The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1885-02-05
exemption should 20. ez.end beyOnd a

exemption should not extend beyond a
fixed valuation.
MUNICIPAL INDEBTEDNESS.
The senator would place provision
in the constitution 20 prevent mHnicip-
aIIties and counties from voting dollar
of bonds for railroads. A great evil was
wrought by rival towns voting bonds In
this manner Municipalities were in
this way taxed to . frightful extent to
pay the interest on these bonds. As it
Is there is little or no limit A limita-
ton should be imposed on the several
municipalities, SO that the aggregate
amount of bonds issued should not ex-
coed Ger ain per cent of the valuation.
THE PROHIBITION SPECTRE.
The senator declared that the spectre
that prevented many senators from favor
ing q constitutional convention was pro-
hibltlon. That prevented the senators
from considering the proposition on Its
merits He was g consistent prohibit
ZIONIST. he had voted tor the adoption
of the amendment. He was not afraid of
trusting the people He believed that
the people would sustain prohibition
when it was submitted to them, but let
1t rise or fall on its merits. The speaker
made the canvass last fall on the plat
form of a constitutional convention.
Butler county gave over 1000 msjcr1ty
for the constitutional amendment. Yet
he did not disguise his sentiments.
THE MATTER OF EXPENSE
was referred to. That need not be great
Forty members in fifty days could do
the work. The cost need not exceed
$50, 900. The total cost of submitting
the constitutional amendment of 1880
was upwards of $4,000. At this rate
the submitting of amendments, through
this tinkering process, would very soon
amount to much more than $50 900
But If the convention vas demanded by
the best interests of the state, the matter
of costs should cut no figure.
The matter of constitutional conven.
ton had been pressed by every session
of the legislature. This showed that it
was demanded by the people. The vote
of 1880 was not real criterion of public
sentiment. Members then opposed it on
account of the prohibition issue.
KELLOGG OPPOSED TO IT.
Senator Kellogg could make all the
speech he wanted to IN five minutes.
The people haYe not called for thus meas
ure.
ONLY SEVEN AMENDMENTS NEEDED.
The senator had only found in the con-
stItution seven amendments which he
pressed before this body as necessary
and essential TO make the present good
instrument. He referred 10 the home
stead provision, and differed from him
in this, that he believed it one of the
wisest-lhe bulwark of Kansas homes.
He could count on the fingers OF one
hand all the measures necessary, and
there had been propositions to amend
every year and In every legislature.
Senator Hick said until prohibition
was fairly tested and honestly executed,
so help me God will support no such
proposition. The fret thing that the
men who wanted this most had TO do
was to obey the law, aud until they did,
there could be no excuse for gratifying
them.
Senator Congdon said this was a case
such as had been inscribed on tomb
stone: "He was we'll, wanted to be bet
ter. took medicine, and died! !" The
people did not want it. The total vote
in the state for the convention was 3D.
$40; against, 146 279.
Senator Redden said the senator might
have remarked that two years ago they
elected Democratic governor.
Senator KImball said, while he was
in favor of a constitutional convention,
he could not vote for this proposition
because he
BELIEVED IT To BE UNCONSTITUTIONAL
to vote two years from now, and he
moved to strike out 1886 and insert 1888,
and argued the necessity of the exchange
to make II confirm TO the constitution as
it stands now
Senator Blue remarked that the reso
LUTON offered by D. r. Anthony 10 the
state convention was voted down by an
overwhelming majority, and gave the
vote. He knew OF
NO GOOD REASON FOR this MEASURE
While there were some incungruities 10
the instrument, he knew OF no state in
the Union which bad so good a constr.
tuition. AS a whole it was a grand in
strumeht, formulated at a period of our
history which had brought out the best
talent OF the age, by the Irrepressible
conflict CT right and wrong, end have
formulated q Fundamental law under
which we had gown TO beyond exam
pie. The people were not clamorOus for
it. The idea of eliminating prohibition
from this question was illogical and un-
tensble. You might as we'll talk of
producing corn without rain as TO avoid
prohibition in this question.
Senator Buchan said he would not
have opened his mouth had not senators
presented that bugaboo, prohibition,
and attem pied to cut off debate. He had
not heard a siugle argument except that
it would raise the prohibition question
Senator'S Buchan and Blue had re-
markable tilt on the question.
The daylight was completely exhaust
ed when this debate closed, and on the
| motion of Senator Redden, the commit
tee rose, reported progress, and asked
leave to sit again, and the senate adj
iourued.