The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-11-20
EFFORT TO LOWER TAX BURDEN
New Governor Refuses TO Talk
About His Appointments.
Many Are inn Line for Political
PIums inn Kansas.


predicts that he viii get much sup
port from Republican members of the
next Kansas legislature - especially
men of the type of Senator Francis G.
an interview this week that he would
not be a party to political horse play
in the next Legislative session and that
he would support Governor-elect
Davis II he offers program of prac-
tical economy and elimination of USE
less and overlapping boards and COM
missions.
= always knew Senator Price was
more OF a statesman than a poll
Il am going 10 get lot of support
from Republican members OF the leg
isiature of the Senator Price type"
Governor Davis added. Il have no
miSrivings about this, and / want to
assure Senator Price and everyone in
Kansas that / shall make nothing but
an honest effort to lower the tax bur
dens. and I shall make no appoint
ments until I believe / have found
good. clean honest men TO fill the
jobs"
Has Much Work To DO.
Governor-eIect Davis has been busy
here for the last three days with two
stsaRographers working in relays an
swering letters of congratulations, re-
plying to those who are suggesting
ways to help him in the big task he
has undertaken and getting personal
mail cleared up. In an probability it
win be the latter part of next week
before he will be able to turn his
mind to his message to the legislature
and to the matter of making his ap-
pointments.
SO far. not a word has come from
the new governor relative to his ap-
pointments except that he proposes to
consider qualifications more imPor-
tant than party political pull in pick
ing men TO place at the head OF the
various- departments
Davis has not made one intimation
of his choice fer the big jobs he will
have to hand out. He has not said
what he expects to do about any office
or department But it is generally
understood that he proposes to clean
out the state" house as thorOly as it is
possible tn do so. Those who are close
to the new governor say he viii pursue
this course. not as a partisan policy
and not thru a spirit of demanding
"spoIlS. but because he believes he
can best carry out his policy of re-
trenchment and economy in state gov
eminent by getting rid of those who
have been on the jobs under the old
regime and replacing them with EN-
ployes who will go on the job under
standing that they must be in SYM
pathy with the administrations desire
to cut expenses.
Wants Many Jobs Abolished.
If the legislature does not follow the
governors recommendations and con-
sol.date a number of boards and COM
missions, the new chief executive will
have more than $50 jobs. big and lit
tie. TO fin by appointment However,
If he is able to do SO, he will get the
legislature to abolish a great many of
these jobs. And, if he can't do this,
he may fail to make some of the ap-
pointments, it is said.
Probably the appointments to which
Governor Davis will give the most at
tention will be those on the state tax
commission. He believes the state
miss n
make levieS. equalize assessments and
shift tax burdens is the real key to
a large part of the tax problems, and
ne viii be able to appoint at least two
of the three members of the commits
sion early in his administration. Cler-
ence Smith is serving a recess ap-
pointment made to fill out the unex-
pired term of the late Samuel T.
Howe, whose term expired the first
of next July. And Willie Med. Rowan,
the Democratic member of the old
com mission, also will have served his
term out on July 1.
Next to the tax commission the new
governor will give a great deal of at
tention to the heads of the big bust
ness departments. He has committed
himself as favortng the repeal of the
industrial court law which would cut
off three judges who draw salaries of
$4,000 a year and a number of minor
himself in favor of doing away with
state board of administration as a big
salaried job. and if he should succeed
in doing this he would lose at least
one $500 appointment
So far. the new governor. as stated
above, has made no intimation of the
persons he has in mind for any of the
appointments When asked about
them and told that speculattons were
in order, he replied:
''AlI right, go ahead and speculate
as much as you please. but can't tell
you anything because have not given
"a nj II 10 nR
know OF a single appointment I am
likely to make"
Many Speculations Made
Those who are specializing take in
s. wide range of territory and include
almost every prominent Democrat in
those they are picking for good jobs
However, there is certain to be many
disappointments. Many have been
predicting that c. ]. Peterson. secre-
tary of the state committee and the
man who bet more chips on the Davis
hand than any other Democrat, would
be given the choice of appointments.
SON has let Davis know that he is not
asking anything Also, there has been
talk of Forest Luther of Cimarron.
former state chairman, for several
places. But Luther also is so busy
with his private business that it is i'm
probable he would see his way to
come to Topeka
u T. Wilson of Moran, who gave
UP his private business in order to
come to Topeka and lead the Davis
! fight, certainly is in line for some-
thing 1t is reported that he is slated
for state grain inspector and that
Governor Davis looks with favor upon
this because Wilson is an old grain
man and knows all features of this
business But this is a speculation
like all the rest.
John Barrett. OF sTopeka, treasurer
of the state committee and Shawnee
county chairman, most likely is in
line for something. Rumor has it that