The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1883-02-15
Rev Bills sim Being introduced in the
House = Some of the Late
Work Accomplished by
That Body.
Special to TuE EaPoaIA DAILY NEwa

luiHS LOI the c4Llu6ulSHHtui OF uTe-
Visitors to these places are shown hose !
very neatly rolled up and ready tor the |
of a conffagration, but wheth- |
Or, in the event of such a catastrophe, 1t |
would be of benefit is question. 1t is
pretty we'll known that the number of
nurses, officers and other
employees at the two insane asylums is
no more than sufficient to take care OF
and control the inmates should there be
a panic of any kind. and in that case
who would be left to manipulate the
hose and other appliances for the put
ting out of the fire? It is serious ques-
ton to consider, and demands attention.
There is not sufficient force employed
at the state insane asylums To manage
the inmates IN an emergency. Our two
institutions for the care of the insane
are as well managed as any similar in
situations in the country, and as long as
there is no great emergency TO meet
everything goes along smoothly enough,
but it makes one shudder to think what
would be the consequence in case of
panic. Il was proyIdential that the fire
at the Osawatomie asylum happened
under the circumstances it did; it was
favorable TO the maintenance of order
by the officers of the institution and
escape of the inmates. The present leg
islsture may not be in favor of permit
ting the employment of more help at
the insane asylums, but there ought to
be more, beyond the shadow of e doubt.
THE RAILROAD DEBATE
Contrary to general expectation both
the senate and house have made more
expeditions progress in the matter of
the consideration of the railroad bills
before them than anyone expected they
would In the house the opposition TO
the bill reported by the committee
struggled as long as they could but
they found it of no avail whatever.
They were beaten on all sides and the
phalanx that stood up for the bill could
not be broken. In the senate it was the
same way. The Kelley bill had been
decreed as the bill and the friends,
therefore, of the Ware and Collins bills,
were forced to the wall and after GAL
liant fight hauled down their colors.
A plan of action had been determined
upon by the majority in both houses and
nothing could break it. After the
adoption of the second section of the
Kelley bill in the senate the opposition
weakened and with the exception of a
squirt now and then did little. In
the house the same condition of
affairs existed. The opposition gave
up after they saw 1t was no
use. The house soon passed its measure,
and now the two houses Will close. The
Kelley bill, as recommended for pass
age by the senate after a night session,
Is substantially the same as published
heretofore in THE News, the amend
ments made not being material, two or
three sections were adopted. 1t simply
provides for commission that has GER
tain regulating powers, to prevent dis
elimination, eXtOrtion, etc, while the
bill that passed the house not only ap-
points commission, but fixes a maxi
mum rate. There will be regular
MONKEY AND Parrot TIME
when the two houses attempt to agree
with each other, and now that the exact
feeling of the senate and house upon
this question is known, as has been
amply and thoroughly demonstrated by
the bills each one has recommended for
passage. predictions are being made as
to what shall be the ultimate outcome OF
it all, and what conclusion as to railroad
legislation the legislature will finally
reach. From the best information OBJ
tainahle the house, or rather the MAORI
ty of that body, does not intend to recedC
from the position it has taken and tina
nothing can induce it to change its mind
In the first heat and excitement 1t il
very natural that there should be declar
ations of this kind, but everyone knows
that assertions of this character are no
always adhered to. The senate is NOR
conservative than the house aud has no
been so free in IFS declarations, anC
| therefore when il il forced t. recedt
from certain of its positions, as it neces
sarily must, it will and can do so will
better grace than the lower body Tn,
senate discussed at length the subject o
interstate commerce, which the hous,
hardly touched, and after some investi
CATION found out that only abou
Is per cent. of the freight tonnage passing
over the railroads of the state was wha
might be denominated as local traffic
all the rest was Interstate and could nc
be controlled or regulated in any wa,
I EXCEPT BY ACT OF CONGRESS.
The legislature has and can have moth
ing TO do with it. The senate, therefore
did not deem it policy to fix maximum
rates but it gives % the board OF rail
road commissioners powers that vii
prevent extoTtiOn and discrimination
The power conferred IN this case doe
which is to say, the board cannot Fl.
rates and force the roads 10 adhere &
them. The commissioners sit to heI
complaints and when their decision ma
been made this finding shall be prta,
lJaeis evidence as 10 the right of com
plainanls to recover. The house bill cen
tains an almost similar provision, witt
the exception that the powers granted
the commission are not so extensive
The senate bill stipulates that the com
missioners shall consult with the at
torney general as to their duties ant
powers IN certain cases; the house bIl
provides that the commissioners cal
fix rates within the maximum limit
The point upon which both houses vii
split will be that regarding maximum
rates, and upon this tie senate will b.
| very firm. 1t is possible that consid
cradle latitude may be given the com
missiOners but in mater so delicate a
| that of the establishment of schedules
and tariffs the ken4te viii be slow to act
In fact, the senate looks upon il in thi
light: When the railroads make 4
charge for carrying freight that is deem
ed Tn be unreasonable the commission
ers have power to make 3 thorough in
vestigation, to send for persons, books
papers, etc, and when their decision
has been rendered that decision shall /.
taken in court as prima .facie evidencl
of the right of the complainant to recov
er three times the amount in which b.
may be damaged The senate does no
consider it necessary at ali to fix an,
rates for the railroads TO adopt, as the,
maintain iLe railroads are the property
of the men who own them, and
NOT THE PROPERTY OF THE STATE.
The house maintains, in substance, tha
the railroads we're created by Ibe stat
anu therefore The state has the power Il
regulate and control them. Senate
Ware stated in his speech that the mali
question before ;he Legislature was tb,