The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-02-19
STOP BANK CRAFT
House of Representatives Takes
an Important Step.
Would Put an End to Treasury
Scandal.
TO COUNTIES.
Would Allow Money to Remain
in Local Treasures.
This Would Give Counties Bene-
fit Of Interest.

The house in committee of the whole
has adopted for passage the ways and
means committee bill which is meant
to put a stop to the graft OF the state
treasurer in virtually depositing state
money in banks and drawing interest
on daily balances. It Is alleged that
this sort of thing has been worked OFF
and on since time immemorial and that
the rake-off has amounted to $10,0 900 or
SIS 900 annually Governor Bailey rec
commended that the trouble be remedied
by allowing the executive council to
name state repositories where the
funds might be legally deposited and
bring an income to the state.
The ways and means committee Of
the house has devised another plan,
however. It is that the state taxes
shall be left with the counties and
only drawn out as needed by the state.
At the beginning of each month the
state auditor is to make an estimate
Of the amount of money to be needed
by the state during that month and the
amount is divided pro rata among the
counties of the state, and the state
treasurer calls for it from the county
treasurers. This prevents any great
amount from piling up in the state
, ~1.e4-4e--'7
interest on their deposits. so they viii
get the benefit of the change.
Under the present system the county
treasurers remit the state tax to the
state treasurer as soon as it is collect
ed AS a result an immense amount
of money piles up in the state treas
urer's hands after tax paying time. The
present law absolutely prohibits the
state treasurer from depositing this
money in any bank, but years ago a
this law ia
eVaded- The money comes from the
county treasurers in the shape of drafts
and these drafts are turned over to
the banks for collection. This amounts
to the same thing IS making a deposit
although it does not show up as such,
for the banks collect the drafts and
then keep the money until the state
treasurer calls for it,
The new plan devised by the ways
and means committee is as follows, as
stated in the bill:
Between the 1st and 10th days of
January and the LIST and 10th days of
July in each year the county treasurer
shall prepare a statement showing the
amount of taxes collected in his county
and due the state. which statement shall
be duly sworn to before some officer
authorized to administer oaths, and the
county treasurer shall forward the same
to the auditor of state on the 10th days
of January and July, respectively, IN
each year. A like statement shall be
prepared
of state by the county treasurer imme-
diately after the sale of lands for taxes.
The auditor of state shall compare the
amounts specified in such statement
with the total amount of tax assessed
against the county. The auditor of state
shall between the 18th and 10th days Of
each month prepare an estimate of the
amount of money necessary 10 meet the
current expenses Of the state for the
succeeding mouth, and shall appOrtion
the total sum between the several cOun-
ties in proportion to the taxes assessed
and collected against them. Immediate
" after making such appOrtionment, the
auditor of state shall draw his warrant
on the county treasurer in favor OF the
state treasurer for the amount SO ap-
portioned with exchange, and shall
charge the state treasurer with the
amount of such warrants and credit the
several counties with the same Any
county treasurer Who shall fail to
promptly pay the warrant so drawn by
the auditor of state on presentation
shall be deemed guilty of embezzlement
and upon conviction thereof shall be
punished by fine of not less than 500
nor more than the sum specified In such
warrant and by imprisonment in the
county jail not exceeding one year. or
by both such fine and imprisonment
and shall forfeit his Office as county
treasurer Upon the return of any war
rant to the state treasurer unpaid. he
shall Immediately notify the attorney
general, whose duty it shall be to at
menced against such county treasurer
or treaSurers in the name of the state
The state treasurer shall also notify the
auditor of state of the default in pay
ment of such warrant or warrants
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