The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-09-29
State TreAsurers There Traf-
licked i'm Public Funds.
PROTEST OF PEOPLE.
System Was Stopped by Law
Suits.
Struggle Of Voters Against
Party Tyranny.
In Many Particulars Situation
Like Kansas.

In the October number of McClure's
Magazine Lincoln Steffins tells the
story OF LaFollette of Wisconsin. The
story viii be of interest to Kansans
who are interested in good government
IN this state. for Governor LaFolIette
has been making a fight in Wisconsin
Tor reforms that are needed in Kansas.
For instance, here is a paragraph
Grom Mr.. Stefins' story:
"One Of the great gratis of Wisconsin
land of many another state) was the
public funds in the keeping of the state
treasurer. The Republicans. for years,
had deposited these moneys in banks
that stood in with the system, and the
treasurer shared with these institutions
the interest and profits He, in turn,
divided up with the campaign fund
and the party leaders. The Democrats
were obliged to break up this practice
and sue the ex-treasurers. Now these
treasurers were not all good for the
money. and when the suits were
brought. as they were in earnest. the
treasurers' bondmen were the real de-
PENDANTS Chief among these was Sen
etor Sawyer. the boss who had chosen
the treasurers and backed them and the
practice for years Sawyer was alarm
ed It was estimated that there had
been $4,000 a year in the graft alone.
and the attorney general was going
back twenty years. and his suits were
for the recovery of all back interest
Several hundred thousand was at
stake"
Does that sound natural barring
the fact that suits were brought for
the recovery of the INTEREST," 1t is
an open secret that this system has
been in vogue in Kansas for years
except that so far as is known the
treasurer and his close friends have
been participants in the graft And
a United States senator has been back
of IL in Kansas, too Every Repub-
lican state treasurer since the days
OF Lewelling has been a friend of Bur-
ton In 1888 Burton demanded that
Frank Grimes be nominated state
treasurer-it was what he desired most
OF anything on the state ticket. And
the connection between Burton and
State treasurer Kelly is well known.
LaFollette had little to do with this
reform in Wisconsin It was in 1891 |
in the beginning of his career, but he /
asserts that Sawyer tried to bride him |
TO use his influence with the judge
before whom the suits were tried, who ]
was LaFollette's brother-in-law. The I
state Won the suits. but the influence |
of the system. the gang" was so /
great in the Republican legislature !
that the legislature compromised the /
suits so the system saved its boss
says Mr. Steffins- So in Kansas two |
efforts were made TO stop this graft 4
in the last legislature, but the influence /
OF the Burton-kelly crowd was suffi- /
Gent in the state senate to stop all /
efforts at reform
Incidentally Mr.. Steff1ns tells a few
Things about Senator Spooner and /
Postmaster General Payne. now among |
the leaders in Wisconsin politics. He I
does not hesitate to say that the rail- /
roads and the big business interests /
elected SpOoner. He says:
AT Marinette. Wis. lives today A /
herr N
He was associated with Senator Saw I
yer and other enemies of the republic ]
in Wisconsin, and he left them because /
they baked an ambition OF his Having /
gone over. however. he began to see /
things as they are. and no man today I
IS more concerned over the danger to |
business Of the commercial corruption /
81 government than this veteran who |
eonfesses that he spent a quarter - q 1
million in politics.
once he and Senator Sawyer were |
comparing notes on the cost to them of
United States senatOrships.
Isaac said Sawyer. how much did |
you put in to get the legislature for I
Spooner that timer
II cost me about twenty-five thou |
sand, Philetus- How much did you put
fne-
Why. said Sawyer. surprised. it
cost me thirty thousand. I thought it
cost you thirty
NO. it cost me thirty to get it for
you when you ran"
W men Lar gillette was IN congress
he got there over the opposition of the |
System he opposed a bill granting /
a Wisconsin railroad company some /
townsites in a Sioux reservation in Da- !
kota- The system wanted the bill
passed and other leaders failing to do /
anything with LaFollette, Henry c. !
Payne was sent for.
Payne was chairman of the Repub- /
lican state central committee of Wis /
consin.' says Mr.. Stebbins. ''and we
have seen in other states what the leg
islative functions of that Office are. /
Payne reached Washington forty /
eight hours after LaFOllette's balk. |
and he went at him hard. All sorts
of influence was brought to bear. and I
when LaFollette held out, Payne be-
came so angry that he expressed him /
self-and the spirit of the System
in public. To a group in the Ebbitt
house he said:
q" IaFollette is a damned fool If /
he thinks he can buck a railroad with
five thousand miles of continuous line /
hen find he's mistaken Wen take
care of him when the time comes.
Mr.. Steffins admits that LaFollette /
IS a politician and that he has built /
up a machine" whenever he had an |
opportunity. but he has been uni /
formly found on the side of the peO- |
pie and against the gratis One of 4
the things he has been fighting for is /
a primary election law. which will [
enable the people to make the nomi-
nations they want The party was /
pieuSed 10 tnat ana 10 some tax leglS-
lation which would make railroad /
taxes more equitable. but the system
was against both measures and the
legislature in 1901 defeated them.
The last legislature passed the pri-
mary election law. but referred it
TO the people to be voted on at the
coming election
Continuing Mr.. StefIins says: "They
say in Wisconsin that LaFollette is a
Democrat: that he appeals to Demo-
cratic voters He does. He admits
Il: but he adds that il is indeed to the
x-ofar-S that he