The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-06-13
HE RAPS BURRO.W.
ID. R.Anthony Think HeShould
Withdraw From Ticket.
CriticiseS Him Severely for
Smith County bond Deal.
SAYS IT'S PLAIN GRAFT
Secretary Won't Attempt to
Justify His Act.
Tom Kelly Makes Threats in
Mr.. Burrows Behalf.


Leavenworth a few days ago, and in
the course of his visit he met State
Treasurer Kelly. Mr.. Kelly, it seems,
has assumed the guardianship of the
interests of Secretary of State Bur-
row, and he proceeded to give An
thony some friendly advice concern
ing Burrow.
Kelly told Anthony how much he
thought of him, and also Mr.. Bur-
rows fine opinion of him, and then
advised Anthony to pay no attention
to the story of Mr.. Burrows bond
deal by which he bought for the state
school fund a lot of bonds of which
he was the principal owner, making
$2.125 off of the state school fund.
Kelly told Anthony this was a dan
gerous story to repeat, as Burrow in
tends to ''go after" those who circu-
late it.
But the advice was not well taken.
Anthony does not have such a high
Mr.. Kelly said the secretary of state
had OF Anthony. The following APP
pears editorially in the Leavenworth
Times under the heading, "Burrow
Should Withdraw:
Secretary of State Burrow has
been guilty of some very reprehen-
sibIe things in the matter of the
smith Center school bonds. Grant
Ing lAAdl the secretary intended to
keep wholly within the limits of the
| law, his confiscation of more than
TWO thousand dollars in interest on
the bonds is plainly a graft, and un-
4 der the circumstances a very mean
one at that. The secretary has eone q
further, however. In his clipping of
/ the coupons he has taken money that
should have become the property Of
error, as he may, there stands the
fact incOntroversible that he has
stolen from Kansas the sum of $50.
BufroW viii not attempt to make
any justification of this act. For the
reason, if any such were needed. that
/ there IS no justification. He can re-
store the money and probably will do
SO, because compelled to it.
1t hasn't been a great while since
BuTrow made a boast that he was go
ing to be honest in the adrninistratio
of his duties. He has already repudiat-
ca that boast and the people of the
state know it.
Kansas is getting tired of officials
whose honesty is suspected because of
their practices. The state has found no
term of condemnation too bitter to ap-
ply to the acts of Senator Burton. Bur
row IS fooling with the temper of the
Kansas people when he is guilty of
such CRAFTS as that in connection with
the Smith Center school bond deal ex-
posed this week. This following so
closely upon the trea cherry he exhibited
1 while acting as a member of the contest
! board, will make it impossible for the
secretary of state to make himself
right in the eyes of the Republican
party in Kansas.
The boss busters are attempting too
much. They are seeking to place in
office men who are not acceDta bile to
the rank and file of the party. Secure
in the belief that somehow or other the
| numerical supremacy will be in evil
dence upon election day, no matter to
what extremes these candidates may
go in the meantime, or of what they
may be guilty, they are tempting de-
feat for the party. This heraIded so. 900
Republican majority is being jolted
every day. Unless a halt is called
somewhere and at once, the RepubIi-
cans may be defeated in November.
'BurrOw has been guilty of using his
position for personal financial gain. His
party gave him the position. In view
| of the discovery of his grating and as
| evidence of measure of gratitude to
the party which has honored him and
of respect for that party, Burrow ought
| to withdraw from the ticket"
The State Journal does not entirely
agree with the Times use of the word
| stolen" in the first paragraph of its
editorial. It may be that drawing that
surplus $50 was simply a mistake in
mathematics on Mr.. Burrows part. II
so, he will doubtless return it to the
state school fund, now that his atten-
tion has been called to it. 1t is just
the same as though a mistake had been
made in making change. If Mr.. BurroW "
had made a mistake in making change
in his bank or had collected too much
interest on a mortgage, he would doubt
less rectify it as soon as his attention
We're called to it. This is a parallel in
stance. and if the taking of that extra
$50 was a. mistake and Mr.. BurroW re-
stores it, it is wrong to say that he
stole it. If he took it Intentionally. OF
if the other members of the school
fund commission conspired to give it tc
him, knowing he was not entitled to it
or if he does not now return it to the
state, it is simply a steal.
of course the entire bond transaction
was reprehensible on Mr.. Burrows. part
It may be that there was no law pro-
hibiting it. but the fact that Mr. Bur
row put through his deal only nine
days after he got into office makes il
apear as though he were just waiting
for the opportunity.