The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-05-31
EYES ARE ON HOCH
PrOhibitOry Question Again to
the Front.
His Letters TO County ATTORNEYS
Cause Talk.
BETWEEN TWO FIRES.
One Faction Criticises Governor
for His InactiOn.
The Other for What They Fear
He Win Do.
BETWEEN TWO FIRES.

Some time ago it was rumored that
Governor Hoch had written letters to
certain county officials concerning the
enforcement OF the prohibitory law.
The governor would not talk about
these rumors at that time. but it has
now developed that the governor has
apparently adopted the letter writing
system in a large number of cases. It
is his system to send a letter to both
the sheriff and county attorney in
each county where he has reason to
believe there is need for investigation
Governor HOch now admits that he
had been writing a good many letters
OF this kind, and expects to write still
more of them.
A prominent Leavenworth polfti-
clan, in speaking of the governors
move said:
What will it all amount to, any
way? The governor has no power to
do anything. He is absolutely without
legal authority in the matter. OF
course recognize that his moral in
iuence, if exerted strongly toward the
enforcement of the law, will have
considerable influence in some Iocaii-
ties. 1t will not affect LeaYenWorth in
the slightest degree.
when the legislature repealed the
metropolitan police law, it took away
from the governor his authority to
control the liquor situation in the
large cities. The governor has no au-
thority whatever to appoint assistant
attorney generals; that rests wholly
with the attorney general. In short,
the governor is pOwerless. He may
make his bluff. but it will amount to
nothing
Resolutions Criticise HOch.
! When it became known at lola the
{ 0fhnT 0aW that C1OUprnnr HNRh had
written one of his letters to the officials
of that county, the lola Commercial
club took the matter up, and E. ].
I Schwartz one of the members, intro
duced the following resolution;
! Whereas. It has been reported that
some Of the state officers have inter-
fered or are threatening to interfere
with our local government and where
as our local officers have done and are
doing their full duty in respect to the
enforcement of all laws: therefore be it
Resolved, That it is in the sense of
this body that our local officers be per-
mitted to manage and control our local
government free of any threats or pro-
ceedings on the part of any of our state
officers.
Mr.. Schwartz moved the adoption Of
the resolutions and his motion was sec
| onded.
G, c. McCarty pleaded with the body
not to pervert the objects Of the club
/ by the adoption of any such measure
! He moved to lay the nOLlOu on Ile
table. His motion was voted down. Mr.
Taylor raised the constitutional point
that the motion before its adoption
must of necessity be referred to a COM
mittee on state and municipal laws. The
motion was seconded and vote called
for. The vote seeming in doubt one OF
/ the members called for a yea and nay
vote. On this vote nineteen voted yea
and twenty-five voted nay. The matter
was dropped
T. A Noftzger who was in Topeka
| last week. thinks that the governors
attitude on the prohibitory question villa
result in his defeat for renominations
In this Mr.. Noftzger does not agree
with w. Y Morgan, and several others.
Mr.. NoftzgeT says:
Il see that events are going to so shape
themselves in the future that Governor
Hoch will take up this prOhibitorX
fight and he will be pressed into making
such fight that he will be defeated
for the denomination"
Ex-Governor John p. st. John, of this
state who is now at Versailles, No. is
taking good deal of pleasure in throw
ing the harpoon at Governor Hoch ev-
cry once in while. In a recent letter
he said:
1.-The contrast touching the enforce
ment OF law in Kansas City, Kan, un-
der Governor Hoch, and Kansas City, IN
[ Door old Missouri, under Governor
Folk. reflects no credit upon Kansas"