The Holt County sentinel., 1896-10-09
AND ASSUMED FULL CONTROL OF
The Treasury Department-Seibert
and Stephens Dished Out Funds
to Suit Themselves.
Seibert and Lon stephens Succeeded In
COntrOl-DanEerOus Power La
the Hands of q Clique.

souri, General Assembly for many years
the state finances were protected by Il
Board of Fund commissioners. which
was selected by law TO operate as 4
check upon the Auditor and Treasurer.
Ed Noland was Treasurer in 1883 and
JAS. N. Seibert was Auditor. They
laid their heads together and devised a
scheme to obtain full control over all
money paid into the Treasury. The
Fund commissioners stood in their
way. and We're abolished against the
protest of many of the ablest members
of the Legislature. Senator j. c. Me-
Ginnis led the fight against the
scheme rs III the Senate. and did ali in
his power TO prevent the enactment of
the present Treasury law. But by the
most shameless and persistent lobby
ing and personal appeals to legislat
the act was passed. and the people de
prived of the protection that had for So
long been afforded by the Fund Com
the denomination OF the jefferson City
ring and perpetuate its power. They
were permitted to deposit the funds in
IL or 20 of their pc: banks. Lon Ste
phens' bank at Boonville was one of
the favored institutions.
The defalcation OF Noland in the sum
Of $4,000 shortly followed. which was
accidentally discovered by Gov. Fran
els, and created tremendous sensation
throughout the State. The defaulting
Treasurer. who was the only one of the
combine caught in the meshes of the
law. was deposed, and sent to the peni
tentiary. SO that he could not succeed
himself. But the unfortunate begin
ming of 1.-The syndicate arrangement
made by the ring did not prevent Sci
berts and Lesueur's renomina ton in
1892. Lon Stephens succeeded Noland.
The vast power welded by the banks
that had been selected. was then. and
has been ever since. sufficient to con-
troll the nominations made by the
Democratic State Conventions. The
earnest fight led by Champ Clark to
dislodge this arrogant ring of political
tricksters, at their last State Conven
ton. was of no avail The Stone
Stephens-Seibert-Le combine tri-
umphed. and the same gang is again in
the field soliciting reelection. Will the
voters be again deceived. and through
partisan bias cas-, their ballots to more
effectually fasten upon the tax-ridden
people this conscienceless syndicate of
politicians? No free American citizen
can afford to be longer held in the
iron grip of this political syndicate.
The vast power the jefferson City ring
has secured is menace to good gov
ernment. and one of the dangers of
Organism that must be met and de-
feated.
Another factor in the power of the
combine is the Board
Of Equalization. Should the combine
ticket win in the coming election. it
will consist of the following members:
Lon V. Stephens. one of the present
members. !. VI. Seibert. Frank Pitts.
4. 4. Lesueur and f. {. Crow Stephens
would take the place of Gov Stone
and Crow would succeed r. Frank
Walker. and Pitts would take Stephens
place as State Treasurer. There is but
little rotation in office with this board.
The same old ring in control, and Crow
is expected to he more docile in doing
the will of the combine than Walker
has been as Attorney General. What
this gang has done in the past. if
it can do IN the future As
State officers they have claimed credit
for a reduction of the tax levy. As a
Board of Equalization they have raised
the taxes. In some of the country
in order TO get enough money
into their treasury to supply their
wants. they increased the assessment
Oh the farmers personal property until
mules and horses in some of the conn
ties were assessed for much more than
they would bring in the market. Com |
plants were showered upon them I
without avail. In consequence of those
the House of Representa- /!
tives of the last General Assembly !
passed the following resolutions:
Resolved, BY the House of Repre-. I
of the Thlrsy-eighth General !
that the Governor, as the .
principal member of the Board of
be requested at his carli-
Est convenience. to inform this House
why the State Board of Equalization.
when it found il necessary to increase
the taxable wealth of the state placed
an additional SG5, 900, 600 upon the farm
property Of the State, instead of in
the taxable wealth of the rail-
roads until railroad property shall
bear. its equitable of taxation, as di-