Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1897-10-23

and that Treasurer Anterior in his
annual report called special attention
to this fact and urged the legislature
to provide ways and means to
strengthen its condition and to pre-
vent its collapse
''The last report of Treasurer
Anterior contains no such reference.
On the contrary, Treasurer Anterior
in his final report showed a net bal
ance in the treasury of 1904, 529. 10 and
said: Notwithstanding the large ap-
preparations made by the legislature
of 1895, l have been able to meet all
state obligations promptly and no
warrants have been stamped, Not
paid for want of funds / earnestly
request that the forthcoming session
of the legislature keep the appropria-
tionS down to the lowest possible
figure, and i believe, with the econ
omy that has been observed by the
present management of all the state
institutions, the state tax levy need
not be increased
''There is no hint here of a deficit
or of any necessity for the stamping
of warrants, Not paid for want of
funds MIR. Anterior did warn the
legislature that the bonds accruing
January of this year ana July of next
year should be refunded at per cent
and sold to the school fund, since the
present condition of the treasury
would not permit of these bonds be-
ing paid from the general revenue
q a a int ASS iSfa MT
Treasurer Williams says: The last
legislature CONTRARY to the warning
and advice of Mr.. Atherton] ordered
the treasurer to pay $4,000 outstand-
ing state bonds. This was a wise
financial policy for the state. -. but
unfortunately the payment was de-
manded at the time of our greatest
weakness In face of the advice of
State Treasurer AthertOn, it was any
thing but wise financial policy for
the state. Mr.. Williams further
speaks with becoming pride of the
great state institutions built and sus-
tanned and enlarged, step by step
with the growth of the state itself
and the needs of It's dependent popu-
latiun, and says: 'All these things
cost money: yet our beloved state has
bravely conSumated these philan-
thropic policies in the face of impend-
ing bankruptcy
The impending bankruptcy is a |
fiction of Mr.. Williams imagination.
Kansas was never so far from bank |
rupt as it is today. Its treasury is
looted and its obligations are haggled |
in the market by reason of gross mis-
for which the late legis- |
lature and the present administra-
ton are responsible. The Populist I
handbook just issued makes
a plausible statement of the immense |
sums saved to the state by the econ I
Omy of the legislature and the pru-
dent management of the state insti-
buttons, but on the heels of this polit-
ical screed comes Mr.. Williams with I
his explanation of sudden deficit /
and is compelled to expose the claims
of the handbook us political bun
cOmbe and bladerdash to catch the
gullible voter. The tax levy he
says, instead of being raised proper
to meet these expenses, has
in reality been decreased; and the re-
suit is dire
''And it is this very decrease of the
levy, made at the expense of the
financial credit of the state and in
the face of the necessities of the
treasury, that the reform handbook
points to with pride as the most con- .
elusive evidence that the reform
legislature and administration have
lone their duty. Never was more
lrrant fraud so promptly riddled by
is own authors. The decrease of the
evy in the face of increasing appro-
)riations was an example of Populist
netficiency of which there had al
'eady been too many proofs before
his exposure of the depleted condi-
ion of the treasury. The state Off
'ials will be unable with whatever
they may invent to es-
ape the responsibility which belongs 4
olely to their own party for this I'M 4
'aralleled humiliation to the state Z