The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-01-27
STANDS BY HOCH.
Democratic Leader OF the House
Voices His Confidence.
will Give Him SIS, 900 to Make
an Investigation.
WANT NO WHITEWAsH.
Majority of Representatives
Want a Searching Inquiry.
Would Leave the Whole Question
to Governor.

NAVE absolute commence IN the
governor of this state" said P. W.
Goebel, Democratic leader of the
house, while arguing Thursday in fa-
vor of giving the governor SIS. 900
with which to investigate the other
state officers. Tt is a good deal for
a Democrat to make such statement
about Republican governor.
The ways and means committee,
which introduced the official admin
istration investigation bill, allowed the
governor to use only $4,000. The
members of the house thought this
was not enough. They amended the
bin in committee of the whole by
striking out the $4,000 and inserting
$25,OOO.
That happened Thursday afternoon.
Over night, Mr.. Stubbs and the other
leaders repented their action. They
thought that $500 was too much.
Mr.. Creech, chairman of the ways and
means committee, urged that the gov
ernor would not need $4,000, and
that it would be charged up against
the present legislature, whether tn
money was used or not. The boss
buster leaders figured that $15,OO0l
was about as high as the cost of the
investigation should be allowed to go.
This Is the amount which Speaker
Stubbs decided should be the limit,
and consequently Mr.. Hackney, Mr..
Goebel and some of the people who
favored $25, 900 were called into a
conference.
I'VE will get our people in line and
cut that appropriation down to $1o,-
000," said the Stubbs crowd. unless
you are willing to consent to a change
in the bill. We are willing that the
investigation should be made. but we
don't want this legislature to get the
credit for appropriatng $4,000 more
than is needed AS a compromise, we
Will agree to fix the amount to $15,-
600, provided YOU will let it go
through that way without fight
The compromise was agreed to, and
this morning, on motion of Mr.. Bran
don, of Butler, the report of the COM
nittee of the whole on house bill No.
121 was reconsidered, and the bill re-
ported back subject to amendment
and debate.
This afternoon the bill will be
amended on third reading by striking
out the $4,000 and inserting $4,000.
p. w. Goebel. the Democratic lead
eF, made the motion in committee of
the whole to raise the appropriation
to $4,000. This motion was seconded
by W. P. Hackney. Mr.. Goebel said:
''I have absolute confidence in the
governor of this state. I believe we
can safely put into hts nands $25, 600,
and tell him to spend what he needs
of the money. If these charges which
have been made are true, there are
some men now holding state offices
WhQ&Ought to be put out. We should
make the examination thorough, and
$4,000 is none too much for the gov
ernor to have at his disposal He
does not need to spend it unless nee
essary."
Mr.. Hackney said: People have a
right to know about the truth of these |
campaign charges, and know speedily. /
Such an investigation is no reflection on |
state officers, and those of them who |
are honest should be anxious to have |
the investigation made at any cost. |
They will have to have an investigation |
IL
we appropriate $4,000, that is less than /
500 to each county in the state. It will |
probably be necessary for the account |
ants to visit every county, and also |
enough for the governor to have at his
disposal. We owe it to ourselves and |
to every officer of the state to make I
this investigation, and make it thor t
course it is not necessary for the gov
ernor to spend any more of this $25, 900
than he needs
When the vote on the proposed
amendment was taken, only dozen or
SO scattering voices voted .sNo,' but it
was evident that the result did not suit
all of the boss buster leaders, for there
were cries of division which were ig-
nored by J. H. Sticher of WoodSOn VINO
was in the chair.
There seems to be a serious division
of opinion among the leaders about the
advisability of allowing ample funds for
that the best thing to do is to have the
investigation thoroughly made, and ex-
pose the corruption. Others believe that
the integrity of the party can be best
nreserved by making a whiteWaSh in
vestigation. Speaker Stubbs is known TO
have been in favor of compromising the
differences, and allowing $4,000 or $780,
GOO. but Mr.. Stubbs was not present in
the house during the consideration OF
the bill on Thursday.
To the motion to recommend the, bill
for passage as amended, there was no
opposition. It was recommended un-
The full text of the investigation bill,
which this afternoon came up on third
reading for passage by the house, is as
follows:
Section 1. That the governor is here
by authorized and empowered to cause
a full investigation to be made of the
various state departments
Sec 2. That for the purpose of max
ing such investigation, he is authorized
to employ such competent accountant
sarv therefor, and to pay them reason
able compensation for their services.
.sSec. 3-That upon the appointment
IF .sr1ch accountant or accountants by
fhe. governor, they shall proceed to ex-
anime such departments in the order
nrascribed by the governor in writing,
and shall make report TO the gov
arnor showing the result OF such in
vestigatfon, and deliver the same to {
him in person.
.aSec. lit shall be the duty of any !
and all officers, their assistants and !
clerks to render to the accountants 7
herein provided for every asslstance
and facility in the examination OF
their respective departments Any Of
fcar, assistant, clerk or employe VINO
shall obstruct or interfere with such
accountant in the discharge of his
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