The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-11-14
Claim He Refuses to Aid in
State Text Publication.
Matter VIII Be Taken Before
Next Legislature.
FIGHTING AGAINST THE LAW
Leader Says Superintendent
Has Crippled State Printing.
Violation of Oath of Office Is
Impeachment Charge.

impeachment proceedings are to bs
ried against w. D. Ross. state super
intendent of public instruction. TEs
proceedings will be taken before the
state legislature in January An
nc Lncement of the plan was made ir
Topeka today by Dr. Eva Harding. re-
cent Independent candidate for con-
gress from the First district vio,a-
ton of his oath of office is the charge
to be lodged against Ross. in the i'm
peachment petition.
The big charge against Ross will be
the claim that he has violated his oath
of office, by failure and refusal to aid
in promotion of school text publica-
tions by the state printing plant. It
will also be charged that he distrib-
uted prizes to high schools where they
W -uld bring Ross the greatest politi-
cal returns.
Evidence to be used in proceedings
before the state legislature is now
being gathered by Doctor Harding and
other Kansas women. Based on the
information to be presented in Janu-
ary, the state legislature will be asked
to return an impeachment bill against
Ross and remove him from office. 1t
will be the first instance in this state
of the impeachment of a constitutional
state official. In event of an order of
removal by the legislature. a success
sor to the office would be appointed
by the governor.
Fights State Publication.
ROSS took his oath of office to sup
port the laws of the state' said Dr.
Eva Harding today. Since that time
he has been working against the laws
| of the state. He has given his consent
and support to the fight for the de-
struction of state publication of school
| textbooks and the work of the state
printing plant.
1T was the same Ross who brought
a man here from New York to speak
against school text books printed by
states and to distribute circulars and
| literature on the subject. 1t was this
same distinguished New York mana
Mr.. Winship, l believe-who paid so
| high tribute to Mr.. Ross and said he
was man of SO high character.
honor, ability and qualifications that
he should be continued permanently
in office.
Now we expect to ask the lexfsIa-
| ture to impeach this same Ross We
are gathering our information now
and it will be taken before the Iegis-
lature early in the session. We will
/ try to show that Ross has violated his
oath of office in the matter of state
publication of school books. We ex-
pect to show, also, that prizes which
Ross awarded high schools wers
awarded in localities where they would
probably do him the greatest political
good
Look for a Fight
State officials anticipate a fight on
the law providing for state pu51ica-
ton of school text books. An effort
will be made in the 1917 legislature to
repeal or cripple the present law, ac-
cording to a statement by Governor
| Capper. The opinion of the governor
is shared by a number of prominent
school men.
| From information / have received,
there is no DOUBT that the big book
companies are planning to throttle
state publication, in the next session
of the Kansas legislature" said Gov
ernor Capper. "The experiment is
proving too successful to suit them.
Kansas, generally. is satisfied with
state publication, so far. / do not ex-
pect fight to stop state publication
this winter"
| Then the governor explained that
he anticipated some smart work in the
lobbies and a plea to legislative mem
bers not to spend more money on ex-
perimental publication. 1t is thru this
course, he said, that an effort would
be made to throttle state publication
/ in