The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-06-24
AFTER CAPT. TITUS
City Council Doesn't Like His
Methods.
Hires Man to Do His Work
While He Gads Around.
HE HAS A SINECURE.
Not Enough Work to Keep Men
Busy.
Says He Isn't Amenable to City
Fathers.

Trenches have been dug and guns
mounted for a conflict between city
officials and Captain c. H. Titus, COM
missioner of elections. Extravaganza
in the conduct of his Office is the
charge laid at the feet of Titus and too
much Independence in the admiris-
tration Of his duties to the regard of
the wishes of city officials and coun-
cillnep is an aGdendum.
a quiet investigation has been start
ed on foot as to the expenses incurred
Tins office. A feeling prevalent
among certain city officials that a use
less clerical hire has been INDUCED in
out of proportion to the actual amount
animation into the conditions sur
rounding the administration of the
duties of ell ectioa commissioner.
I'VE are not objecting to legitimate
expenses for clerical hire during the
election times but we don't see any
there now when the rush is over"
said one official. There is no need of
it as far as we can discover except to
permit the election commissioner to
run around outside. The office has
to remain open so a deputy is hired to
keep 1t So
well. they just better hold their
horses a little,'' snorted out the cap
tain when asked to express his views
on the criticism. They just better
ourselves. 1 don't propose to vary
one bit from the way / have conduct
cd this office. My deputy will quit on
July 1st according to the plan and not
at any time before. We haven't hired
anyone unless we needed them.
81 could easily retain my deputy I'M
der the law but 1 am not going to re-
tain him beyond the actual need. If
they leave US alone we can run this
Office without any outside help. That
is the one of the things we have tried
to avoid
Accusations that Titus spends but
little time in his office and that the
deputy is retained simply to permit the
ether tasks more congenial are given
as the reason why the deputy, J. F.
Hazen, should be released. The posi-
ton of deputy pays $45 a month.
way" said another city official this
morning speaking of commissioner s
duties.
The pay roll for the past three months
of the commissioner of elections office
has been is follows: April, $215; May,
$177.55; June, $145.g The salary of the
commissioner is 81. 200. In the summer
months the office duties are not par
ticularly arduous, the office is busiest
naturally just previous to election time
in the fall and early spring.
In addition to this question of ex-
travagance, there Is some feeling re-
naming from the time of the city cleo
ton this last April.
1t was charged that Captain Titus
was not holding himself amenable to
suggestions from the city council and
city officials as he should, but boosted
that he was appointed by the governor
to his position and was not looking for
any directions from the city council.
The board of election supervisors are
in a way the superiors of the commits
sioner and the board is made up of
members of the council so that the city
OFFICIALS claim that indirectly Titus is
under the city council and not entirely
independent of that body.
This spring there was a clash over
the length of time that the office should
be kept open for the registration OF vot-
ers. The claim was made that the Of
fee was closed in the faces of voters
and that a number were turned away
at o'clock because the commissioner
insisted on closing his office to the
stroke of the minute and not waiting
for delinquents.
This Captain Titus branded as an un-
truth at the time. The dispute still
ranked. however and was brought up
in connection with this last charge OF
extravaganza.