Dodge City times., 1889-02-21
A0AdAy.
GKHA-

1oPExA, KAN, February 17.-At the morn
session an Invitation to attend the Mard
GIas in Pueblo next week was read.
There seemed to be but very little interes
IN the proceedings this morning. Only on,
bill was introduced, and no committees re-
ported. There was only q bare quoran
present. Third reading of bills was pos.
poned till the evening session. The eyi
arising out of hasty action. in passing bill.
without consideration, showed itself to-day
On last Friday night mass Of bills wers
agreed to IN committee of tbs whole without
/ even reaclng. This morning a senator
found that one bill ha been SO reported
which was not right. It took half hours
| talk to tini out how to correct this error
| and then dId not Go it. The senate got int
| muddle, and finally laid it over till to-
| morrow.
By some break, caused, we suppose, by
the small number present, both the house
and senate bills on judicial apportlonmsnt
were got onto the calendar for third reading,
one of them subject to amendment and de-
bate and the other not. This shows that
senators who have measures In which they
are interested should not go home to spend
the Sabbath, bat always be on hand to watch
the proceedings.
The senate. at 11:3O, went into COMMITTEES
of the whole on half dozen bills relating to
insurance. It took ten miru.es t. get at
which bill to take up. 1t providesth there
shall be no "pooiiDg" by insurance. agents;
that is, that it shall be a crime for agents to
fix rates for which business shal be done.
That is, each agent shall make a rate for
himself, but he ca at agree with other agents
mende for passage.
Another bill came up providing for a
''vaIus policy +" that is, tha. companies shall
pay the fnl face value OF policy when a
building is destroyed, whether it is worth
tina: or not. L. was recommended for pas
sage
AFTERNOON SESSION.
The work this afternoon, or at the outset,
shows tine bad policy of m aking special Or
ders. There has not been ono this winter
but has resulted in delay instead of prog
ress. In the forenoon the insurance bills
were the special order, but the con sideration
of it was no: through a. the time of the ad
tournament. After dinner the interest bills
we're up for special order, and it to Ok until
consideration one day. Then, tie move OF
this morning to place bills on third reading
this evening was reconsidered, and the SEN
ate went into that order and considered
them til the time OF adjournment.
HOUSE
After the preliminary work th5 hous5 at
tackled the usury bill. The bill as reported,
was to make the legal rate and tie con-
trsct 10 per cent. and all excss, be forfeited
and besides that 10 per cent. of the excess be
taken from the principal. For instance, a
man loans another 800 and takes $40 for
one years interest The tender is liable to
an action for the return of the $40 and 81
more. or 10 per cent of the excess.
A motion was made to add a punis hment
of thirty to sixty days in the county Jail for
taking any usury. 1t was stated that this
motion was made on purpose to kill the bill
by loading it down SO heavy that the senate
would not pass it.
The amsndnen it was said would not
hurt the banks but the men from abroad
who would be driven ont of business.
The debate ON the bill cont MED till ad-
journment without ary definite result.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
The house again took up the usury bills
and continued at them till p. IN. when the
time for another special order arrived, it be-
ing an act providing for the inspection of
live cattle. The committee arose and as
soon as the latter special order was extended
till to morrow morning the house went
into committee of the whole again on the
usury bill. The pending amendment was to
make it a criminal offenss to take interest
above the rates presided by the bill-6 to 10
per cent. The talk was long and partici-
patsd in by large number of persons.
The whole question of usury. the action of
the republican party in declaring in favor of
such Law in convention,.asssmble the ques-
ton whether Or not it would drive capital
from the state, etc etc, was discussed with
a great deal of ability all the afternoon
without coming to any definite result.