The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-09-08
ACTION
FROM MEETING
Economy Conference May Cause
New Policy in Kansas.
Much Interest Being Shown
Over State in Meeting.
DEMANDS CUT IN EXPENSE
Heads of All State Institutions
May Be Called Here.
Turner Asks Governor to Use
Influence in Saving Plan.

Out of Fridays economy conference
may come a new policy regarding use
of state funds. Interest in the meet
ing is state wide. Hundreds of letters
regarding state taxes have reached
the state house since N. A. Turner.
state auditor, asked for a discussion
of the Kansas expense accounts. If
Turner wins his point Friday a gen.
eral conference of heads of all state
institutions and department heads will
be called by the executive council.
Turner's demand is for a retrench-
ment in useless expenses. In his let
ter to the governor he urged that
necessary expenses of the state de-
But with a 81 million dollar bill for
running state government during the
biennium, Turner asked Governor AL
len to use his influence in calling a
slow down.
May Cause a Break.
Just now there is the possibility that
Turner's action may result in break
with the state administration. His
suggestion hasn't been met with a
very enthusiastic response in admins
tration circles and Governors Aliens
reply-tho quite prompt-was sarcas-
tic and contained a call for a meeting
of the executive council rather than
the department and institutional
heads whom Turner sought to assem-
BILE. Since the governors letter was
written editorials in a Kansas City
administration paper. William Allen
Whites Emporia Gazette and even
Governor Aliens own Wichita Bea
con. and other administration papers,
have scoffe6 at Turner's idea.
In former years auditors have
talked about cutting down state ex-
ThnrP the ruling
that state employees should use the
bathtub before leaving on their jun
kets and not do their bathing at state
expense. Equally ridiculous rulings
banned dining car and hotel tips and
one compelled state employees to leave
trains at Kansas City. Kan, and use
a street car to the Missouri side in or
der to save a few pennies. All of these
things have been pointed out in slap
ping at Turner's plan.
Turner Promises Some Figures.
But Turner has promised to unfold
some facts and figures. He has taken
the position that departments should
be held responsible for reckless use of
their funds and the entire burden
should not be thrown on the auditor.
He has pointed to many trips to
Washington by state officials and en-
ployes at the particular time political
problems or patronage questions were
under consideration. He has declared
there are many useless employees on
the pay roll.
Turner's stand on the economy ap-
peal is the fact that the state tax levy
has jumped So per cent in one year
On the other hand Governor Allen
may take the position that the money
appropriated by the last legislature
was less than the amount asked by the
state auditor to meet state needs
To Hold Meeting Friday.
The meeting which will be held Fri
day morning in the office of L. J.
Pettijohn, secretary of state, promises
to be a lively and interesting one
Turner has declared that he expects
no results from Fridays meeting 9TH
er than the calling of a subsequent
conference of department heads. He
urges that the executive council as a
body can take no binding action. The
relief, he asserts. must come thru or
ders from the governor or heads OF
departments and institutions.
Just now Turner is under fire as
author of another of the many cheap
reform moves. And the possibility OF
a high class row over his demand for
use of the knife on state expenses
grows no smaller as the hour for the
conference aDDrOa cheS