The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-05-31
WASTE OF MONEY
Wagstaff Charges Gov. Stubs
With Extravaganza.
Quotes Figures to Prove He In
herited No Deficit.
EMPLOYEES ARE LAX.
Claims Two Members Board Con-
troll Give Only Part Time.
Oil Inspector LOngshOre Uses
Office for Campaigning.

Thomas E. Wagstaff, candidate for
governor today makes reply to the
cren letter of Governor Stubs, printed
about a week ago. 1t is a fiat contra
diction Of most of the statements made
by the governor and goes deeply into
state issues in a sensational manner
as follows:
Honorable w. R. Stubs, Topeka, Kan
SaS.
My Dear Governor:-I should have
answered your open letter to me soon
er, but have been out over the state
ana very busy in my campaign. ThlS
tax controversy has been before. the
people of Kansas now for about seven
months commencing September, 1909.
During all of that time, you have been
on the defensive and your defensess
have each been inconsistent with the
others. I desire to call your attention
to some of these defenseS. In a signed
interview published in the Topeka Cap
ital on September 81, 1909, you stated
that there had been no increase in the
appropriations Of the 1909 Legislature,
and made yourself authority for the
statement that the 1907 appropriations
we're $7,989, 009.89 and the 1909 appropri-
atoms were $7,099, $50 In other words,
your Legislature of 1909, according to
your statement had appropriated $685.
600 less than the legislature of 1907.
AS matter of fact, the appropria-
lions for 1909 as complied by the audi
tor were $7,3S6,578.04 and those of 1907
were $6,734, 927.55. In other words the
legislature of 1909 instead Of appropri-
ating $S89,000 less than that of 1907, as
you stated appropriated $651,000 more.
Here was a trifling misstatement of ST.
$40, 900. Did you make that statement
knowingly, with the intent to deceive
the people or did you know so little OF
the states business as this would in
dictate. On October 25 1909 in another
interview in the Capital, you stated
that your administration would save
the people of Kansas $4,000 a year over
that of HOch. No one having replied
to this, on January 16, 1910, you became
EClder and announced in the Capital,
that the first year of your administra7
ton had cost the people of Kansas
$500,000 less than the last year of Hoch's
aGminist ration. AS matter Of fact,
the auditors books show that your ad-
ministraticn cost 1922, 900 more. You
missed that guess by 1922, 900. It will
improving somewhat in your guess
work. You are not much over half as
far out of the way this time as you
were in your first guess.
That Hoch Deficit.
Permit me to call your attention to
some other statements of yours. On
October 4, 1909, and at different times
before and since, you have declared that
the Hoch administration left you a de-
felt of 100000 and that this was the
cause of the increased tax levy for this
wear. That there was no deficit from
a previous administration is shown by
the fact that on the 18th day of jan
uary 1909, when you took your oath of
office, there was in the general revenue
fund, as shown by the books of the
state treasurer $ll9,l32. A. with no un-
paid bills outstanding. Will you kindly
tell me how you figure that on that
date when you entered office there was
a deficit of 100000. You will perceive,
governor that you have once more
missed your guess by $4,000. That this
is about the usual condition of the
treasury on that date is shown by the.
fact that on the same day in January,
1906 when Governor HOch succeeded
Governor Bailey there was IN the gen
eral revenue fund $4,000. No one has
ever claimed that there was any def
cit in the Bailey administration, nor
did the Hoch administration increase
taxes.
Here is another peculiar fact: Yo1
inherited from the Hoch administration
instead of deficit of 100000 a surplus
of $119 900. On the 18th day of jar
uary, 1910. Notwithstanding the fact
that you had received from the general
government half a million dollars and
that the revenue of the state from fees,
ETC., had greatly increased and that
your administration had raised the tax
levy nearly million dollars, the bal
ance in the general revenue fund On
that date was only $4,000 or SS5,0Oo
less than you started housekeeping
with, a year before. How do you ac-
count for that?
Now Governor I have called your
attention to the fact that in the first
authoritative statement YOU made re-
garding this tax matter, you were mis-
taken more than a million and a half
~, ParaflI1lV
considered authoritative statement you
were mistaken in the sum of $S22,OO0
and that in your last carefully consid-
cred and authoritative statement. you
were mistaken $4,000. How do you
expect the people of Kansas to put
when every one that you have issued is
as far from the fact as this. If
banker made such a misstatement as
this he would land in the penitentiary.
If a merchant made such mistake as
this he would be a bankrupt. and yet
you pretend to be a business men.
How to save Money.
You have asked me to be specific and
tell you just where your administration
has been extravagant and wherein
think that l, as governor, could save
money That is comparatively easy. I
find that the legislature of 1907 appro-s
priated for the purchase of land and
additional buildings for our state inSti-
tutions, total of s1,500,000- Your leg
islature of 1909 appropriated for the
same purpose 1854, 900, being 1916. 900 less
but where the legislature of 1907 only
appropriated So, 455, 900 for maintenance
of all of these institutions, your legiS-
lature of 1909 appropriated 900 or
s659, 600 more. The legislature of 1907
put $546, 900 more into the increase of
the states property, additional build
ings for the penal and charitable insti-
buttons and additional facilities for the
educational institutions. adding so
much to the states assets. Your legis :
lature spent 1858, 900 more in main
| tenance, food, salaries, etc. In other
| words, under your administration, the
cost of maintenance was Increased 20
| nor cent II strikes me that a cut could