The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-04-21
TAYLOR ASKS AID.
Attorney for Railroad Board Ap-
peaIs to Governor.
Would Take a Slice From HOch's
Contingent Fund.
GOVERNOR HESITATES.
Says It Is Business of Board to
Pay TayIOr's Bills.
GOVERNOR HESITATES.
Board Refuses TO Give Its At
torney Any Assistance.

Carr Taylor. attorney for the state
board of railroad commissioners, has
appealed to Governor EIoch for financial
assistance in the discharge of the du-
ties Of the Office which he holds. Mr.
Taylor wants a slice off of Governor
Hoch's contingent fund with which to
hire q stenographer which the board
of railroad commissioners refuses to
hire fore him. Governor Hoch has not
yet consented to stand the expense.
The matter is still under consideration.
1t might seem little irregular for
one department of the state admins
tration to call upon another depart
ment for financial assistance. But the
fact seems to be that Mr.. Taylor is an
outcast, and is hunting a home The
board of railroad commissioners has
disowned him, because he is not their
kind of a man. The board will not
pay his telephone bills, his. stenographer
hire, or anything else that 1t can avoid
paying, although the board has $5,-
900 contingent fund which the attorney
general has ruled can legally be used
for these purposes The reason the
board does not help Taylor is appar-
emily because of his pernicious activity
against the railroads.
When the board of railroad commits
sioners turned him out it was natural
for Mr.. Taylor to knock for admission
to the protection of the governor. The
appropriation for the salary of the at
torney for the board Of railroad COM
missioners is credited to the governor s
Office, and not to the board of railroad
commissioners. This was done in the
executive and judicial appropriation
bill Section Of this bill says ITO
the governor" and then specifies the
amount available for the salary of the
governor and his clerks, the amount
for rewards, the amount for contin-
gent expenses, and concludes with an
appropriation Of $500 a year for at
/ torney for the board of railroad COM
mtssioners. To a certain extent this
makes Carr Taylor a member of Cow
ernor Hochs private Office force, and
| therefore entities him to a share of the
/ governors contingent fund But the
/ governor is not inclined to welcome Mr..
/ Taylor to a participation in the funds
/ Of his Office. He said today;
ST have talked the matter over with
| Mr.. Taylor, but no conclusion has
J been reached. OF course I am very
anxious that Mr. Tsylor's work should
not be- crippled i'll any way, but il
seems to me that It is the business OF
the board of railroad commissioners
to pay for the assistance which Mr..
Taylor needs in the preparation of his
cases. The board of railroad commits
sioners has a fund OF $4,000 for con-
tingent expenses, While the Office of
/ governor has only $4,000, with many
heavy drains upon It,"
Mr.. Taylor says: 81 am in need OF
assistance in getting the cases for
presentation in the court and before
the board. For some time I hired a
stenographer at my own expense. but
I can't afford that. The attorney gen.
eral has ruled that the board has the
right to use its contingent fund for
the employment Of a stenogra pher
for me. but the law places the right
to hire and discharge employees en-
tirely in the hands of the board II
I hire a stenogra pher, the board can
refuse to pay the bill out Of It's con-
tingent fund, and there is nothing
left for me to do but pay it myself
I believe that the governor has the
right under the law to allow me a
sufficient amount to employ what
help I need. and think it is right and
proper that he should do so. He now
has the matter under consideration