The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-01-23
TREASURERS TELL TALES.
You Wouldn't Think There Was ANY,
thing Entertaining
IN co. TR3ASURERS EXPERIENCES

In co. TR3ASURERS EXPERIENCES
But Here Are a Lot of Interesting
Things That Happened to Them as
Told at Their State Meeting.
c. H. Pattison, the young man who is
serving his second four years as county
treasurer of Dickinson county, read
paper to the county treasurers in Topeka
yesterday ,entitled"Some Pleasant Things
in the Life of County Treasurer"
He said: "Some of those here may
live in a county where people smile
when they put up In my county we
have not so far struck the millennium gait
81 think one of the most pleasant
things in my off cial career was to sit in
the senate gallery last winter and hear
some of our brainy senators tell what an
ordinary fornery' cuss the average county
treasurer is.
when man who is said to be intel
ligent contends that treasurer can pay
his deputy and extra help and have a
good thing left on $1,000 a year in a
county of 10000 people, think he is a
demagogue.
81 had a gentleman tell me last year
that he was justice of the peace out in
his township and only received his fees
for his salary and thought should do the
same. OF course I agreed with him. l
always agree with a chump. It's
cheaper.
another thing which interests the
treasurer ia the man who blames the
treasurer for an increase in his taxes. He
never gives you any credit If his taxes
ara lower.
81 tried to explain the higher tax bust
ness to man once and he said he didn't
want any of our 49, explanations; we
wanted and made the taxpayers pay
it. l agreed with him, too.
"One man who wished to pay taxes on
the southwest half of the southwest quar-
ter became very indignant when l told
him that the southwest half of the south
west quarter was a geometrical impossi-
bility. He said I was an ignorant lot.
He knew the ground was there, for he
walked over 1t every day.
81 got letter one time from a man at
Santa Fee, n. NJ, who said that if would
send him his tax receipt to Sacramento,
Cal, and he found it all right he would
send me his check. l informed him. as
kindly as possible, that this would be
very irregular. He then wrote me
lengthy and very scathing letter from
San Francisco. in which he said he re-
8E6ltCQ lAdL nc OA0 NV AdN0 hAl410 LIZ GOGAAO
back and have me fred. Ny sympa-
thies were aroused, aud l sent him
good receipt for biliousness
and told him again the amount
of his taxes with a small accrued penal
ty attached The next letter from him
was well supplied with dash words and
contained his personal check. This let
ter came from Whatcom, Wash. re-
turned it to him at Pocatello, Idaho, and
inf cd haf Dorannal PhaNE
was of no use to ne as | had plenty of
his autographs already. finally received
a postal note from him at Lincoln, Neb.,
and sent him his receipt.
''One of the pleasantest things is to
have some person at the time your office
is full of tax payers, come in and tell
you what a warm supporter of you he
was and how he expects you to make out
his receipt and hold it for him several
months. Of course it is embarrassing to
have to tell him you will do nothing of
the kind
Now" said President Cox, 'if any of
you fellows have experiences 10 tell this
is the time to tell them"
"A man came into my Office recently"
said Dir. Cooter land asked to know the
amount of his taxes. What is your
name said my young lady clerk. The
fellow was SO ratified that he couldn't
think of his name on the instant so he
said vehemently, why you've got it
there on your book.
81 sent a personal tax notice to Joint
ist in my county once" told DIR. Legler,
SHE amount was $40. He said he had
no property and l had q hard time to get
it. lie was very ignorant and very sus-
picious so when he did finally come in
and pay it. with much grumbling 1
divided it equally and gave half of
it to the clerk saying, George,
we have has a hard time to get this and
we are Just this much ahead. I'll divide
with you. The fellow stood there too
paralyzed to speak for minute and then
he began to swear and now he is prepar-
ing to beat me for reelection when the
time comes"
1t was Mr.. Pattison's turn again and he
said: "A Cincinnati man came into some
property in my county by inheritance.
He was very ignorant of tax matters and
the first year his taxes amounted to $50.
The next year there had been a special
levy and l sent him statement for $40.
He was very mad about it and sent me
$40 with the announcement that if that
wasn't acceptable he wouldn't pay his
taxes at all. wrote him that l was very
sorry indeed but that 1 would be COM
PEELED to have the sheriff take care of
his property if he wouldn't do it himself
guess he consulted a lawyer about it
for he finally sent the amount"
Said Mr.. Nelson: IA young man with
a little down on his upper lip, came in
one time and was very mad about a tax
statement l had sent him. remon-
strated with him in my mild way. but he
was not convinced. 'Why l don't have
to pay any taxes he yelled, 'Im mar
ried man."
Topeka's Mr.. Stahl told about young
man who came in to kick about his per-
sonal tax, saying he didn't have any per
sonel property. "He was very angry
that dun should be sent him. Iasked
him to think it over calmly and sudden
ly he frightened up and said. oh yes,
. hn-nic m y ratoh and hicvnlo3