The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-03-09

showing that this money was paid 10
the state and never paid out to the
people who are entitled to It. II tne
state was an individual it could be
prosecuted for embezzlement. Can the
state afford to repudiate these claims :
1 know it has been said that some OF
these claims have been sold to specu-
lators, but the state is under % pliga-
tions to pay them, just the same
Senator Getty, in opening his re-
marks paid a tribute to the late Sena-
tor Benedict, who was thoroughly IN
formed on the Price raid claims He
said: Senator Benedict convinced
this senate that the claims were IN
Just and that the state should not De
held liable"
seThe state of Kansas resumed
Senator Waggener, was by the gov
eminent made the trustee for these
funds. The sum of 100000 was paid
to the state by the government. and
only s3370OO was ever paid out for
the purDose intended. The rest was
paid out by the state treasurer for
other purposes. / know scores OF peo-
pie who have treasured this script for
years in the hope that the state of
fair enough to give them at least a
portion of their claims, to keep them
in their old age.
Senator Fitzpatrick said: IT don't
believe in putting such an appropria-
| ton into this bill just at the last days
of the session. During the last four
sessions we have had with us many
old timers: men who were familiar
with the events upon which this claim
is based. The testim ony of these men
is not favorable to~such an .appropria-
ton" r5su -c41 Fo-
Senator Waggenera then withdrew
his amendment, and offered instead an
amendment providing for an appro-
priation of $4,000 to y be divided
among the original holders or their
heirs.
Senator Stewart of SSedgwick said:
81 used to think that there might be
some justice in these claims. but I
have come to the conclusion there is
no merit in Them" Senator Stewart
the government which it is claimed
was "embezzled" by the state, instead
of being paid to script holders, was
made for the benefit of the script
holders. He said the money was ap-
propriated to reimbu the state, and
not for damages to property holders.
| Senator T. A. Noftzger said: 1.-THE
claims and accounts committee re-
jected the claims. But I want to say
| that these claims of script holders are
just as much an obligation of the state
as state bonds. and ought to be paid
IF the state pays these claims 1t
will be reimbursed by the federal gov
eminent just as the state of Pennsyl-
vania was reimbursed. Kansas has no
| juster debt than the Price raid
claims, and it will never be able to
free itself from the charge of repudia-
ton until they have been paid.
think, however, that in the closing
hours of this session this claim should
not be paid, but believe that the next
| legislature should take this matter up
seriously. The state has grown rich,
and it should pay its debts
eff we put this $4,000 into this
BILL" said Senator Dolley. 1--WE recog-
nize the validity of the entire obliga-
ton. 1t is a dangerous proposition"
The vote was then taken and the
amendment defeated by decisive
vote.
In his proposition to appropriate &c.
600 with which to purchase a statue of
John Brown to be placed in the ma
tional hall of fame at Washington,
| Senator Waggener was more fortunate.
The appropriation went through with
out any opposition whatever.
| Kansas has already purchased stat
ue of John ]. Ingalls, for one of the
two inches" assigned to it, and the
| legislature of 1881 selected John Brown
appropriation for the John Brown
! statue has never been made, however.
Indications are now that the Brown
statue will soon be added to the col
lections of the hall of fame.
| An effort was made to include an
appropriation for extra work for one OF
the senate stenogi aphers- 1t was claim
ed that theis stenographer had worked
nights and Sundays keeping up with ex-
ira duties heaped upon her.
i This amendment was opposed by
| several senators who said that it would
establish a dangerous precedent and
open the way for extra appropriations
for all the employees. Half a dozen
senators said they would ask to have
their stenographers paid extra if the
claim was allowed, and it was finally
stricken out.
At the last session several thousand
dollars was voted away in extras" for
employees.
Vinton Stillings, senator from Leav-
enworth offered an amendment to in
tcreaSe the allowance of Sam for MI