The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-10-05

would have had the best equipped
political machine Kansas has ever
known. And neither white man nor red
could have put a chunk under the
wheels when it started out after any
political office you would have desired.
1 am not speaking of this with any
hope of reward. 1 will admit would
liked to have been a delegate to the
Dry Farming congress, for it is
heap dry (do not credit this express
sion to Curtis) all over this part of the
state. But honestly, governor, don't
you think it would have been, in view
of the howl going up on increased state
taxes, just as well at least to have al
lowed the legislature to have abolish
ed the office of county assessor, not
forced the county engineers on the
people of the state, allowed the COM
mittee to have given you four thous-
and dollars for a contingent fund, the
same as your predecessors had instead
of forcing them to give you ten thous-
and dollars? The great trouble with
your position is: You talked economy
and reform from one end of the state
to the other, and the people are nat
urally expecting more of you for this
reason than any governor that Kansas
ever had. The electors were in sym
pathy with you and your reform, lower
taxes instead of higher, economy in
stead of extravaganza, the best inter-
ests of the commonwealth looked after
instead of the building of a political
machine.
What the People Want to Know.
Governor, what the people of Kan
sas want to know is this: Only one
state institution established, the
asylum at Parsons. with the greatest
prosperity the state has ever known,
with the wonderful increase in our
taxable wealth., with our assessed
valuation increase five to six hundred
per cent by our new tax law, why is it
the state levy has been nearly
don hi Il fT-n1 he low Of Tn11
up to you. Is this reform, and if so
what political party is entitled to the
credit? Has your reform regime,
which now asks and demands more
from the people of Kansas than did
Morrill,, Stanley, Bailey or Hoch
made good? If they have you are
safe, but down at the grass roots
where Nubuchadnezzar nibbled there
is an ominous sound of the same
words which greeted that same old
king. 1 will not try to repeat them,
as I lost a Sunday school prize once
trying, but will leave you to hunt
them up.
The Legacy From Hoch.
am glad, Governor, to be able to
agree with you on one proposition
and that is you did receive a legacy
from the Hoch administration in the
way of a deficiency of no small pro-
portions. Had Nicholson failed to Sc
cure that appropriation at Washing
ton long before this time the state
treasurer would nave D6en stamping
the warrants mot paid for the want
of funds" Allow me to suggest If
you wish to go after Ex-Governor
Hoch's administration, you might
look up the laws governing the gov
errors contingent fund, also the con-
stitution on this matter. Then go to
the auditors office and glance over
vouchers No. 1916, 1868, 1862,
32SS5. S2SS6, 1884 money which was
spent for furniture, which you are
daily using purchased in direct viola
ton of the constitution and the law.
A Lost Opportunity.
Confdentially, governor the first
time my faith was shaken in your re-
form business. was in the furniture
steal last winter in the seating of
Representative Hail. There was a
splendid opportunity for an object
lesson in economy, reform and hon
esty. If there were ever any orders
come from your department they were
placed in the wrong speaking tube
and went to the basement, rather !
than the speakers room. When l
started out I expected to write
plain letter but naturally having a
tender heart, 1 forbear, for am
satisfied. with about two-thirds of the
newspapers of your own party giving
you a broadside daily and weekly,
with the many explanations you are
called on to make, you have plenty of
fish to fry, without paying any at
tention to a Democrat. I am. very
respectfully, yours.
Kineman Kan Oct 4 1909.