The Topeka state journal., 1908-01-31
VAN SAINT IS READY.
Chairman Will Show Where Campaign
Money Has Gone

Ohie VI the candidates for nominal
tlons on the Republican county ticket
Will hold meeting at Topeka CITY
court at The court house Saturday even
ing ana demand an accounting of the
expenditure of $S6S 80 of assessment
money which has gone out of the hands
three weeks
In addition to the committee which
VIII De appointed at that time to inves-
tlgate the expenditure of this amount
OF money these candidates will proceed
TO counsel whether to demand a return
OF an the assessment money that has
not been expended.
The total amount of the assessments
pald In total up to $2,26O. The chairman
or the Republican county central COM
mlttee, Reese Van SAINT, in a letter ad-
dressed to the candidates who had paid
up their assessments stated that so per
cent would be returned. When the leg
islature passed the primary bill follow
ing the mailing of this letter, a number
OF the candidates considered that they
should have the full amount of their
assessments returned to them barring
what had already been expended.
Under the primary law the expense of
the party primaries which are all held
on the same day is borne by the coun-
ty just as the usual election expense.
Consequently these candidates for the
Republican nomination fail to see the
any of the assessments. They state that
the successful nominees should be made
to bear the expense Of getting out the
Republican vote and not all of the can
didates, some Of whom of course will
not secure the nomination that they
are after.
The belief, too, seems to prevail that
$S68.20 is an extraordinarily large
amount to be expended in the course of
less than three weeks with the issues
not made up and the work of cam
paigning not yet started on its fair
way.
IF the candidates appoint commit
tee I will gladly throw the books open
and let them examine for themselves
said G. E Jewell, treasurer. Il nave
nothing to do with the expenditure OF
the money except to pay the money out
on vouchers as they are properly drawn
up. The vouchers must be signed by
the secretary and countersigned by the
chairman. I don't know anything about
why the money should be spent, that's
not my business. 1t looks on the sur
face as pretty large amount of money
to be spent in that time, 1 am free to
confess, though 1 have no doubt but
what it was spent legitimately."
''I only know of two fellows who are
raising all this question" said Reese
Van SAINT ED O'Neil and Dreaming
understand are both of them on the
warpath to get all of their money
though neither of them has been to see
me to get their money returned
O'Neil wants all of his back he can get
it by calling on me, the other fellows
are willing to put up enough to pay
him back in fun. sAll of the rest OF
the candidates do not seem opposed to
what the committee has decided to do
Several of them have come to me and
said that they were willing that the
committee should retain their assess
ments to be used later in the campaign
These same fellows who are bowling
now to have their money returned are
the same ones who wanted register
ed primary And now when we propose
to expend this money for registration
as the law provides shall be done they
are on the other side of the fence. The
law does not provide for the expense OF
the registration though 1t calls for reg
istration at the primaries.
"I stand ready at any time to have
the accounts fully investigated. We
used up some of the money to pay
campaign expenses left over from other
years. This took about one-half. If
the committee says that these candf-
dates shall be shown the books stand
ready to do so and will not dodge It,
1 am not a dodger. None of the money
is to be expended on carriages but 1t
will take considerable for the registra-
tfOn''