The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-10-15
SCRATCHED TICKETS.
The Popular Kind to Be Voted No
vember 8.

There will be more plumbago used
IN the booths on election day in kan
sas than ever before.
There has never been such a bolt
on state candidates as there is today
on certain members of the Republican
state ticket.
Never before did so many dyed-fn-
wool Republicans say they will
scratch the ticket this year. Never
were Republicans more out-spoken
about this. On the third page of this
issue are few straws from Republic
can papers. Here are a few para
graphs crowded out of the third page
list and which are just four of hun
dreds of available clippings:
Impudent and DisgracefuI.
Atchison Globe: Kansas has hired
an expert accountant, at considerable
expense. to check up the books of
various state officials and institutions
In the state treasurer's office were
found irregularities and discrepancies,
many of which are specified in his re-
port. These shortages are admitted
by the state treasurer by making
them good. Cash items missing a
year or more suddenly appear on the
cash book. Several cash items are
still missing.
But the state treasurer, instead of
being abashed by these disclosures
files charges against the state ac-
countant and the governorI Nobody
QuSSLOuS the dCIS Oh elmer OF these
officials, except the state treasurer, in
whose office have been found diScrep-
ancles, irregularities and shortag es. 1t
is the most impudent, dfsgraceful
chapter in the history of Kansas
VIII any sane person say this trans
action IS not suspicious? A cash item
amounting to 81, 402.50- had been miss
ing from the state treasurer's office for
a year. An investigation of the treas
urer's office was commenced. and an
anonymous correspondent sends in the
money! The assistant state treasurer
says he does not know A R. Brown
why this mystery? How did a man
named A, r. Brown get hold of the
money? Does it not look as though the
state treasurer knew of the shortage 1
and had the money mailed to his
office when he knew the state account
ant would surely discover the short
age? Is there any other inference to
be drawn from the circumstance? Do
strange men run around the country
paying shortages? Is not the A r. !
Brown story a silly one?
Several of the shortages discovered
by the state accountant have been
made good by the state treasurer, as in
the case referred to above, but in sew |
eral other instances the money is still |
missing.
Kelly has been in control of the
state treasurer's once Tor nearly SIX
years. 1t is generally known that KEEL |
~, as DEPUTY under Grimes ran the i
money emu of the Office while Grimes |
ran the political end, as manager for |
J. r. Burton.
A half dozen cash items have been |
mysteriously sent to the treasurers Of |
fee since the investigation began but /
several cash items, aggregating several |
thousand dollars, are still missing
Why this fear of Tom Kelly? Even |
Gov Bailey makes a sort of apology in |
giving the report of the accountant to |
the public. Why does the state pay
an accountant a large sum of money /
to examine the state treasurer's ac
counts. and why is his report sneered |
irregularities and discrepancies
amounting to many thousands of dol
lars in u countless and he expresses
the belief that similar conditions exist |
in the other SO counties of the state?
Hoch Simply Lacks Courage.
jamestown Optimist: 1t is almost |
inevitable that we should vote against
a large portion of the Republican state
ticket, especially those who are candi-
dates for reelection. The series of !
exposures recently made regarding
the shameful manipulation of state |
funds, whereby the state has lost many
thousands of dollars and other thou
sands have been put in jeopardy, are
enough to prejudice any unbiased man
against the officers who have partici-
pated in these illegal and outrageous
acts. 1t is true that the accused Off
GERS, with one exception, have begun
libel suits against the paper which
published the exposures in the first
instance, but they do not seem anxious