The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-10-26
SHERlFFS STATE CASE.
Ask Governor Stanley to Make
No Appointments.

Governor Stanley is now confronted
with the sheriffs and county treasurers
appointment question in no uncertain
way Former United States District
Attorney L E Lambert, who was en-
ployed by the Kansas Sheriffs' associa-
ton has just filed an extensive blief
with the governor setting forth that he
has no right to make appointn ents-
Furthermore the sheriffs of the state
have been called in to a conference in
Topeka, October 80 and 81, to move in a
body on the governor and protest
against any appointments being made
of men to take their places for the ex-
ira year that nobody but the sheliTs
seems to know what to do with, cast in
to the problem by the biennial election
law.
Sheriff Tom O'Connor, of Emporia,
president of the association, issued a
call today for a special meeting. He
says the sheriffs of the state have been
urging a special meeting of this kind
for a long time and he has been COM
PEELED to yield to their demands The
association of county treasurers meets
here in regular annual session at that
time and it is considered opportune for
the sheriffs to come also The treasur-
ers have the best of the shertffS, in not
being pressed to immediate action, be-
cause their terms of office do not run
out till October Is, next year, while the
sheriffs' tenures will expire the second
Monday in January.
The intricaries of the problem are
something appalling. There are 81 sher-
ifs in the state who are serving their
first term. F'Orty-four are on their Sec
ond terms About half of the A are
Democrats or Populists- The sherifs
are unanimous in wanting to serve the
extra year, no matter to what party
they adhere There are anxious candi-
dates waiting to fall into the shoes of
all the A who are on their last term,
and especially where these are Demo-
Gratis or POpuliStS. Such is the case,
for instance with Sheriff Everhardy, at
Leavenworth, and Sheriff Green at In
dependence. In those places Republic
cans are working for a Republican
sheriff and urging anywhere from four
TO dozen men for the appointments.
Even where there is a Republican on
his second term there are candidates
urging the governor to decide that the
sheriffs cannot hold over and appoint
another Republican
THE fellows who want in are the fell
lows that have stirred up all the trou-
ble.' said Sheriff O'Connor. today. IF
they were not so active to get the scalps
of the Dem ocratic and Populist sheriffs,
We could have held this row in check
and not embarrass the governor"
1t is not likely that the sheriffs' asso-
citation will agree to submitting a case
stated so as to get a decision. When
the second Monday in January comes
along, if there is a new man appointed
to take his place, the sheriff will not
give up his office, and the appointee
will have to sue to get it. If the gov
ernor does not appoint new sheriffs it
will leave the necessity of mandamus-
Ing him to do so upon the aspirants Tor
their places
1.-The biennial election law changed
the time for the election of certain
county officers from November, 1901, to
November, 1902. Said act did not pro-
vide for the period extending from
January, 1902, to January, 1903. The
same act changes the date. by extend