The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-02-27
JACKSON is HEARD
Makes Reply to Orr Resolution
in House.
Goes Into His Record on Trust
Prosecutions.
NOT EXPLICIT ON FEES
Says He Collected Not Over Six
Thousand Dollars.
This He Says He Divided With
Assistants.

The Orr resolution calling for an in
vestigation of the state departments
came up today in the house under spe-
cial orders. In anticipation of this in
teresting event, former Attorney Gen
eral Fred S. jackson. whose admin
istration was under the direct fire of
the man from Atchison, sent to the
house today a document of over 100
typewriter pages setting forth in de-
tail the expenditures of his office for
four years and the receipts from all
fees whatsoever. The Jackson state
ment shows that he received about
$4,000 in fees from the three counties
Of Leavenworth, Atchisor and Sher-
man, instead of $4,000 to 100000 as
claimed by his enemies
In his statement of the case, Mr..
jackson says:
1.-The resolution commends the adj
Secretary of State Denton and State
Treasurer Tulley as economical and
prudent The praise is we'll deserved,
even if absurd, in connection with the
other statements of the resolution. 1
have not the slightest desire to detract
from the good record of my brother
Republican officers, but only to call
attention for comparison to the stand
ard of economy set up by the resolu-f
ton. The expense of the secretary of
state actually increased, according to
the resolution, in the last year over
1908, $1,SS9, or nearly $4,000, and
$4,000 over 1907. The auditors Of
flee had taken from it bv the new tax
law in 1907 nearly all the work of the
state assessment, and tho expenditures
have remained practically the same,
but the state tax commission for do
ing this work has cost the state about
$4,000 annually. The expenditures
of the state treasurer increased in 1910
q nd
above 1907 The expenditures of the
attorney generals Office decreased in
1910 below 1909 in the sum of $54S,
and giving credit for moneys actually
not expended but deposited in court as
security, many hundreds of dollars
more. 1t is queer state of mind that
sees prudence and economy in one de-
partment and reckless extravaganza in
the other; and this leads one to think
that had the other departments been
connected with liquor or trust prosecu-
tionS they, too, would have been de-
nominated eXtravagant and marked for
searching investigation by the resolu-
ton
Speaking of the work of prosecuting
trusts, Mr.. Jackson says:
Expenditures on Trust Cases.
I'm one case, the criminal Harvester
trust case, we turned $4,000 into the
school fund of the county where the
prosecution occurred, and made it pos
sible for the court to have assessed 4
fine of $42. 600 in this case.S which would
have covered the entire cost of the de-
partment for the four years of my
term. But the court refused to take
our view and was probably right in
assessing the more moderate fine.
1.-THE opinion of our supreme court
in this and the other Harvester trust
cases prosecuted during my term has
Just been cited, quoted from and most
highly commended by Attorney Cen
~~aI Wickersham before the supreme
court of the United States, in his brief
in the Standard Oil case. in support of
the governments contention.
1.-THE prosecution of the alleged fire
insurance trust resulted in the enact
lnent of the state rating law by the
legislature of 1909. and under its pro-
visions superintendent of Insurance
Barnes reduced fire rates and saved
the people of Kansas in fire insur-
ance rates approximately half mil
lion dollars. A successful termination
Of the trust cases now well under way,
which have no doubt will be attained
under Attorney General Dawson's ad-
ministration will add about $500. 900
ore to the school fund in fines and
penalties.
Turning now to fines collected in
liquor cases by the activities of the
attorney generals office, and collec-
tions made in court cases, the record
shows a heavy balance to the credit OF
the department over expenditures. In
the case against the surety company,
on its for the failed First Nation
al bank, a state depository, the inter-
est at s per cent collected on the debt
over what the state would have re-
ceived had the money remained in the
treasury, after the. cost of the prose
cutiOns were paid. would have again
paid the expense Of the attorney gem