The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-05-22
REPLY TO HoDGES
Republican Central Committee
Answers the Governor.
Asks for Examination Of Rec
ords and Report.

The Republican state central COM
mittee has formulated a reply to Gov
ernor Hodges assertions, made In
recent speech at Lincoln, that his adj
ministration had saved large sums of
money on the construction. OF the
state Irvine factory at Lansing and by
taking up various bonded indebted
ness. The answer consists chiefly In
accusing the Democratic executive OF
disappearing the facts and offers
to pay the expenses of an audit OF
state records il an examination OF
state records does not prove the gov
ernor's statements misleading.
The committee further offers to
contribute $500 to the Democratic
campaign fund If the Hodges decla-
rations prove able to bear the light
Of such an investigation.
The Republican committee letter in
part says:
office show that there has been an
increase of over $4,000 per month In
salaries alone. under your admins
tration over the administration OF
Governor Stubs.
The records in the state auditors
and state treasurer's offices show
that you have spent from the general
revenue fund from July l, 1913, to
March 81. 1914, over $4,000 per
month more than for the correspond
ing period under Governor Stubs.
making an increase Of nearly $24O.-
900 per annum.
Your administration has increased
the direct appropriations $54S.OOO.
The tax levy for 1913 is SIS, 1910
larger than the levy for 1912.
Your administration reappropriat-
ed the savings of Republican officers.
9O,66O.O3.
Besides increasing the taxes, you
have spent the following: Taken from
the Irvine plant, money saved by the
Republicans, $4,000. Of which you
have spent the portion allowed for
the present fiscal year, $25, 900: inher--
itance tax collected during your. adj
ministration, from January a. 1913,
to May IL, 1914, $191.038.64; ALL
SPENT. Corporation taxes collected
during your administration, $3.50, 261.
ALL SPENT. Besides several hum
dred thousand dollars received from
other departments of the state, and
they are all spent.
You made a solemn promise to the
taxpayers during the campaign of
1912 that If they would elect you gov
ernor, you would reduce the taxes 25
per cent, reduce the payroll thou
sands Of dollars, and give the people
,, of the state a SO per cent business
administration and only per cent
politics.
Have you kept that promise?
Governor Hodges. either you are
trying to deceive the voters Of Kansas.
or the Republican central committee
is. Which is it? The voters Of Kan
sas have a right to know the facts,
and it is your duty as governor Of
the best state in the Union to give the
exact facts. -.
We will make you the following
proposition: Appoint a committee of
, three to examine the records and re-
port. The committee to be composed
of three reliable men, one to be your
Democratic state accountant, one to
be selected by the Republican state
committee. and the other to be named
by you, giving you two of the COM
mittee.
,, If they report that our figures are
false, we will apologize and pay $500
for the expense Of the committee, the
balance to go to your campaign fund.
If they report that your statements
are false. then you pay $500 for the
expense of the committee. the balance
to go to our campaign fund. WHAT
DO YOU SAY? 20 ~