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

I also recommend consolidating all de-
department of agriculture in charge of
commissioner, similar to the plan followed
by the national government 1t should m
departments of horticulture, livestock,
grain inspection, entomology, dairy, stal-
lion registration, feeding stuffs, vet
Urinary, forestry and possibly others. Not
only would this reduce the cost of main
tanning these departments. but the bene-
fits resulting from a more clocely CORE
lated administration would be many.
The above quoted excerpt from the
governors message is causing more
heated discussion and excitement at
the forty-sixth annual meeting of the
state board of agriculture which con-
veped today in Memorial hall, than
anything ever caused at any other an
nual meeting in the memory of the
oldest member of the board.
Altho the recommendation of the
governor is appropriately vague as to
the mechanism of the consolidation
proposed, the consensus of opinion In
the board is that the intention is to
do away with the board and its pow
lers of election of the secretary, and
make the commissionership of the
proposed consolidated bureau an ap-
pointive job under the governor, de-
stroying the non-political nature of the
board and giving the governor an
other means of strengthening political
fences.
Board Against Plan.
"a main strength of the board has
been its non-political character" J. H.
Tredway, president of the board said
today. Attic no official action on
the matter will be taken until Friday,
if the proposed recommendation means
the making of the headship of the de-
partment subject to the whims of
political appointment. the board can
be counted on as being strongly
against it,
Other members did not hesitate to
express themselves to the effect that
the proposed consolidation and COM
missionership is purely a political
move to secure greater appointive
power to the governor. Many dele
gates denied that the consolidation
would effect economy.
Whether the commissioner of the
consolidated bureau of agriculture
would be appointed or his election OBJ
tanned in the way that now obtains in
the election of the secretary of the
board of agriculture is of purely minor
Importance, Governor Capper said in
response to questioning. THAT detail
can be worked out later. A similar
measure recommended by the COVER
nor of Illinois to his legislature COM
prehends the gubernatorial appoint
ment of the commissioner. My recon-
mendation follows the recommended
ton made in the recent report of the
commission administrative eff
cheney and economy
Start Fight in the Senate
1t is expected bin embodying the
recommendations of the governor will
be framed in the senate committee on
agriculture of which ]. S. Hart of Ran
dali. is chairman
Following its appearance the mem
II
make known their stand on the propo-
sition.
The featured address for tonight is
GA Twentieth Century Vision" by A.
Ross Hill, president of Missouri State
university. Hill is gaining increasing
fame for his lectures on rural better
ment. Addresses of welcome will be
given by Charles H. Sessions, in be-
half Ncf the governor, and Mayor ].
E. House.
A special appeal to the public to
hear Hills lecture tonight is made by
]. C. Mohler. secretary of the board.
"A lecture by a man of such caIiber
as Hill would cost dollar or more to
hear under ordinary conditions Hill
is one of the significant speakers be-
fore the public today"
Convene This Afternoon.
A preliminary meeting for the
Opener tonight will be held this aft
ernOOn at o CLOCK Inc Dig speaker
for Thursday is Charles E IobdeI
member of farm loan board, who will
expound the federal farm loan act
His address will be followed by Chas.
NJ Sawyer of the Federal Reserve
bank at Kansas City. formerly of To-
peka, who will explain the workings of
the Federal Reserve bank in its rela-
ton to the farmer. Other prominent
speakers listed for the remaining ses-
sions are Geo w. Marble, Fort Scott
T. A. Borman OF Topeka; Cora Well
house Billiard, Tonganoxie; z. G. Hop
-kins, now of St. Louis. formerly of To-
peka; Thos. H. Macdonald of the
Iowa state highway commission and J.
H. Mercer, state livestock sanitary
commissioner; Chas. Dillon of Topeka.
a feature of the meetings is the
public nature of the program. which
in effect is symposium on rural con-
, ditions. to which the general public
iS invited