The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-03-31
MUST PAY UP.
Treasurer Kelly Leyies Assess
ment on State House JanitOrs.
Tells Them Their Share is So
per Month.
NOT BY MIR. STUBBS.
Chairman Says He Authorized
Nothing of the Kind.
Peculiar Activity of the Can
didate for Treasurer.

State Treasurer Kelly is attempting
to run the machinery of the Republican
state central committee over the heads
of the duly elected officers of the COM
mittee. A few days ago he tried to get
possession of the furniture and records
of the committee to open headquarters,
and today he levied an assessment of
three dollars a month on the state
house janitors for a campaign fund,
without any authority from Chairman
Stubs for doing so.
| No reason is apparent why Mr.. Kelly
/ should be doing these things unless he
wishes to run a campaign in his own
behalf independent of the regular Off
GERS of the committee.
AS tomorrow is the first of the month
the state house officers and employees
are given their warrants for the past
month today. This morning Mr. Kelly
notified some of the janitors that all the
state house employees are expected to
contribute to the state campaign fund
from now. The rate for the janitors
will be three dollars month The
money is to be paid to Mr.. Cornell, chief
clerk in the office of the secretary of
state.
It has been customary for years to
levy an assessment upon all state Off
GERS ana employees for state campaigns
in all parties. The regulation assess
ment made by the Republicans during
the last two campaigns has been 215
per cent OF a years salary, but this as
duly ordered by the committee or it's
officers. 1t has been customary, too, to
nave the money paid out Of each
months salary to the chief clerk in the
office of the secretary of state.
This year Mr.. Kelly and his associ-
ates propose to make the state en-
ployes pay per cent. of their yearly
salaries, or double what they have ever
mad to pay before, and there is con-
siderable objection to it. There will be
stun more objection when 1t is learned
that neither the state committee. the
executive committee, which is not yet
named nor even Chairman Stubs has
authorized any assessment at ALL
Only part of the janitors had been
notified of the assessment at noon to-
| day, and none of the other employees
except in one OF two offices. The jan
| ftorS spread the news however and
the assessment. Some of the employees
| declared they would not pay it. 9th
! ers objected because the assessment is
| double what it has ever been before
The plan as outlined by Mr. Kelly
10 the janitors is that each state en-
| ploye and officer must pay 5 per cent
OF years salary, in ten equal pay
ments The janitors receiver $50 a
| pected to give $50 to the campaign
fund, or SO a month in advance for ten
| months. A clerk who gets 81 200 a
year has to contribute $50 to the fund
which Mr.. Kelly Is raising if he can
compel them to pay it.
1t seems likely that this is the plan
which Mr.. Kelly and his sympathizers
had mapped out when they planned to
state committee, but having been de-
feated in that plan Mr.. Kelly pro-
posed to go ahead and open headquar-
tiers and levy campaign assessments
on ms own account, presumably to
! help him in his own fight.
It has leaked out, too, that Mr.. Kelly
for some reason wanted to get possess
sion of the furniture, records and office
fixtures of the state committee which
are now in possession of Morton AL
baugh, former state chairman Kelly
told VIII Sharp, one of the state house
messengers, to get the furniture and
take it to the Copeland and place it in
the Ordinary there, as it was de-
sried to open temporary headquarters
at once.
The state committee owns a number
of office desks. bles, typewriters and
a mimeograph, besides its records. This
furniture has been saved from one
campaign to another by former Chair
man Albaugh and is stored with
storage company between times.
When asked about the matter to-
/ day Mr.. Albaugh said that he had had
/ a request from Kelly through Sharp,
| it to Mr.. Stubs and had been inform
ed that Chairman Stubs had no i'm
mediate intention of opening head
quarters and had therefore declined TO
/ give up the furniture until requested
by the proper officers.
viii Sharp came to me last Mon
| day said Mr.. Albaugh, land said Mr..
Kelly had instructed him to get the
| state committee furniture and take it
| to the Copeland so that temporary
| headquarters could be opened. I had
told Mr.. Stubs Immediately after he
had been elected chairman that 1 had
the furniture ready to turn over to
him whenever he wanted it, and as he
had said nothing about it 1 though.
it looked peculiar, particularly as it is
not customary for the state committee
| to open headquarters before the ma
| tionaI convention is held.
| $50 1 called up Mr.. Stubs by telephone
and he said he did not want to open
headquarters now and for me to hold
the furniture until he called for it. So
I am holding it. That's all know about
it,
Mr. Kelly has made this assessment en-
tirely without authority from any one
The State Journal today called up w. r.
Stubs, chairman of the Republican state
committee, by long distance telephone
from Kansas City, and Mr.. Stubs said
that he had not made nor authorized an
assessment on state house employees nor
any one else. He knew nothing of the ac-
ton of Mr.. Kelly