The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-03-04
Say Public Hasn't Been En-
Hghtened on Thomas Report.
WANT 1T ALL PUBLISHED
Would Require Nearly Three
Newspaper Pages.
Evident Desire to BIacken the
District Clerk.

OF the clerk of the district court, IS
not to be given due circulation in the
coming political campaign, the coun-
ty commissioners today passed a res
oIution calling on Topeka newspapers
to publish the bulky document, which
would occupy probably twenty col
umns of space. The purpose of the
audit was perhaps never more directly
explained than in the glazing language
which the commissioners use in their
resolution.
Charging that the newspapers have
Wantonly failed, refused and neglected
to publish the real facts about the re-
port, they demand the publication of
the bulky 60 page typewriter report.
When asked by a representative OF
the State Journal to explain in one
lone detail where the Topeka papers
had refused to print or had misquoted
any item in the report, members OF the
board declined to answer The state
Journal printed q summary of the
report it was obviously impractical
to publish it all.
Not only does the board ask the
newspapers to print the report, nut
they themselves continue to dodge the
issue and at the time the resolutions
were adopted still neglected and re-
fused to cause their records to show
an acceptance of the work of the spe-
cial accountants. Peeved. perhaps by
the failure to make a political goat of
r. l. Thomas. clerk of the court, |
Commissioner Edwin L. O'Ne1l today |
drafted the resolution that was signed
by the board 1t was framed earlier |
in the day by Frank B. Simms, chair |
man of the board.
The Resolution.
The resolution in Mr.. O'Nei's own |
legal terms recires:
"Whereas The Topeka State Journal |
and the Topeka Daily Capital. newspa-
pers published in the city of Topeka.
have not seen fit to publish the report
of the audit of the office of the clerk |
of the district court of Shawnee coun-
ty. KANSAS, in way to intelligently in
form the citizens and taxpayers OF
this county concerning the true condi-
tons of the accounts of th<t office; and
Whereas. The board of county COM
missioners believes the report of the
audit made by Warwick, Nfitcheu. Peat
and Company, chartered accountants.
constitutes a true and correct state
ment of the accounts of that office and
said board believing that the taxpayers |
of this county are entitled to accurate
Information concerning the same. Be
1t. therefore,
Resolved, BY said board that County
Commissioner E. L. O'Neil be request
ed to call upon Mr. Arthur Capper and
Mr.. Frank P. MacLennan in person to |
make formal request that said papers !
publish said report, or so much thereof |
n will furnish correct information to
the Taxpayers and citizens of Shawnee
county and that a copy of said report,
as made, be furnished to both newspa-
pers. Be it further,
Resolved, That said report showing
the conditions of the accounts of said |
office of R. L. Thomas, clerk, is con-
sidered by said board to be of great
public concern; affecting the pocket
books of hundreds of citizens the honor |
and integrity of courts of justice, the
honesty or dishonesty Of public officials
and the question of faithful or unfaith-
full discharge of a public trust
Done this 4th day of March 1912
r. B. SINMS,
EDWIN II. O'NEII
JAS. c. SINNER.
Board of County Commissioners"
Suddenly Grows Important
Just way the commissioners have
shown such zeal in securing the publ
cation of is report is not explained.
1t has been current gossip at the court
house for several weeks that the report
covering Thomas Office was to be an
important document in the effort to
defeat the clerk. Not until the sresoIu-
ton was drafted, however, has anyone
intimated that the county board would
officially stcop TO the point of becora-
ing n party to The act.
Friday noon of last week. the State
) ournal asked the individual mem bers
of the board if the Thomas report was :
to be filed that day. From both O'NuiI
SfnmS and Sinner, this PAPER received {
a statement that the report would hot
be filed. Late that day-after the State I
Journal wenE to press-the report was !
filed. Three copies were given the :
board and a copy of the report was T
furnished &. representative of the morn :
ing paper ,
Never since the report was filed, has
this paper been given an opportunity ! t
TO examine the report, nor had a copy f
of the document been sent to this of !
ice. Regardless of this fact. Com /
missioner O'Neil was CHALLENGED to cite
one instance in which this paper had | r
withheld any of the facts in the repcrt 1
Or misquoted one item. In the presence t
Of other members of the board and
County Clerk Zimmerman he was in :
vited to record in the minutes of the 7
?. Getting that the board had officially 9
accepted the report which they desire 2
TO have published. AS clerk of the /.
board, he refused.
1t is well known that the report from
the special auditors is loaded with per r
sonal venom for Thomas Regardless
IF the fact that he and his assistants 1
gave the accountants every pissible
assistance and showed every courtesy
n the audit, there is net one co:nmen- L
5atory word in the report. Perhaps the
BOARD had nothing to do with this Per
maps they knew nothing of the things,
% be contained in the report until il :,
vas filed. In additional to personal =
;Iurs, are numerous conclusions of law | },
which the auditors contract does not D
all for n
Why the Delay r
In their resolution the board recites h
hat they believe the report is a true o
.ecord of conditions in the clerks Of I
ice. If so, why delay officially ac- Q
worthy of acceptance, why ask the =
to blacken Thomas work -
md record with the detailed publica- =
ion of the report? h