The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-10-05
COMESM BROWN
Brown of Kingman, and Ad-
dresses the Governor.
The POpulist- Democrats Letter
Is Characteristic.
MAKES A NEW POINT
What if All Bills Advocated by
Governor Had Passed.?
Appropriations of Legislature
Would Have Been Appalling.

|
W. L. Brown of Kingman, "iron
| jawed" Brown, the old time Populist
| leader and later a Democrat of the
| Bourbon breed, has written an open
letter to Governor Stubs in reply
| to the communications sent out by
| his excellency to members of the last
| legislature explaining the increase in
the state tax levy.
Mr.. Browns letter is a character
| istic masterpiece. The gentleman
from Kingman was a member of the
ways and means committee of the
| last house of representatives and in
that capacity had occasion to study
appropriations. He attacks the gov
ernor along a new line entirely in
the matter of high taxes by calling
attention to what the expenses of the
state might have been had number
of bills advocated by the govern or
during the last session been enacted
into laws. There were several of these
bills that called for commissions, no
table among them the utilities
bill, and Mr.. Brown wants to know
had not he and several other Demo-
Gratis and a lot of inSurgent Re-
publicans blocked the passage of
these extravagant measures
MI. Brown believes, III lIl0 1lSAI VI
the present controversy over higher
taxes that he was better friend to
Gov. Stubs than the fellows who
boosted these pet measures OF the
governor during the last session He
thinks that the governor should, like
the old deacon. exclaim. 81 thank
thee, Lord. that it is as we'll with me
as 1t IS"
Mr.. Brown makes comparison of
the Stubs regime with that of Leedy'
Dot Law ND e.
clares that Gov. Stubs promised
more than any of these and therefore
more, instead of less, was expected or
him. Mr.. Brown closes with the
delegate to the dry farming con-
gress (for it is a heap dry in Kansas
Mr.. Browns letter to the governor
is as follows:
Brown SHES His Castor.
My Dear Governor: I am in receipt
of your letter of late date, explaining
or claiming to however, the whyfores,
whichness, ETC., of the present state
tax levy made under the banner of re-
form, and which your administration is
in honor. bound to defend. In my
humble judgments, so far you have
begged the question; it is not what
the people of the different counties,
municipalities, townships and schooI
districts have levied upon themselves
the people of the state are interested,
by the last legislature with your ap-
proval and in some cases forced
through under whip and spur and
patronage.
friend to your administration that
was in Topeka. Ready to support
any and all of your measures that
benefited the people of Kansas, and
oppose any and all that did not.
have given your letter due considera-
IL, foo IA1-nI 00T T10 a n q
by making it my chief article for
Sunday reading. A careful reading of
your letter almost convfnces me, that
each of us has broken a command
ment, but not the same one. OF course
I may be wrong, but it is no more
than you would expect viewed from
your standpoint Of Democrat.
Governor Wants 1t Done"
AS a member of the ways and
means committee I had an opportun-
appropriations. The words that came
down the line from the executive Of
flee to the faithful. four of whom
have been rewarded with fat jobs, and
six that supposed they had promises,
but made a mistake in the symptoms,
constituted a majority of the commit
tee. I cannot remember one appro-
priation that was made that some one
did not state, "It met with your ap-
prevail or the governor wants it
more that were either killed in the
house or senate that you were said to
stand sponsor for, which would have
added, had they been allowed many
thousand dollars more to the bur-
dens of the taxpayers.
For instance, we will take the pub
lie utilities BILL the lowest estimate of
an appropriation that remember for
that bill was three hundred and sixty
thousand dollars.
Stubs Bills That Were Killed.
Your druggist permit bill with its
smelling committee of attaches, all lib
orally salaried, the many other ap-
pointments you wished to have placed
at your disposal, creating many new
offices, and all at the expense of the
taxpayer.
Brown Was Stubs Real Friend.
Really governor, when 1 read how
the people of the state are hopping
onto you on this state tax levy bust
ness, 1 am constrained to believe, al
though I was dubbed "the kicker of
the ways and means committee, I was
a better friend to you and your adj
ministration than the fellows who
were pushing said appropriations
through and would recommend
that when you commence your morn
ing's devotions, it should be in line
with the old deacon's 80, Lord, I
thank Thee that it is as we'll with me
as it is For had the legislature
to our chief executive there
would have been nearly two million
dollars more appropriations to be laid
- JoooI IavfpS Than tharn ic Of Yarorap+