The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-06-27

Morton Prepares to Go for Thieves in
I the Equitable: VIII Get Money Back, he
| Says.-Headline in the Topeka Capital
Isn't the Capital little brash in
using the word "thieves?'' Ought it not
rather to say creators OF discrep-
aneies?' Or possibly it might say man
ufacturers of Irregularities
Discrepancies" and Irregularities
are the terms it used in referring to
the thievery that has been going on
among its friends in Kansas. Then why
should the Capital use such harsh Ian
guage as ''thieves'' in speaking OF the
Equitable officers?
The chief o1ense Of the officers of
the Equitable was to sell bonds to the
company on which they made a good
profit. This is just what the Capitals
good friend, the esteemed and respected
secretary of the state of Kansas did,
and the Capital defended him.
The secretary Of state bought some
Smith Center bonds beaYing dve per
cent interest. Nine months later, and
only a few days after he became secre-
tary of state and a member Of the state
school fund commission, he bought
these bonds Of himself for the state
school fund commission. The law pro-
hfbited him from paying himself a
premium on the bonds, so he clipped OF
enough coupons to bring the rate Of
interest down to four per cent, taking
care to clip all his coupons from those
that would come due during the first
two years, making the state wait that
long for any interest on the investment
His profit on the deal was something
over two thousand dollars on only $l4'-
600 Of bonds
The school fund of Kansas is just
as sacred as the profits of the Eaulta-
bic association, or more SO. for the
two thousand dollars which J. R. Bur
row took as profit out of that bond
deal came directly out of the eduea-
ton of the school children of Kansas,
from a fund that Mr.. Burrow was
elected by the people of Kansas to
build UP to the full extent of his abil-
itv in a safe manner. The Equitable
Society is a private corporation, organ
ICED for profit to its stockholders, and
it is optional with the public as to
insurance in it.
Why then does the Capital use such
harsh terms as thieves in speaking
of officers of the Equitable who only
did what the Capitals friend, J. r.
Burrow did?
Or if it felt compelled to use any
harsher term than discrepancy" or
'Indiscretion," it might at least have
said it was only technical thievery.'
You know that is what the Capital
said about State Treasurer T. T. Kelly
when the State Journal proved that
Kelly embezzled S123,oOO of the
states money and loaned it to a bond
broker to enable the broker to unload
1923, 900 of questionable bonds on to
the state school fund. at a profit of
something more than $11.00 The
Capital admitted that Kelly was an
embezzler but said it was technical"
embezzlement.
Of course these Kansas ''discrep-
ancies'' come rather close to the Capt.
tails friends, while it has no interest
in the Equitable. That may make
difference in the terms used. There
are other matters which are also close
to the Capital. There is that little
matter of $4,000 or more for padded
bills for city printing, which the Capt.
tai paid back, a few months ago. Now
the Capital says the Equitable
thieves will be compelled to pay
something back. Hadn't the Capital
/ better soften its language a little?