The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1872-02-02
FROM Topeka.
DOings Of the Legislature.

After much discussion and tribu-
lation the committee to investigate
the election of Senator Caldwell
last winter is at work. The propo-
sitfon was so amended as to en-
brace the election of 1867. The
Committee on the part of the Sem
ate consists of Messrs. Snoddy, Sto-
yer and Whitney, all of whom vo-
ted against Caldwell. On the part
ofthe House, W. Ii. Clark, of Frank
lin, the originator of the resolution,
j. J. Wood, Boynton, johnson and
G. w. Clarke A.lE
The legislature has been hard at
work for some days, and has accom-
plished much.
There are more propositions to
changeIcouHty lines than have been
presented any former legislature
for years, and we are in hopes Mr..
Bowers bill to transfer this business
to the people and the Boards of
county commissioners, will pass.
Several bills have been introduce
ed to apportion the State for Rep
resentatives, some of them fair and
some unfair. This subject has not
yet begun to attract much attention,
not half so much in the legislature
as out of it. The .. S. SenateShas
the matter of apportionment in
hand and it is possible that we
shall only get tive members after
all. In that case there will be no
help for the notorious Sam. Wood,
but to go in district with Empo-
ria. He is now here praying that
he may not be put in the same dis
trict with Emporia. cHe knows how
much his bacon is worth in your
city, mark it.
Two or three bills to exempt
manufacturers with a capital of So
600 and upwards from taxation
were slaughtered in the House, as
being unconstitutional. This sort
of legislation is attempted at every
session. 1t is really very poor
way to encourage manufactures. =
Mr.. McWilliams, of Chase county
is still sick at the Tefft house, with
infiamatory rheumatism a portion
of the time he has been unable to
turn in his bed. r ....-
A bill has passed the House pro-
viding that the school district treas
urer shall present to the district
clerk on the 10Th of August a re-
port contai ug O statement of all
moneys re lived by him from the
county tt urer during the year
and all moneys collected by him,
which is 10 be placed on file. 1t
does not do away with the annual
report. Also bill to change the
law for selling school lands to GER
tain hours in the day, between 10 a.
IN. and 3 p. M, and to keep open
for bids thar time. This is the only
change. A bill has been under dis
cussion in the House, and will prob
ably pass, which provides for pun
ishment for leaving camp-fires I'M
extinguished or otherwise setting
out fires. In the course of the de-
bate Mr.. McEckron said Cloud
county had suffered $4,000 by
fires this year, and Mr.. Aldrach,
that Washington county had suffer-
ed $4,000. This bill fixes the PEN
atty so that 1t can be enforced.
The compulsory education bill
has been reported upon favorably
by the joint committees OF the two
houses. 1t is very reasonable in
its provisions.
The Senate committee, consisting
of Messrs. Kellogg, Mcclellan and
Topping, are investigating the
charge of corruption made against
Senator Wood, IN connection with
the Senatorial election of last win
ter. h.-
Mr.. Payne, of Sedgwick, has Of
fered Q resolution asking Congress
to allow discharged soldiers to pre-
lempt l60 acres of land In railroad
4imits-Og "a ui91en1 81
No bills of o general nature have
yet become laws, f.se.se
The proposition for q new consti-
tutional convention has passed the
Senate by q large majority. The
Senate, at least, is tired of the i'm
perfeetions Of the awkward instru-
ment now in force, and we hope
the House will "follow suit"
Mr.. Drake has in q resolution
asking the authorities at Washing
ton to remove the Kaw Indians and
give their lands to settlers.