The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-05-31
State Officials and Employees on
Anxious Seat.
Wonder Where State Account
ant VIII Turn Attention.
HITS ALL FACTIONS.
More or Less Grating on All
Hands.
Are Many Points to Which He
Can Turn His Talents.

Governor Bailey's appointment Of
an expert accountant to make an ex-
animation of the accounts of the vari-
Gus state departments and Institutions
is causing considerable worry in some
quarters. It is not known just what
that accountant Will do. People who
have private gratis, great or small.
are afraid they will be uncovered.
This worry is not confined to one
POLITICAL faction by any means. for
there are at least petty grafters in ali
factions. Just as all political factions
were engaged in padding the pay rolls
of the last legislature by putting on
relatives of members who did no
work whatever. so there are some Of
hcials in all factions who engage in
petty grating when an opportunity
offers.
For instance, it is alleged that one
officer has his wife on his payroll as
his stenographer. for which an ap-
preparation of 1920 a year Is made
yet all his reports and communica-
tions are written in long hand This
may not be Illegal, but il is not carry
ing out the intent of the law.
It is charged that the state board
of charities has rooms for the con-
venience of its members at the various
state institutions. Each member re-
| ceives a salary of $4,000 a year.
which is supposed to cover his ex-
/ penses. When George z. Cole was
state auditor, ne recommended thae
this practice be abolished by law, but
/ the legislature did not heed his rec
| concentrations. This may be a petty
graft, yet in some instances it would
| seem to be excusable-
| The state institutions are, as a rule.
| some distance from where hotel ac-
| cOmmodatiOns can be procured. Fer
! instance the reform school at Topeka
] fE FnTTr mil he i1aan
/ board of charities spends from two TO
four days at each institution each
month in looking after its administra-
| ton and auditing bills. If the mem
bers of the board had to drive in to
! Topeka from the reform school for
| each meal, It can readily be seen
that it would cause a great loss OF
time.
1t is doubtful il there was anything
! illegal about the action of Secretary
of State Burrow in buying from him
bonds for the state school fund and
allowing himself to clip off $2,100
worth of interest coupons, compelling z
the state school fund to go without
! interest on its investment for three
years. yet it has the appearance of
being a graft.
! There. seems to be a disposition in
certain circles to attempt to turn the
attention of the new state accountant
to investigating some of the things
which everybody knows exists, and
the correction of which lies either
! with the officials themselves or with
the legislature. This is probably done
in an effort to divert attention from
more serious gratis which might be
found to be illegal, and which might
! get the grafters into serious trouble.
/ These are the kind Of gratis which
the expert accountant ought especial
ly to go after. They may not exist
and it may not be possible for an ac-
cOuntant to find them even If they do
exist The accountant should not
neglect the petty gratis, but his at
tentiOn should by no means be df-
verted from more serious ones which
| may exist.