The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-04-19
TAKE NO CHANCES
Gov. HOch's Reasons for Nam
ing Advisory Board.
Wants People to Have Conf.
dence in Investigation.
MUST BE THOROUGH.
viii Meet Next Tuesday to Dis
cuss the Work.
Still Holds Treasurer KelIy's
Resignation "In Escrow"

Governor Hoch has announced that
Ansel R. Clark of Rice county, A w.
Benson of Franklin county and Sam
uel T. Howe of Shawnee county Will
act with him as an advisory board in
the investigation of the state treasury
and the other state departments.
There is no law providing for the
appointment of such a board, but it
was deemed advisable by the governor
to have the best legal and expert ad-
vice possible in the general manage
ment of the investigation. Next Tues
day, there is to be a meeting of the
board at which time it is expected
that the state accountant will be Sc
Iected, and the firm of accountants for
the purpose of making the special in
vestigation for which the legislature
appropriated $4,000.
Judge AnseI a. Clark, of Rice coun-
ty, was the speaker pro tenn of the
last house of representative. He
served as judge of the district court in
his district for a number of terms.
Judge Benson has also served as
district judge, and was chairman of
the judiciary committee of the house
in the last session. He made a great
record as hard worker, and was the
/ leader of the fight on the floor against
the state oil refinery. Samuel T.
Howe of Topeka has served as state
treasurer and member of the board of
railroad commissioners. He is now
manager of the Bell Telephone COM
pany in this district.
Governor Hoch gave the following in
terView this morning concerning his
purpose in appointing the advisory
board-
There &sas been a good deal of politi-
cal anhnosify stirred up by this inyesti-
cation of state departments and I de-
sired to arrange the investigation SO
| that it VIII be recognized by the public
as entirely free from political influence.
/ The three men who have consented TO
| act with me in this matter are of such
1 high standing and character that they
/ command the respect of the public, and
| what they say will go. This board will
act with me in an advisory capacity
throughout this investigation. They
/ viii be consulted at every step in the
| proceedings. and when the report is
/ completed, they will go over it with me,
and give their opinion upon it.
What the people of the state want is
a thorough, unbiased investigation of
the charges which have been made, and
I expect to do my best to have that
sort Of an investigation made. There
! will be a meeting of this board next
! Tuesday for the purpose of talking over
/ the employment of a. firm of account
ants to do the work.
/ What has become Of the Kelly res
! ignation which was placed in your
| hands 2'' was asked.
Nothing" said the governor.
you still have it?"
! The governor nodded, and his mus
cular jaws tightened a little. "I never
| attached much Importance to that
! document he remarked finally. 1
have always looked upon it as a sort
/ of political business. I did not want
to accept the resignation in escrow in
the first place, but decided that it
would make less talk to accept it than
! to refuse to aCceDtit.''
! Charles Rowett, the ex-state ac-
ceuntant, is now in Kansas City. He
/ has not been in Topeka for some time.
/ His job was knocked out from under
him when the new state accountant
/ bill became a law.
Judge Anse1 R. Clark, one of the
/ three members of the new board. was
/ still in town today. He will leave this
afternoon for his home at Sterling.
! He said in regard to his appointment
''I don't know as this will amount
/ to much, but I have consented to serve
/ on the board. I am in favor of having
/ a thorough investigation made of the
state departments, and if anything
! wrong has been going on of showing
! it up I don't have much doubt that
/ there have been loose business meth
1 DDS employed in the management of
| the states business. If it is true that
! coupons have been clipped from bonds
which the state was supposed to be
! buying at par, it would probably con-
/ stitute a violation of the letter. and
possibly the spirit, of the law.
'I don't know anything about the
/ expert accountants who are being con-
| sidered for the work of the inVesti-
cation. I'm not an accountant myself,
and I do not know how complicated
the work of investigation will prove
/ to be. / understand from the governor
that there are several applicants for
the work. That is all I know about
| that part of it. suppose that we will
meet Tuesday to decide about that
matter As understand it, our work
! is to deal entirely with this special in
vestigation, for which SIS, 900 was ap-
propriated, and not with the appoint
ment or work of the regular state ac-
countant"
! Judge A W. Benson was called up
bv long. distance telephone yesterday
and agreed to act on the board. He
will be here to attend the meeting
Tuesday.