The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-07-07
State House Officials Stop Pat
ronizing Express Companies
Because of Refusal to Pay
the Revenue Tax.
MERCHANTS JOIN IN.
Each Side is Standing Firm in
the Fight.
Attorney General Boyle Ex-
poets to Take a Hand.

day.
The revolt is not against the govern
ment but is aimed at the express com
pauies which carry thousands of dollars
worth of express matter from the state
house every year and the telegraph
companies which handle the state
house messages
Near the door Of the Office Of the sec
rotary of state were two harmless
packages this morning. They had not
been there long until an agent Of the
Wells Fargo Express company walked
in.
Are these to co. he asked pointing
to the packages.
Yes, they are TO go" replied Assist
ant Secretary Ross
You have forgotten to put the stamp
on" said the young man
NO, we haven't" replied Ross.
There are the packages. You can take
them or let them alone, just as you
please"
The young man turned and walked
cut of the room leaving the packages
on the floor.
Scenes ike this have been enacted in
nearly every office at the state house
The state superintendent is the only
one who has paid the revenue but the
law requires that the examination ques-
tons shall be sent BY express and he
Insurance Commissioner Webb Nc
Nall had battle with an express car
rIer soon after he returned TO Topeka
and he is now sending his reports out
by mail Other officers are doing the
same and there viii not be a package
carried from the state house by eN-
press companies except those from the
office of the superintendent
Secretary COburn OF the state board
OF agriculture who has Joined the re-
volt said today I consider this &C
ton Of the express companies a petty
outrage 1t Is an EFFORT on the part OF
the express companies to escape the
burden imposed by the governmental
law is plain. There is TO doubt in the
that the express companies should pay
the revenue L for one do not pOrpOse to
stand ii and nothing from this office
VIII go by express unless am not able
to help myself"
Assistant State Auditor c. \ Taylor
has refused to send anything from the
auditors office by express He said:
7 put the packages in the usual place
and told the express company man he
could either take them or not but that
We did not intend To pay the revenue
He LETT them and every thing sent out
OF this Office hereafter viii be by mall
The Office OF the secretary of state
sends out great many large package
OF public documents and where they
can not go by mail they viii be sent by
Webb NIcNau said in speaking Of
sending matter by freight: 1T should
be done wherever possible. Both the
Santa Fe and Rock Island have pur-
CHASED supply Of stamps and they
have shown no disposition to avoid the
law"
Attorney General Boyle said: The
officers who have refused TO pay the
revenue for the express companies are
acting under my instruction. I have
not Yet made up my mind what viii be
done but some test viii be made as soon
as possible.
The express companies are not alone.
me same rule applies to the telegraph
companies We viii ind out as soon as
possible who has the revenue TO pay.
/ am satisfied that this tax was in
tended 10 be on the corporations and
not the people,
The governors office has not sent any
express matter since the new revenue
law has been in force but many teIe-
grams have been sent and a supply of
stamps IS kept on hand to attac- to
the dispatches
The fght on the express companies
IS also being taken up by the merchants
and others in Topeka who have bust
ness to transact through the COM
panies.
J. NJ Padgett, of the ]. NJ. Padgett
coupon company, viii hereafter do all
his business by mail and he is sending
out the following pointed circular.
one or the provisions OF the late
revenue law stipuIates that.
1t shall be the duty OF every railroad
or steamboat company. carrier. express
company or corporation, or person
whose occupation is To act as such to
issue to the shipper or consign0r. or his
agent or person from whom any article
IS accepted for Transports ton a hin Of
Iadlngs manifest or other evidence of
receipt and forwarding for each ship
Inent received for carriage and trans
porJation. whether in bulk or in boxes.
bales, packages or bundles, or not so
enclosed or included; and there shall
be duly attached, as in this act pro-
vided, to each of said bills of Iading.
manifest or other memorandum there
Of stsElp OF cent"
Therefore, il is plain to every intel
Igenr citizen that the IaW-EnakIng body
intended that corporations to which
this section applies should nav the I
cent tax. and not act as agents for the
government in holding up its citizens
by an increased rate to cover the
charge, or collecting it directly from
his business.
The express companies. with the
nerve OF nlshwaymen and the gall OF
a skunk nave given notice thar they
VIII NOT attacn the stamp as by law
provided but that the shipper must nav
for the stamp
Hereafter all our packages will be
shipped by L. ; mail in order to give
the government all the assistance pos
81 Die, and to show these fns+f447tir,,s
that we do not cOuntenance. nor viii
we patronize. corporations or fndfvid-
uals who seek by strategy or otherwise
to evade a plain provision OF our laws
We hope, and recommend. that all
persons who are in the shipping bust
ness do. likewise, with the double pur-
pose in view Of assisting Uncle Sam to
fight this war TO q successful termtna-
ton, and bring these un-AmeHcan cor
porations to their senses
The present war is in the interest of
euslaved humanity, and no one but
Eoulless tyrants would even want to
shift their allotted share OF the ex-
Pense upon the shoulders Of the masses.