The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-10-10
KANSAS rs BUSTED
GENERAL FUND HAS BEEN Pumped
UNTIL IT Is DRY.

Paid For the Want Of Euuds"-Pop
|, Lseislature's Grand stand Fin.nciering
and Utter Neglect Provide For State
Expenses Are to BIams-State Treasurer
Is LONG His Best But the Legislature
Has Been Too Much For Him
Topeka, Kan, Oct. 9.-When a credi-
tor of the state of Kansas presents mis-
warrant TO the state treasurer next
month for payment, instead of getting
his casn for It, as has been the custom,
ne will get the warrant back. with this
inscription across the back OF it;
Not paid for the want Of funds
I'D. II. HEFFLEBOWER,
state Treasurer.
The warrant will then begin drawing
per cent interest. In this year OF great
prosperity in Kansas, when people have
money to burn and banks have refused
TO accept deposits, the state finds Itself
bankrup: and its officers are forced 10
suspend rne payment of outstanding OBJ
legations for want of funds. This is
most remarka bic situation, but IL only
goes to show that nothing is impossible
when popuiists are in control of things.
The present financial condition Of the
state is causing the populists much un-
easiness, and they are working night
and day trying to hatch up some excuse
TO make when the collapse does come
Il see no possible way 10 stem the
tide" said Assistant State Treasurer
Williams TO the correspondent today.
We will simply mark across the back OF
the warrants: Not paid for the want
OF funds" register the warrants and
let them draw interest until we get some
money in to pay them. Yesterday We
had on hand about 500, 900 in the gen.
eral fund. The state board Of charities
will come in tomorrow and draw out
between $50, 900 and $4,000 TO meet last
months bills. Other claims will come
in. so that the general fund will not
have over $4,000 in it on November 1.
Then the October bills Will begin rolling
in, ana We simply won't have the money
TO pay them. The monthly expense of
running the state amounts TO about s70.-
600. Sometimes il reaches $500 The
receipts for the next two months will
be very small We should begin get
ting in tax money in December, but the
chances are that the money will not roll
in much until January. II is barely pos
sible that we will get enough in Deem
Der to meet one months expenses, but
it is doubtful. II We don't We will have
10 stand the creditors off for two
months"
Mr.. Williams says that ne Populists
legislature is to blame. "Te expense of
tne state keeps on increasing as the
state grows older" ne said, while the !
assessed valuation has decreased. The |
tax levy as fixed by the Legislature has /
been allowed 10 remain the same. The |
candle, therefore, is burning al both |
ends. A few years ago the treasury hai |
on hands $500, 900. That has disappear
ed gradually until today we only have
F69, 90 more than We received in the gem
eral fund. The legislature last winter |
not only did not raise the tax levy 10
meet present conditions, but passed al !
law compelling tine treasurer to take up
outstanding bonds. The legislature did t
not make any calculation as TO the needs |
Of the state, and as a result We will De
forced TO suspend payment until the tax
money comes in again. We have money
N other funds. but the law strictly pro-
hihics US from using it 10 pay debts /
against another fund
The state treasurer is in no way 10
blame for this condition Of affairs. The
Populist legislature. coached by Populist
1xers. is responsible. The treasurer to-
lay is engaged in a law suit trying to
stop a deal whereby other Populist Of
icisls are attempting ID saddle a lot Of
Questionable bonds onto the school fund
In the supreme court he is trying 70
show that the school fund commission
ers have purchased some practically
worthless Graham county bonds at par
n direct violation of the state law. He
'efused to pay for the bonds and is at
empting TO justify his action in the SUI
Drene court in the mandamus proceed
ngs filed against him 10 compel him to
BAY for the bonds. Just such work as
his, is what brought the state TO bank
'uptcy. The PopUlist legislature last
winter appropriated thousands Of dol-
ars TO reimburse Populist officials who
strition for crookedness, and were dis
charged. Householder. Wait, Chase and
Rogers. who were discharged after be-
ng convicted by an investigating COM
nittee, together with all their witnesses.
we're paid off. Some of these bills were
outrageous steals. The only Populist Of
1cial who won and was not discharged
Mas John W. Briedenthal. state bank
In this instance ne was
probably entitled 10 oe reimbursed for
money expended. but the Populist leg
stature threw out mis- claim Probably
le would not promise To divide Then
ne legislature recklessly appropriated
money to let a crowd OF the most in
iuential Populist legislators go TO Tex
Is on junketing trip. II paid the Ham
lion Printing Company $500 ani Ev-
ms & Cox. s5.091. which claims the Re-
publican Legislators two years before
urnei down because they savored OF
steals.
The sum of H.7o0 was spent in the
q NOUS bribery Investigation. which re-
suited in additional proof being secured.
through Pops witnesses. that the great
majority OF the Pop legislators had their
Price and many Of them got il. Appro-
,riatiops for scores OF claims for smaller
amounts which the state had no right
% pay whatever were also made. AL Of |
hese were piled upon the state tressur-
n. and his general fund melted like a
hunk Of butter IN hot frying pan.
While appropriations were being made
or these steals no provision was made
o help the state treasurer out Of the