same manner as
the -:;nk commissioner handles the
business of an insolvent state bank. The
fees of the receiver and the attorneys en-
! in keeping with those paid in the or
binary condLct of business. Such a
measure will put AN end to form of graft
that has become public stencil. Every
dollar Squandered grated in such re-
ceivership cases finally is paid by the
public and the people are looking to this
legislature for the Fighting of this ancient
wrongs
/ Revenue and Expenditures.
{
| of the union, is disturbed by the rapid in
crease in taxes affecting every citizen The
! solution of this problem should be the first
J. concern of all who are entrusted with rails
/ ing and expending public funds. The func-
/ lions of government have so increa Sed
/ the cost of all commodities used by the
state, including labor, has advanced,
! that greater revenues are imperative. Con-
sequently increased taxes cannot be avoid
ed Instead of eNcusing carelessness or
! extravaganza. this calls for greater care
( and economy and more scrupulous honesty
/ o n he
pies money.
As indicating the rapidly growing bur
| den of taxation. l beg to direct your atten-
/ ton to the increase from year to year since
/ 1912 in the total taxes levied in kansas:
| Increase in taxes of 1913 over
Increase in taxes of 1911 over
Increase in taxes of 1915 over -''''''-''
Increase in taxes of i916 over -'- 10
1910 1,93S, 96J
Total increase in four years . 81. as1 .926
The taxes of 1912 totaIed SGT sO6. COG
Therefore, the increase in the last four
years hes been 2S1 per cent.
The increase last yesr over the year pre-
| vious was as follows: For state govern
| ment. per cent; for counties n per cent
l-for cities 16 per cent: for townshins IL
per cent: for school districts, 10 per Cent.
! The state tax levy ins+Kansas is $3.50
per $1,000. with few exceptions Il rate lower
than other states. That You may know
how this $1.30 is expended let me say that
| 81 cents of il goes to the support of the
state educational institutions: p cents to
prisons and reformatories; D cents for