The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-10-05
He IS OBDURATE.
Senator Curtis Roiterates In
stead Of Rstrac!ing.
Stubs Suggestions Wasted on
Shawnee Chief.
AN ARRAY OF FACTS
Are Fired in One Mighty Bread
side.
AN ARRAY OF FACTS
The Senator Says Controversy
Is Now at End.

governor today by indulging in re-
iteration rather than retraction as
his eXcellency had suggested. The
senator is still dignified in his pre-
sentation of his side of the contro-
versy over high taxes, but he shoots
flight of deadly arrows all barbed
with question marks.
The senator demands direct ans
wers to direct questions and will be
satisfied with nothing less. He is tired
of generalities in reply to his Oft
repeated questions.
This controversy with the governor
is closed with this statement so far
as Senator Curtis is concerned.
The senator today gave out the fol-
lowing:
Nothing to Retract.
The governor does not seem to be
satisfied with the controversy relating
to state taxes, into which he unneces-
sarily dragged me- The facts in re-
gard to the taxes had been published
in numerous papers throughout the
state upon their own responsibility
and without any suggestion or encour-
agement from me.
THE governor, having admitted all
of the facts that were alleged, there
would seem to be no occasion for a
continuance of the discussion. There
is certainly nothing for me to retract,
and willing as 1 am to oblige, 1 can
not therefore comply with the COVER
nOr'S request.
I'm order, however. that there may
be no misunderstanding I desire to
restate the facts.
THE newspapers charged, and I
reiterated the statement, that the
state tax was $935,529.53 greater this
year than last This the governor ad-
mits and it is UP to him to satisfy
the people that the money was
needed.
How About Contingent Fund?
THE second charge was that his con-
tingent fund was $4,000 while that of
Governor Hoch was only $4,000. This
the governor also admits and in this
connection he might explain why he
has paid L. IS. Murdoch and others sew
eral hundred dollars out of this fund
when the legislature did not make an
appropriation for that purpose. He
might also explain why he needed ST.
600 for the governors residence this
year, when Governor Hoch got along
with 1000 last year.
And That Oil Inspector?
Il also stated that he caused the
appointment of travelling oil inspec-
tor for two months and the man was
Paid for two months without rendering
any service therefor and this, although
the governor had. stated the services of
such employees We're not needed. This
also the governor did not deny. In this
connection the governor should tell the
people how much his change of policy
in regard to oil inspection has cost the
state. If he will look at the records he
will find that for, the months of June,
July and August this year there was a
decrease of $5e0.40 in the money turned
into the treasury over the same months
last year under Governor Hoch. Does
this indicate that the present admins
tration is a better business admins
tration than the previous one?
And That Big Penitentiary Payroll?
In my answer TO the governor 1
state penitentiary- In his reply he
promised to tell about this later. When
he gets to it he might tell the people
why, under his business administra
ESQ prisoners during the month of Aug
list, 1909, While 1T only required los to
look after 1000 prisoners in August,
1908. Also why it is that at the United
States prison it only took 81 men to
care for 1,210 prisoners while under his
administration it takes 101 to look after
$50.
And the State Payroll?
IT stated in my answer to him that
while he claimed to have saved the
state millions annually in freight and
passenger rates. he was not entitled to
the credit for either and that in an
interview he had opposed the maxi |
mum rate law recommended by the
passed by the legislature. |
am informed that the governor has |
stated publicly that he has reduced the |
number of people employed by the state. |
II he has made such a statement / |
trust he will explain why there are 134
more people on the pay rolls this year !
than last.
Controversy Is Closed.
I'm conclusion 1 wish to state that
Governor Stubs brought me into this
when he knew that the
ing the statement with regard to the
taxes and had given the figures. had
used some of these figures on one oc-
casion only while the number of papers
in which they had been published was
quite numerous. 1t turns out that the
statement was entirely correct. I have
done nothing except to state the facts. |
The figures which have been published
by the newspapers and given by me are
taken from the official records of thu
state. They are admitted to be true,
and with this statement the contro-
versy is closed so far as 1 am con-
cerned.
Where Are Those Business Methods?
In his campaign for the office which
he now holds, the governor gave the II
people to understand that state affairs
were not properly conducted but that
he would give them good business
administration, which would be vastly
superior to anything which they had
had heretofore He is not responsible /
to me but he is responsible to the peo-
pie and he should give all of Va facts
and let the people say whether bis ad-
has been such as to meet
their expectation or approval.
CHARLES CURTIS"