The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-07-26
State Manager Had Fund for
Plenty of Improvements.
But Money Wasn't Used-Back
1t Goes to Treasury.
MORE IS WANTED NEXT YEAR
Need of Appropriations That
Inmates Won't Suffer.
Meanwhile Taxpayers VIII
Keep on "Digging Up"

In SDlIS OF the duNdHCGS
in prices of all commodities during
the last eighteen months. the state in
situations completed their fiscal year
with an unexpended balance of nearly
a half million dollars. OF this sum,
tho. there was put s6,304.O6 in the
maintenance fund. A review of the
work of the state board during the
last year was made to Governor Cap
per today by James A. Kimball, state
business manager.
Spectacular advances in prices
caused the state to use the greatest
care in the purchase of materials and
supplies in the last twelve months.
While the unexpended balances of
nearly half million dollars indicate
a big saving, they show by contrast
the narrow margin under which the
state finished the year. OF the $685.
064.76 in unexpended balances. s3,-
304.06 is from maintenance of all state
institutions. while s22.374.70 is from
salaries.
Built No Buildings.
The fee income added $25S,131.23,
while the failure of the state to con-
struct new buildings for which the
1917 legislature made appropriations,
permitted an additional S157,S92.85 to
remain unexpended. The total is
completed by the addition of the
twine plant revolving fund of $43,-
361.92.
Should present condition continue.
Kimball advises the governor, the next
legislature m Ist be called upon for
greatly increased appropriations. Only
by general appropriation of additional
funds, the state manager declares, will
the state be able to maintain her big
institutions without impairing the eff
ficiency or causing patients and in
mates to suffer.
High Cost of Supplies.
Supplies for the big state charities
and penal institutions caused the state
her greatest trouble during the last
fiscal year. All prices went skyward
and the niggardly appropriations by
the 1917 legislature failed in many
| instances to meet demands or even
| absolute needs. A tabulated statement
| was prepared by Kimball as evidence
Of the enormous advance in prices to
the state.
In 1914, before the outbreak of war
the state institutions bought ticking al
| $500. Now it costs $49.9s. Bed
| spreads climbed from 97.5 cents to 81
and blankets from s2.10 to s5.65.
Evaporated apples cost $3.50 In
1914 and s13.25 now. Navy beans
were s4.1s in 1914 and now cos
| $11.75. Rice bolted from cents tc
cents and canned tomatoes from
$1.02 to $2.15. Soda crackers could
be secured in abundance in 1914 a.
| s4.72 and now cost $14.09 with the
price still going up.
Meat and Sugar.
| Meats also took a balloon ascension
and sugar went from $4.51 to $3.50
Coal also went beyond the basis o.
| appropriations. The state purchases IL
1914 were on a $1.95 basis, while il
1918 the state has paid s3.40 In tn,
| face of these abnormal prices, the
state legislature of 1917 allowed bu
little advance in funds and in man,
| instances purchases have been cur
tailed in order to prevent enormous
| overdrafts of state funds.
The shutting down of supplies I.
| shown in the record of purchases. The
| report shows that rations for the stat,
| institutions have been reduced, aIthc
in the main the institutions have
grown in population and size. II
| 1867 the state bought $500
| pounds of meat at a cost of 500.
021.68, while in 191T-1S the meat sun
ply for the same institutions was bu
766,320 pounds. altho the expense wa.
| 1872, S04.14. In 1916-17 the stat,
bought 716.797 pounds of flour at {
cost of s25,69s.15. while in 1917-1s
the flour purchase was 612446 pound
at price of S33,5S2.09