The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-05-09
HE is A FAILURE.
Oil Inspector Spencer Does Not
Fill the Bill.
State Officers Will Request His
Removal.
Nj ANY COMPLAINTS.
They Come From Everywhere
in the State.
Pays No Attention to Law in
Making Inspections.
Settlement With State Treas
urer Due Wednesday.

S. o. Spencer, Governor Stanley's
state oil inspector. is now being sub
jected to general criticism because of
his method of doing business, as dis
played to the state officers by a report
filed with the state auditor by the
Standard Oil company.
Some of the State officers condemn
Spencer freely and it has been suggest
ed that the governor will be compelled
to remove him from Office, and an effort
is being made to prove to Stanley that
Spencer is wholly incompetent for the
work of which he has charge, although
it is unnecessary, the governor knows
it now.
The law governing the inspection of
oil provides specifically that the local
or deputy inspectors shall collect the
fees for the inspections and turn the
money over to the state inspector who
in turn shall deposit it in the state
treasury. The deputies are authorized
to retain 25 per cent of the amount col
lected by them as salary for their SER
vices.
At the present time, as indicated by
the oil companyS report, Mr. Spencer
from the company and turned the
money into the treasury. Now there is
no way to get the money out to pay
the deputies. The inspector himself
draws his pay through the auditors
office, the amount being fixed by law.
Tomorrow is the last day in which
the state oil inspector may file his re-
port for the month preceding This re-
port will be stringently Investigated by
Mr.. Cole. The auditor has been inform
ed that Mr.. Spencer has been travelling
on railroad passes but charges the state
mileage. If this be true the auditor will
reject the account and decline to issue
a warrant for Mr.. Spencer's expense
bills
Then the work is being delayed and
the companies handling oil are making
vigorous kicks about It, The local in
spectors have not been supplied with
the necessary instruments to do the
work for which they were appointed
and the Inspector OrannOunces that 60 days
Will expire before the Instruments for
making inspections can be procured.
This works a hardship against the oil
dealers and they are not slow to make
their dissatisfaction public.
Complaints against Spencer have been
received from all parts of the state
Men who live in the parts of the state
represented by the various state officers
and assistants have written to them
complaining of Spencer's alleged incom-
potency and asking that something be
done to get rid of him. These COM
plants have reached the governor too,
and he is dissatisfied with Spencer's
work. The governor is seriously consid-
ering the adViSability of removing
Spencer and giving the place to some
other man. Mr.. Stanley said in the
campaign:
IF after I appoint men to office and
find they are Incompetent for the work
or negligent in their duties I shall re-
move them at once And, no man who
accepts an appointment under nv ad-
ministration viii be permitted to take
the office until he agrees to vacate if at
any time 1 should find that the public
interests could be best served by such
action"
Upon this declaration of the governor
and the fact that he is really in earnest
in his efforts to give the state a good
administration the men who are dis
- -1T~lr
success in their effort to have him de-
posed.
One of the charges made against
Spencer by his enemies is that. he lacks
mental qualifications to do the work
Another is that he neglects the work
which he could do. Then he is charged
with openly violating the law by col
lectinS the fees for inspection direct
from the companies. The law specifies
that the deputies shall collect the mon
ey and then states that violation of any
provision of the law shall be a misde-
meanor. The charge that Spencer has
violated the law in this particular is
sustained by the report filed by the
Standard Oil company with the state
auditor. This report is open to the in
spection of the public 1t shows that
Mr.. Spencer has collected 81 200 which
he will probably turn into the treasury
tomorrow.
Spencer's administration of the af-
fairs of his office is the state house
joke. Not a state officer has a word of
commendation for him, but every clerk, i
assistant officer and state officer criti-
cises him at all times. Mention Spen- |
GERS name at the state house and who !
ever happens to be in hearing will |
say:
I believe that is the governors oil
man. = |
Mr.. Spencer is the man who filed a |
report in which he spelled Eiawatha |
as follows: "heigherwather" This re- !
port was filed in the governors office |
He is the man who in speaking of tenn /
perature said, foreign heat when he /
meant Fahrenheit, and at the same /
time told some of his friends that |
specific gravity represents what any |
thing is