The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-08-17
LAUGH ON HUGHES
Makes a Mistake In Playing to
Grand Stand.
Writes Letter to Attorney Gen.
eral Which Is Amusing.
ABUSES THE OFFICIALS
Say They Won't Mix in City
Quarrels.
PIayfuIIy Inquire What City
Attorney is For.
ABUSES THE OFFICIALS

Attorney IS 0Es
The postman came dashing up the
steps Of the state house. sped down the
dim corridors and flung himself fran
tically into the Office OF the attorney
general.
"A letter. he gasped, holding forth
a billet, "a letter from Mayor Hughes?'
Il was Just reading 1t in the morn
ing papers, replied the head man of
the office Take the letter back to the
colonel mayor. If you ike. We know
what is in it"
Yesterday the colonel mayor of Topeka
penned another document of state, ad-
dressed to the attorney general of Kan
sas. AS is his custom, the colonel
mayor took the letter to the newspaper
offices, and as usually happens. the
colonel mayors letter was published
before 1t reached its destination.
This was the mayors letter:
II on. A. A. GODDARD, Attorney General;
In September, 1900. the county COM
nissioners of Shawnee county bid in all
property that was sold for non-pay-
ment of taxes
The city of Topeka has several thou
sand dollars in the way of regular, spe-
cial and direct tax funds such as gen
eral Improvement, general revenue, wa
ter supply, free library, interest, IN
nent and also special funds such as
pavement curbing and sewer funds,
which are badly in need of their proper
and full assessment. All special taxes
are to meet principal and interest on
certain bonds and If the amount Is not
collected from the property aneoted,
the city is compelled to use other pub
lie money to pay interest and principal
for individuals.
Now If any individual or corpora
ton buys in property at delinquent tax
sale they are required under the law to
pay state, county and city taxes. In all
fairness should not the county COM
missioners pay all taxes?
i understand they are compelled to
pay state taxes should they not pay
city taxes as well2
III you will kindly give me your opin-
ion on the matter, at your earliest con-
venience, and greatly oblige,
Yours respectfully,
y. w. F. HUGHES"
It is indeed doubtful whether anyone
would know just what the mayor was
trying to prove by his ponderous SEN
fences and resonant polysyllab ics un-
less the newspaper men had dug up his
idea and explained it in English for
the benefit of their readers.
Here is the idea, tersely put, which
the mayor was trying to eradicate from
his system:
Shawnee county, under the advice of
it's attorney, took zap a lot Of Topeka
city property at delinquent tax sale
The county is holding this property in
trust till it shall be redeemed by the
owners. Mayor Hughes wants the
county to pay regular city taxes on the
property thus held. The county won't
do it. About $4,000 is involved in the
controversy Problem, to prove that
the city is right.
Office knew what the mayor wanted,
because they had read the diagram in
the newspapers. And when they knew,
they laughed, and laughed. and
They laughed at the colonel mayor
of Topeka; at the Wearer of epauletS.
the raiser of swine, the smoker Of
Mayor Hughes must think that this
Office is hunting trouble" said one of
the officials. docs he imagine for q
minute that we are running a legal
departn ent for the city of Topeka2
This office does not arbitrate lawsuits
for people, not even for mayors who
have military records If the city of
Topeka wants to find out whether it
can collect taxes from Shawnee county
the proper way for it to do is to appeal
to the courts. We are not going to in
volve ourselves in his controversy"
Attorney General GODDARD is at pres
ent in Michigan on his vacation.
''Win he give an opinion in this case
when he returns?" was asked by a
reporter for the State Journal.
mot on your life" was the reply.
Would he give an opinion If the city
council OF Topeka should ask for it2''
They wouldn't have any more bust
ness to ask for II than the mayor has.
What has the city got an attorney for,
anyway? Why don't the mayor take
his troubles to the city attorney?
Topeka has a city attorney just for
the purpose of handing out advice. and
their attorney is a good one, too
Mayor Hughes must be getting sus-
picious Of the legal department of the
city Of Topeka Either that or he
needs a guardian to tell him when not
to write letters
After all, however, the colonel mayor
may be compelled to resort to his
natural source of legal information.
the city attorney. though it viii in
deed be quite a come-doWn for him
to do so. How would it do for the
colonel mayor to refer the matter di-
rently to the supreme court Of the
United States2