The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-01-29
10 ANTLBAnEY REPUBLIoANs

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TO ANTLBAnEY REPUBLICANS
These remarks are not addressed to
the leaders of the fight on Governor
Bailey Practically every one of them
either has a personal grievance against
the governor or some of his friends, or
is trying to bring about the political
revolution in which Senator Burton says
is his only hope for regaining his lost
prestige. On such no arguments will
have any effect. Instead these remarks
are addressed to those Republicans who
have been led to believe that Governor
Bailey is personally responsible for the
political Ills in Kansas today-high
taxes, legislative extravaganza. appro
priations that are too high, appropria-
tons that are not high enough, and
various other grievances that various
people have.
It is doubtless a fact that the thing
which has induced most of you to take
up with the fight on Governor Bailey is
because your taxes are higher than last
year, and since you have heard so much
about legislative extravaganza you
blame it to that Governor Bailey's
enemies have told you that he helped to
organize the house because he favored
Mr.. Pringle for speaker. and that he is
therefore responsible for all legislative
extravaganza.
1t is true that the appropriations are
somewhat larger than formerly but it
is also true that the state is richer. It
is true, also, that larger appropriations
were necessary. During the hard times
of the nineties and the days of Popu-
for means and allowed to run down. 1t
is now necessary to build them up A
new asylum is necessary and that alone
required 100000 from the last legisla-
ture.
But Notwithstanding this, it was the
lower house, which Governor Bailey is
accused of ''bossing," which kept ap-
preparations down even to the present
figure. No one will intimate for a mo-
ment that Governor Bailey had any
control over the senate. Instead it an
tagonized him at every point that State
Treasurer Kelly and his associates
in the Burton camp dictated. The ma
5ority in the senate was under the COM
plete control of Kelly, who is now lined
up with you in fighting Bailey. And
this senate. dominated by Kelly, at
tempted to pass appropriations amount
ing to several hundred thousand dol
lars more than the house would ap-
prove. 1t compelled the house to ac-
cept some items to which the house
Enormously objected.
And yet you hold Governor Bailey
accountable for the big appropriations!
Here is what Governor Bailey himself
said to the legislature on the subject
Of appropriations. 1t is the only thing
he ever said about it 1t is the closing
paragraph of his message to the legis-
lature
''To be called upon to legislate for a
great state like Kansas is d RESPONSE
bility thatsI know you fully realize.
and that you will bring to your work
your best thought and effort The nat
uraI pride every citizen has in his state
suggests at once that the institutions
OF the state should be maintained upon
a plane commensurate with the dignity
and growth of the state. This is COM
mendable; but there is another in
terest that should be sacred to every
one charged with responsibility, and
that is the duty we owe to the burden
bearers, the people who pay the taxes.
The people will Justify a generous sup
port Of all the great interests of our
state, but they will condemn any profit
gate waste of the public money!"
1t is now conceded on all sides that
the employe business was overdone in
both houses last winter. yet the i'm
preston is given by the enemies OF
Governor Bailey that only the house
is guilty and that Bailey is responsible.
Yet Governor Bailey warned both
houses against the 'profiigate waste OF
the public money.
The facts are that the senate, with
only 40 members, had nearly as many
employees as the 125 members of the
house. During the session the house
spent S3O9.30 per member for employees
while the senate spent S639.55 per mem
Der And yet you are blaming Cover
nor Bailey for the employee graft. Sen
ators Leidy and Miller and Mcknight
and Crum, who are now active in fight
ing Bailey. participated in this en-
ploye graft in the senate. And Messrs.
Stubs, Dolley. Brandon, Mendenhall,
Tucker, Mead, Billings and others who
are making a fuss about it now. were
members of the house and knew all
about its army of employees, but they
failed to object to it then. Are they
not more to blame than Governor
Bailey?
But to return to the subject OF taxa
ton: You have been led to believe thai
Governor Bailey is responsible for the
high taxes. The leaders of the Hoch
movement are deeeiving you with the
cry Cleaner government and lower