The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-02-03
KILLED At START.
Plan to Check Up Cities Meets
Early Death.
Regarded as a Prohibitory Law
Measure.
WORK FOR ACCOUNTANT
Provided That He Should Ex-
anime Books.
Debate on Wosnan's Suffrage Is
Next Thursday.

cues OF the nrSt class In Kansas was
killed by the house after a spirited
! debate on Thursday afternoon.
Cities which license joints and re-
| ceive a large revenue for which they
don't make any official report were
responsible for the defeat of the bill,
although the ostensible reason for the
action of the house was a belief that
the state accountant would not have
time to attend to the investigation of
municipal accounts in addition to his
other duties.
DR.. Glasscock. who is supposed to-
represent the wide OPEN town of
Kansas City, Kan, was one of the few
members from the whisky towns who
was in favor of the bill. He said:
This bill is not intended primarily
as an aid in the enforcement of the
prohibitory law. I am told that in a
certain city of Kansas there is dis
crepancy of $4,000 in the accounts.
l think we ought to have this cleared
up. If the city officials are honest,
| they ought not to fear an Investiga-
ton. > understand that some cities
issue paving certificates of some form,
| and then use the money for the pur-
pose of paying off bonds. That is not
right, and a supervision of the city
accounts by state authorities would
straighten things OUT
i 1T is a wonder to me-" said Adams
| of Wichita, that this gentleman could
have been elected from the Kansas
| City district. I believe the financial
affairs of Wichita will show up as well
as any city in the state, but I don't
want any state accountant coming
down there and prying into our affairs
We are competent to run our own
| town. l object to having the munich
pal affairs of Wichita, published to the
world, because they are our own af-
fairs
Mr. Bird of Shawnee said: ST was
informed at the last meeting of the
| municipal league in this city that
when the United States census officer
was working over the accounts of a
certain city in this state, he found a
discrepancy of $4,000 between the
i city clerks account and the city treas
| urers accounts. If it is true. as is
often stated, that tens of thousands of
dollars are collected by certain officials
in the cities of Kansas and no ac-
| counting made. 1 think it is time we
knew about it
In the course of the debate Mr.. Bird
made a very eloquent plea in favor of
Investigations in general and this pro-
| posed investigation in particular. He
| said:
| Back there in Washington a Kan
sas man started something in the in
vestigation line which shook the world
from center to circumference
| who was it. Burton or Bristow?'
interrupted Cyrus Leland.
Mr.. Adams thought that if the plan
! was so good for cities of the first class
it ought to be extended to cities of
| the second and third classes, and he
so moved. The house refused to ac-
cept this amendment to the bill.
Then Chairman Creech of the ways
and means committee said: sHI am op-
posed to the bill because it will cost the
state too much money to make these
| Investigations. If we pass this bill we
will have to make a big appropriation
at the next session of the legislature to-
pay for the hire of additional account
ants. I move that the enacting clause
be stricken OUT
Creech's motion was defeated by the
close vote of 46 to 43.
Mr.. Grass moved that all the expense
of the investigations be paid by the
city under investigation, and not by the
state Mr. Allaman of Atchison didn't
like this proposition. He said:
1T isn't right to have this investiga-
tion made, and compel the cities to pay
for it. We don't want to pay to have
the facts kept quiet
Grass amendment was defeated.
Then the house voted on the final
passage of the bill, with the result as
above stated.
Bills Passed by the House.
Thursday afternoon the house put in
the whole time passing bills on third
reading. The following measures were
I
Tredway's bill requiring parties who
sue cities for damages to give notice
of their intention to bring suit within
four months after the accident.
Birds bill authorizing payments by
cities to bands giving free public con-
certs.
in court procedure.
Adams, bill making transcript of
stenographer's notes prirna facia evil
dence.
Phenicie's bill making appropriation
for the Lansing public school.
Schmidts bill prohibiting the manu-
facture or sale of brass and iron
''knucks.
Pringle's bill making the answers to
questions on an application for life in
surance priIna facie evidence in case OF
contest. This bill was amended by Ad-
ans by inserting a paragraph requiring
insurance companies to pay claims IN
from disease incurred after the applica-
ton for the insurance.
Birds bill to prevent telephone and
telegraph companies from setting poles
!, in the highway.
Grass bill requiring railroads TO build
sidetraeks to independents elevators.
Benson's bill providing fol. the divis-
inn of wards Of cities OF the second
class into election precincts
Senate bill No. Sc, by Chapman, re-
lating to school meetings:
Judiciary committees bill relating 70
the settlement of case made for the
supreme court.
lawson s bill in relation to road tax
es in certain cities of the third class
Debate on Women's Suffrage
1t was erroneousIy announced yester-
day that the suffrage amendment nau
been set for today at 2sss The debate