The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-10-27

|
| Morgan's journal for which Rickel is
| holding up" the bills because he claims
they are excessive ,ooo .,,o "a
Compiling same 10000
Postage actually paid. ..--....-.....-..- 21.SO
Total $2se4 81
! Thus 1t will be seen that the cost of
\ my journal is less than the others
and nearly two-thirds less than Con-
| ey's 1907 journal and less than one
| half of Conveys 1906 journal
I When Rickel submitted to the in
| tervieW he knew that I had not sent
| in a bill for $294.30 for printing and
mailing the journal. He knew that
! 800 of the amount which I asked for
and which was to be deducted from
the total sum of $294.30, was appro-
priated by the encampment for my
| individual work in compiling the pro-
ceedings of the 28th encampment,
| which was just the amount that has
been appropriated and paid to each
doing this same work, for many years
| past and yet, apparently, for the pur
| pose of deceiving the comrades. as
we'll as the public, he tries to make it
| appear that 1 asked $294.30 for print
ing the journal.
Followed the Custom.
I desire further to state that 1 COM
piled the journal just as it has been
the custom of every retiring depart
ment commander to do for years, and
before it was printed 1 asked the de-
partment headquarters for wrappers
and the list of names and postoffice
addresses of the persons to whom the
journal should be mailed. These were
supplied me by the assistant adjutant
general for that purpose and 1 sent
out copies of the journal to such per-
sons in wrappers or envelopes sup
piled me by department headquarters
for that purpose. This surely should
answer the insinuation of Commander
Rickel that t'tht mailing was done
without our knowledge"
In the same interview Commander
Rickel sets forth what purports to be a
resolution adopted by the council of ad-
ministration, the purport of which is
that "the rules governing the publica-
ton of the proceedings of the Depart
ment of Kansas Grand Army of the
Republic required publication
OF the same at the state printing plant
at the expense of the state"
Evidently the council of administra-
ton was acting without information on
this subject. or under the advice Of
someone who deliberately deceived
them. There is not now and never has
been a rule, law or custom in the Grand
Army of this state requiring the journal
of encampments to be printed "at the
state printing plant at the expense of
the State.'
The state has made an appropriation
for the purpose of paying the expenses
of maintaining headquarters in the state
house and to pay for the publication of
the reports of the department command
er to the Governor" This appropriation
mas been turned over by the treasurer
of the state to the assistant quarter
master general and the money has been
applied by the several departments for
the purposes for which it Is appropriat
ed.
Cites History of the journal.
The state, during all this time, has
published but one copy of the journal
Of proceedings Of an encampment in
this state. Past Commander Smith had
the proceedings of his encampment at
Emporia published by Ed. G. Moore &
Son of Topeka. Past Commander. .Aar-
ris had the journal OF proceedings OF
his encampment at Parsons published
by Ed G. Moore & Son of Topeka. Past
Commander Coney had the journal OF
proceedings of his encampment at Sa-
lima published by the Corning Printing
company of Topeka Past Commander
Coney had the journal of proceedings of
his 'encampment at Topeka pub
lshed by the Corning Printing COM
pany of Topeka, Kan. The Journal
of Past Department Commander Camp
bells encampment at Kansas City is
the only journal that has been pub
Eshed in the state printing office.
If Commander Rickel had examined
the previous journals, he would have
discovered that each retiring depart
ment commander has procured the
publication of the journals at any place
that he could make a satisfactory bar
gain with the printer and the expenses
have been paid out of the appropria-
ton made by the legislature
Cost Less This Time Than Ever Before
Following the precedent of all my
predecessors, except Mr.. Campbell, ]
procured the publication of the journal
of the 18th encampment by the Hutch
inson News at an expense less than any
journal has been printed for during the
Grand Army history in Kansas.
There is no law which would author
ize the state printer to publish the pro-
ceedings of the Grand Army at the
state printing plant at the expense or
the state, and when I rendered the copy
of my journal to the state printer, for
publication, received from him the
following letter, copy of which sent
to department headquarters, and it was
in possession Of Commander Rickel at
the time of the meeting OF the council
of administration:
Topeka. Kan, July 2, 1909
w. A. Morgan, Cottonwood Falls. Kan:
I find on examining chapter of the
session laws of 1909 that the legislature
made specific appropriation. of $3.50 for
the G.. A. R., a part Of 1t Is to pay for
the publication of the report Of the de-
partment commander. This would in
dictate that the legislature intended that
the printing of the report Of the depart
ment commander should be paid for in
cash. My Interpretation of the law is
that this does not allow me as state
printer to do this work and therefore
1t will not be necessary for you to re-
turn the copy for the G. A. R. journal.
Yours truly, T. A. McNEAL,
State Printer.
Intention to Deceive.
When Commander Rickel in his in
terview intends the comrades of this
state to believe that the bill that I
sent in to the council for allowance