The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-08-17
q WAIT, MISTER. .
Gov. Stanley Anticipates Charges
Against Mr.. Church.
He Will Remove the Grounds
For Them.
NOTICE-ROAD AGENTS
Must Turn All Money Into
State Treasury.
Politicians May Now Chuckle
NOTICE-ROAD AGENTS
Politicians May Now Chuckle
Among Themselves.

Governor Stanley says that the road
agents will be brought to time. If they
collect money it must be turned into
the state treasury. Mr.. McNan was
removed because his agents" failed
to do that and he does not propose to
allow Mr.. Church to continue in a sim
liar position. To be sure money has
been collected and pocketed the same
as usual but the men who got it will
have to empty their pockets.
There is no reason to believe that the
governor will forget this new promise
he has made to the people, although
the insurance department did lead him
aStray in one or two instances The
governor promised that no road agents
should be sent out under his admins
tration. 1T is wrong" he said in the
campaign. 1T is a system of plunder-
ing which should be punished" How
ever, this promise was abrOgated be-
cause an Indiana company was thought
to be bulldozing the department and a
road agent was sent to Indianapolis
to see about it. Then in another in
stance owing to an increase of the
premium payments upon insurance
policies OF a certain class one of
which was held by the governor him
self, the Kansas Mutual was subjected
to an $3.50 examination and a favor
able verdict returned.
The examiners pocketed the money
as has always been the practice, where
upon the PopulistS made plans to en-
barraSS the administration by prepar-
ing charges against Mr.. Church for
doing the same things which caused
McNan to be removed by the governor.
This would place the governor in a
compromising situation. He investi-
gated the matter and decided that the
examiners should turn the money into
the pockets of the state and he made
a demand with this end in view.
This money has not been turned into
the state treasury. Neither has that
nv
In measures of radical reform like this
the Kansas companies should not be
made exceptions to the rule of the de-
partment. Mr.. Battey collected SO per
day and expenses while in Indianapolis
He and Mr.. Austin charged the Kansas
company the same amount.
There is another feature of this trans
action with reference to the Kansas
Mutual Life. When the governor went
into Office he announced that he would
observe economy in the administration
of the affairs of his office. To reach
this in one direction he stated that no
state accountant would be appointed.
Yet he has had Mr.. Austin at work
nearly all of the time paying him at the
rate of 800 per month from his con-
tingent fund.
The governor knew that Austin is
protege of Senator Battey's and he
knew too that Mr.. Battey had secured
from superintendent Church the pledge
to have Austin assist in making exam
nations. However, Austin was con-
cOuntant and was paid for work done
in this capacity while he was at work,
on the books of the Kansas Mutual. He
received his usual salary from the gov
ernOr and got half of the $3.50 collected
from the Kansas Mutual
The discovery of this fact, which the
governor knew all the Time is a pretext
for a sudden display of political honor
in which a demand that Austin dis
gorge the $440 received from the Kan
sas Mutual plays the principal part.
The governor ordered Austin to bring
back the money" and Austin has done
so.
To escape the investigation which the
POpulists promised to inaugurate this
week the governor also suggested that
Mr.. Battey should also turn in the $40
which he received from the Kansas
Mutual. This money is to be turned
into the treasury. The new plan adopt
ed by Governor Stanley will place the
money collected from the Kansas COM
pany in the state treasury.
Now if the governor has Mr.. Battey
turn in the money he collected from
the Indiana State Life he will have
cleared the examiners of taking money
which he thinks should belong to the