The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-08-12
Governor Flags Receivers At
tOrneys in Eskridge Speech.
Outrageous PIundering of Pub
Iic," He Declares.
OUT OF POCKETS OF PEOPLE
After All, Mr.. Ultimate Con-
sumner Must Pay 1T.
"COuntry Needs Fewer Laws
and Strict Enforcement"

Eskridge, Kan, Aug. 12.-Arthur
Capper governor of Kansas, in an adj
dress at the annual homecoming cele-
bration here today, criticised what he
termed 1.-The plundering of the pub
lie through outrageous and enormous
ly excessive fees paid by the courts
to attorneys and receivers for serv-
ices to failing corporations"
The governor asserted that he was
impelled to take this stand because
of the recent report made to the Kan
sas public utilities commission, show
ing the excessive fees paid to lawyers,
to receivers and to one state official,
in the receivership of the Kansas
Natural Gas company.
Zone of our greatest weaknesses as
a nation is our lack of respect for
law" he said. perhaps this is not
to be wondered at when it appears
that our courts and our great cor
pOrations may evade and ignore or
impede the law with immunity, when
ever and wherever they see fit. We
have seen, over and over again, a
fatal paralysis overtake justice when
a smart lawyer and a long pocket
book were in the case and only law
and justice and a smaller pocketbook
were on the other side to oppose
them.
Out of Pockets of People.
courts pay outrageous and enormously
excessive fees to attorneys and re-
ceivers, and even to public officials,
in receivership cases, although know
ing even better than we know that
these big fees, finally must come out
of the pockets of the people. And
knowing even better than we know.
that the people can neither defend
themselves nor run-the chance the
highwayman gives them if he holds
-
liver in the name of the law.
when so little respect is shown for
law, for fair play, for justice, by the
officers and servants of justice, need
we be surprised to find these things
in some cynical disrepute among US
as people?
when a legal officer of the state
may accept an additional fee of $4,000
in a receivership for services rendered
the state, although the state is at the
same time paying him salary in full
for his services, why should we eS-
pect the average man to feel he, too,
cannot be a little careless about the
spirit or the letter of the law when
ever it may profit him or suit him to
feel so?
Il have been impelled to say these
things to you because of the recent
report made to the Kansas utilities
commission, showing the excessive
fees paid to lawyers, to receivers and
ship of the Kansas Natural Gas COM
pany.
by its own plea this is a bankrupt
corporation, a public utility doing
business at a loss and unable longer
to supply gas to consumers on the
terms of its contract with the people
of Kansas
Points Out Fees.
Governor Capper pointed out that
''this presumably failing corporation
has been compelled to deliver s224,0O0
as fees to receivers and attorneys
which the gas users, representing a
large number of the citizens of Kan
ssis, will have to pay.
One receiver was paid more than
$4,000; others from $4,000 to S16,-
SIS" he continued.
And there were five of them. The
fees of eleven lawyers ranged from
$500, in one instance, to as much as
$14.500 apiece.
The total cost of this brief receiv-
ership which the people. ultimately
Will have to pay. is nearly one-quarter
of a million dollars! And the courts
have sanctioned it!
IF our laws are Inadequate to pre-
vent this outra geous plundering of the
public, they should be strengthened.
1t should, not be possible nor permits
sible for a state official drawing a sal
airy from the state, to receive addition
al sums as fees at the peoples ex-
pehse from corporations serving the
people-certainly not fees aggregating
more than three times the amount of
such an officials annual salary.
But when we get right down to it,
what this country needs is fewer
laws, the strict and straight enforce
Taent of all laws, more righteousness
In the court house, the publication
and reform of our system of juris-
prudence-and finally-more real
men, men of sterling integrity as well
IF 70
err, simpler, truer, higher standards of
living. as people and a nation,