The Topeka state journal., 1900-01-31
State Officers to Quit Using
Telegraph Lines.
Action Contingent Upon Atti-
tude of Companies.
COLE ACTS.
Refuses to Allow Bills For Old
Rate.
Must Comply With New Tele-
graph Law.

There are prospects of a conflict be-
tween State Auditor George Cole, rep
resenting the state administration, and
the Western Union and Postal tele-
graph companies, over Kansas bust.
ness
1t was announced today after a meet
ing of the executive council that unless
the telegraph companies choose to COM
ply with the law the state business Will
be transacted by telephone and mail
The controversy has arisen over the
new law reducing the charge for tele-
graph MESA ges in Kansas.
The special session of the legislature
a year ago passed a law making the
charge for a message of ten words in
Kansas Is cents. The old rate was %
cents.
The telegraph companies have since
been deceiving the public, but have
complied with the new law so far as
the business of the state offices in the
capitol are concerned. The companies
have received and transmitted messages
at the reduced rates, accepting at the
end of each month payment at those
rates.
In receipting the bills the companies
note that so much has been paid on the
account. In this way, according to their
way of figuring, the account is not sat-
isfied, but the requirements of the law
are complied with, and they are left
in a position to collect the full rate in
the event the law is declared unconSti-
tutiOnal in the courts.
But the courts of Kansas, especially
the supreme court, are not attractive
to the telegraph companies, and they
are working under all sorts of subter-
fuges to evade getting the matter
passed upon.
When the companies agreed to send
the state house business at the reduced
rates the state auditor advised all the
state institutions of the arrangement,
as could be sent at the reduced rates
be given to the companies.
This was in accordance with the
agreement on the part of the telegraph
companies concerning state business.
Today the state auditor received from
the superintendent of the Hutchinson
refornatOry a report indicating that the
| Postal had refused to accept and trans
| NIT the. messages from that institution
! at the reduced rate.
| State Auditor Cole Immediately con-
| ferred with John c. Thomas, the man
ager of the Postal office here. After
! the conference Mr.. Cole said:
Il have been informed by the Postal
| company that the Hutchinson reforma-
tory is the only institution in the state
| which is not paying full legal rates or
| the old rates.
Il will at once communicate with the
superintendents of the remaining insti-
| tutions and if this be true the bills for
| January will be audited in accordance
| with the new law"
The bills from the state institutions
for telegraphing have usually come
| to the state auditor with the reports OF
| the board in charge under the simple
head of ''telegraphing." Hereafter the
/ accounts will be itemized that the
| auditor will be able to discover what
rates the companies are collecting. II
the companies have been taking a'd-
! vantage of the agreement which has
| been made they will be refused payment
at the old rates.
1t is the hope of the administration
| that the telegraph companies will bring
a mandamus proceeding to compel pay,
! ment but they have rejected several op-
| portunities to institute these proceed.
| ings and the state officials feel that the
| companies fear to take the law to the
supreme court.
The administration has little conf
| dence in the provision Of the law plac-
| ing the supervision of the telegraph
companies with the court Of visitation
but they believe that the law reducing
the charges will stand the test.
Therefore the administrat ton does
not falter in supporting Mr.. Cole in his
proposal to bring the companies to
time.