White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1869-04-15
Correspondence.
tFor the Chief.)

tFor the Chief)
EDIToR CHns:-I am pleased With the lead
ing article in your issue Of April lst; not be-
cause of the Justice of its structures upon men,
or the correctness Of its deductions-vhich Is
disputable-but because it signifies that the
press Of Kansas is prepared 10 canvas and
criticise the management Of the State finances.
It is hoped this viii not be your 6nal effort in
this direction. The people need information
and enlightenment upon the subject. They
can obtain that best from the columns Of the
newspapers. The reports of the financial off,
GERS OF the State reach but few. Even the
brief syllabus Of the condition of the State q
nances, ESQ to speak,) that is usually embodied
in the Governors annual Message, does not
circulate among all. With the press rests the
responsibility Of giving correct statements of
facts in this re.pect. and just reasons for the
existence of these facts; then it is for the
peop'e, c rrectly informed, to apply the RENE,
dy for evils such as you have periinentIy sug-
gestsd. sE
IL seems to me that no we'll wisher of his
State should hesitate for a moment to strike
hands with you "or any other man." and work
for reformation Of the financial affairs of
Kansas.
Candidly, was not the germ Of this financial
tree, that has grown 50 large as to require one
per cent. Of, ihe entire property Of the State
annually fOris support. planted at the yer,
inception Of the State Government Are not
the high saxc, Of to-day due to bad manage.
nent from the beginning7 This, too, with the
consent and approval Of men Of alI parties or
factions in the State7 t-s
The bankers of this State arc Offering eighty
cents on the dollar for State scrip, and no
more. Outside of Kansas, this paper is not q
saleable commodity. The State agents, such
as the Warden of the Penitentiary, the Super
intendents Of the institutions for the nnfortu.
nate, and others, must have money to meet
their current expenses. They must sell the
State paper to get it. Thus the scrip Of the
State is daily passing from the control of the
State into the hands of third parties, at this
ruinous discount. Nov. hy the midd of ia
nuary next, the people will have contributed
the moaey to redeem all this scrip 60 sold.
In brief, they will then pay to the speculator
one dollar and seven cents for every eighty
cents he has advanced them during the year.
This is exactly what We are doing this year; /;
exa:tly what We did last year. and every year
since the oryaniza ion Of the State Govern
ment.
What would be said Of private corporation
or person who should borrow money to carry
on its or his business at such a rate of interest
as this-msre than thirty three per cent. !?
Would it not sap the foundation of the great
est private fortune in the land7 Can any one
fail to see the palpable evils of such course
on the part of the Stated Does not this ac-
count for our one per cent tax levy this year,
and the promise of a sure increase in the fu
ture, unless there is q changei Had the State
nerer discounted its scrip-that is, never is
sued any script must be plain to any one
that. with taxes just as they have been, there
would be money in the Treasury to day
nearly enough to pay Off the bondel debt of
the State.
This scrip business is all bad. aul the press
of Kansas ought to unite to suppress it. 1t
seems to me to Be the first step toward bet
ter order of things. This, of course, requires
the adoption of a somewhat antiquated rule of
action on the part Of the State: that is, that
the State should provide money in advance,
before she makes purchases. Had she done
so some eight years ago. she would have been
some hundreds Of thousands better off now.
Bot, leaving ''the dead pas. to bury its dead"
it seems to me as though the future of the
State imperatively called for the adoption of
this rule now. Let US all unite for a reform
in the management of the State finances.
STEPHEN A. COBB.
WYASDorrE, Apri: 9, 1869.