Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1895-05-08
TOPEKA CORRESPONDENCE

Inc state journal OF saturday, April
q, prints the following item of news:
The records in the state auditors
office reveal the fact that Governor
Morrill, paid his private secretary, his
stenOgrapher, clerk, and the expenses
of his Office in the Columbian building
during the thirty days he had his head
quarters there before his Inauguration,
out of his contingent fund.
lone voucher on file in the auditors
office, No. 1900, is for $65.75. This
money was used for the following pur-
poses: Office supplies, 80; table, $l2;
room rent, $1,000; telegraph tolls 1891.
Voucher No. Is, 514 on lille in the au-
ditor's Office was drawn for $l6665 In
favor of j. l.. Brlstow for services from
December IA, 1894, to January Is, 1895.
There are other vouchers in the au-
ditor's Office which show that Governor
Morrill, paid his stenographer and 9th
er Office help for the same period out of
his contingent fund"
And why shouldn't these expenses be
borne by the people of the state? Has
not Kansas been "redeemed?" Conf
dence restored! The law enforced! The
disgrace of populist administration a
thing of the past, and the control of the
state again placed in the hands of its
friends; and as we are enjoying all of
these blessings as result of SAID re-
demption is it not proper that our
business" governor should tax us to
pay portion of the amount that was
expended in order to place us in this
happy condition?
The Topeka Capital, in explanation
of the matter, states that after the re-
suit of the election became known, the
governor opened the Office and was aid
ed in the work of attending to the vast
correspondence by Secretary Bristow,
Mr.. Hull and Miss Adams; that they
were engaged in the transaction of
state business, yet someone has been
unkind enough to make objections to
the inauguration.
Engaged in the transaction OF state
business, Ell? Will the Capital inform
its readers what state position Major
Morrill,, or either of the other persons
named, held previous to the 25th Of
January, and by what authority they
undertook to transact any public bust
ness prior to the Inauguration?
Were they not engaged IN consider
ing the applications of the thousand:
of hungry '-radeemers'' who were clam
oring for places at the pie counter?
Why the fellow who would be unkint
enough to object TO the state paying
for this work ought to be tarred an(
feathered for his presumption. Th'
very idea of any one Directing, from
the Capitals standpoint, is preposter
Gus.
The same article saws that the Cover
} nor insisted that the amount due these
} persons should be paid from his private
/ funds. Why did he not pay them then
Was there any strings tied to him tina
> would prevent him from doing so? ant
3 was not the following certificate signed
! by him, attached to each of the vouch
> ers: II do certify that the within wa
3 contracted by me for the state unde
: authority of law. and that The amour
: therein claimed is correct, accordini
i to such contract, and is unpaid" An,
j now they set up the plea that they &C
" cepted these vouchers with the under
: standing that the matter should be re
n ferred to the attorney general for hi
s opinion and If he decided that the pay
= mept was illegal the amount would b
= refunded 60 the state.
C Think of it! the governor of thi
y great state, a leading banker who ha
1, amassed fortune and who during til
h campaign promised the people clear
ID economical, business administration
e. and his private secretary, who aspire
D. to seat in congress as a represents
Iy tive from his district, conspiring To 70
s. the treasury, and when the scheme
Of unearthed and the robbery shown u
n in all its hideousness, then to hide bG
IN hind the miserable excuse that the
)t were awaiting the opinion of the atto
lg ney general as to the legality of til
r steal. Why did they not ask this of
ee ces for his views before drawing IL
ly vouchers If they entertained an
a doubts about the matter? But the
d. collected the money oyer three month
ne ago and up to this time the attornt
ut general with his colossal brain and !
ID gal acumen has not been able to fiji
any statute that legalizes the thief
And now, after the discovery has bee