The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-03-01
House Passes Bill to InveSti-
gate State Institutions.
Measure Follows Knapp's EX-
posture of Conditions.
HE WILL REQUEST BIG CHANGE
Asks Legislature to Abolish Ac-
cOuntant to Aid Matters.
Wants Alleged "Grab" to Come
Directly to His Office.

Under the Harvey bill which passed
the house today, the state will go into
the alleged fee grab at the state uni
versity and will investigate the affairs
of all state institutions and depart
ments. The bill which passed did not
contain the amendment proposed by
Fred Knapp, state auditor. but it is
mandatory on the accountant to in
vestigate detailed receipts and dis
bursementS in all departments of state.
The Harvey bill provides for an in
vestigation of the accounts of state
officials, department heads and heads
of institutions. 1t also provides for
an accounting of the state funds held
by various counties. A proposed
amendment to the bill which would
have abolished the office of state ac-
countant and placed the work under
the jurisdiction of the auditor, was de-
feated.
Investigation Certain.
There is no question, however. that
under the Harvey bill an investigation
OF the funds of all state institutions
and departments will be conducted
This information will also be placed
at the disposition of the state auditor
and the public will be given glimpse
at the use of various funds which in
the past have merely meant a given
total. Source of these funds and their
, distribution will be known in detail
under the new measure
Il think the state should take ac-
ton in this NATTER said Moore, of
Cowley county. 1T is reported that
the professors in our state university
are getting a little legal graft. Nor
am l fighting our state school. But
/ revelations of the last day or two have
I indicated that certain persons in our
spirit if not the letter of the fee and
salary law"
Compulsory Investigations.
! Kent, of Marion. offered the provi-
/ sion to place the work of the account
ants office under the supervision of
/ the state auditor. He declared that it
! meant little as to the appointive power
of the accountant. But work TO be
accomplished meant much to the
state.
Under the present law the governor
may, on unusual and extreme COM
plant, or demands of state officials
! direct the accountant to investigate
the affairs of a state institution. The
report is made to the governor and
later transmitted to the official max
ing the complaint. The new measure
provides for a compulsory investiga-
ton of the institutions Facts and
records from the investigations will be
at the disposal of the state auditor.
knapp's Recommendations.
Fee grabbing at the state univer-
sity may have become a loot THAI
is a question which Fred Knapp, state
auditor, today raised in his charges
to legislative committees that the uni
versity professors are collecting thou
sands of dollars for lectures" and
similar purposes to which they are
not entitled. In an effort to go to
the bottom of the trouble, Knapp to
day asked the legislature to abolish
the office of state accountant and
place the work in his office.
knapps revelation of alleged fee
grabs by college professors has
created a sensation Not only have
the college heads and instructors col
1ected thousands of dollars to which
Knapp holds they are not entitled, but
the auditor has encountered a snag
ii going to the bottom of the trouble.
L ectures for which the state paid
frCn. the fee fund seem also to have
bee n paid by various towns and IL
ganiza tons. Expenses were also col
lected from the state and from vari-
Gus cities and organizations. Knapp
now wants to know whether these col
lections We're returned to The state.
Or did the college heads coiieC. at
both ends of the line and pocket all
receipts?
Change VIII Save Money.
The state auditor believes that q
change in the present system may re-
suit in the saving of thousands of
dollars to the state. He also wants 20
go to the bottom of the fee grabbing
system and the legislature will today
be asked to revise the law creating
the office of state accountant Knapp
would provide for an accountant. but
would place he work in charge #
his office and conduct a rigi1 investi-
CATION of the system which may in
volve several score instructors and
department heals in the state uni
versity and possibly in other state
fContinued on Page Three.l