The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-08-19
CONCEAL RECORDS
State School Fund Commission
Keeps Bond Accounts Hidden.
Is Something Being Kept from
the Public q?
MIR. DAYHOFF REFUSES.
Superintendent Careful That
No One Shall See Books.
Commission Would Keep List
of Registrations Secret.
MIR. DAYHOFF REFUSES.

Why are the members of the state
school fund commission anxious TO
cover up their records and keep them
hidden from the public?
According to State Superintendent
Dayhoff. who keeps the records as
secretary of the commission, the COM
mission has made an order that no
one except the proper authorities will
be allowed to see the records while
the state accountant is doing bust
ness.
The anxiety of the bond officials to
keep the records hidden is not recent,
however although it may be greater
now than ii has been before Some
time ago. before a state accountant
was appointed. a State Journal re-
porter was refused permission to see
the records except by order of Super
intendent Dayhof. and Mr. Dayhof
hedged his permission about with
such provisions that it was difficult to
get at them then
Since the Smith Center and Dodge
City bond deals were made public, the
former through the records in the
state auditors office, some of the state
officials who are interested seemingly
in covering things up have been max
ing trouble for State Auditor Wells
because he had not refused access to
the records of his office. Mr.. Wells
has always said that he had nothing
to conceal and that he considered
public records public property, but
certain other officials have been max
ing so much fuss about his allowing
people to see the public records in his
Office that he has made the request
that information concerning bonds be
secured from superintendent Day
hoff's Office in the future-or until
after election at least.
And now Mr.. Dayhoff absolutely
refuses to allow any records to be
seen in his Office until all danger from
the state accountant is past. Just why
he does not state, except that he
seems very much displeased because
a state accountant has been appointed
by Governor Bailey. He cannot keep
the state accountant from seeing his
records, although he has forbidden
the accountant from taking any books
to the accountants Office in the state
house He says the books must be
inspected in his own office.
Is it possible that there is any
thing in the state school bond rec
ords which the commission does not
want the public to know-something
that will not. bear public inspection ?
Can IL be that it fears a public fnSpec=
tion would bring to light something
which it is hoped the accountant Will
overlook?
Three or four months ago when the
question of Mr.. Burrows Smith Center
bond deal came up, by which the school
fund commission, of which Secretary of
State Burrow is president, bought from
Mr.. Burrow as chief stockholder of the
Home Investment company a bunch of
bonds and allowed him to clip off in
terest coupons amounting to $1,000,
keeping the state out of interest on its
investment for over two years-a repre-
sentative of the State Journal then
went to the superintendent Office and
asked to be allowed to see the records
of the commission to ascertain what
they showed concerning the purchase of
those bonds. Captain T. NJ. Hays, bond
clerk in Mr.. Dayhoff's Office, refused TO
show the records. He said application
would have to be made to Mr.. Dayhofr
himself.
Now it is by no means an easy mat
ter to see Mr.. Dayhoff. He is gone from
his office greater portion of the time,
frequently coming into Topeka on an
afternoon train, looking after his cor
respondence. and leaving again in the
He is frequently gone days
at time He has, of course, good rea-
son for being absent at this time of
ty institutes, but in the meantime it is
difficult to find him in his office if one
has any business with him.
1t was therefore several days before |
cess to the bond records. and in the
the State Journal had secur-
ed the information 1t wanted in a
roundabout manner through the rec |
ords in the state auditors office, where |
all school bonds have to be registered. |
When Mr.. Dayhoff was finally seen
about the matter it was no longer nee
essary to look at his records, but he |
was asked IL they could be seen in the |
future He replied that he was willing |
to show them, providing the other |
members of the commission were will |
ing. and providing also that he should |
be present in person.
No other effort was made to see |
Mr.. Dayhoff's records until the first |
of the week. Mr.. Dayhoff was not
and Captain Hays as before /
refused access to them. Mr.. Dayhoff |
was not in his office until Yesterday
and then only for a short time and a /
of the State Journal f. /
nally caught him at the Union Pacific /
depot just as he was leaving for Hays
City.
When the request was made to see
the records of the school fund com