Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1891-01-21
TOPEKA LETTER

county are more directly interested in
theactlon of the house of representatives
Than OF the senate, shall confine my
self Chiefly to the former. The house
is a new body, mostly composed of ALI
ance men, who are generally farmers.
and consequently unacouainted with
the ways of legislators. 1t was expect
ed that many mistakes would be made.
and on the day of the first meeting the
chamber and the galleries were crowd
ed with spectators. Many were ex-
pectlng to see a series of ridiculous
plumbers, and they were greatly disap-
pointed, for not blunder was made.
and the organization was perfected and
the body quickly settled down to bust
ness. 1t was almost known, weeks
ago, that p. P. Elder would be the
speaker. AS soon as reached this place.
found that S. w. Chase and Ben. G.
Rich were strong candidates for chief
clerk. Rich was elected, and Chase
was made sergeant-at-arms. The alIi-
ance men felt that they owed Chase
something for his work in conducting
the peoples party campaign last fall.
l have seat at the reporters table,
which is located Immediately IN front
of the speaker. My seat faces the au-
dience, and l have a splendid view of
nearly all the members. A few, who
sit in front of windows, cannot be seen
to advantage, but the house IS COM
posed of as fine body of men as one
can lind anywhere. The state senate
is also a good looking body, and is much
better dressed. and aristocratic In bear
ing than the house. In fact, after be-
ing in the house for few hours. and
then going into the senate, one feels a
Chill creep down his spinal column. The
naughty GOODNESS of the senators is
quickly felt.
The house did not get down to regu-
lar routine business until Wednesday
afternoon. The governors message
was not read, but was ordered printed
and placed on the desks of the mem
bers, and ten minutes after the order
was made the pages were distributing
the message throughout the house. 1t
is 36-page pamphlet, and touches
upon many dry and uninteresting SUBJ
Jects, and upon few of very great in
terest and Importance.
AT about three o'clock on Wednesday
the house began to consider bills and
resolutions. A perfect flood of bills
and resolutions was sent to the clerk IS
desk, and for more than an hour tbey
continued pouring in. Many of these
bills related to much needed legislation
and few of them will doubtless die in
the committee rooms. The house ad-
Journed at O'Clock, till 10 O'Clock
Thursday morning. 1t was necessary to
do so in order to give the clerks time to
catch up with their work. To show
how they get behind l mention that
eight pages were elected Wednesday
morning, but the chief clerk had not
counted the ballots, Wednesday night,
and could not report the names of the
pages elected till Thursday morning.
Last tuesday morning l attended the
first state convention of the citizens al
lance, and at night attended another
meeting. believe the movement of
organizing citizens alliance will be a
popular one. Great enthusiasm was
manifested, and the people want to af-
hllate with the great alliance move
ment. If the movement is half as pop
ular as the f. A, the combined orders
will sweep the country in 1892 more
thoroughly than the alliance swept
Kansas last fall. There is no guessing
at the power OF party which can unite
the farmers and the various labor or
CARNATIONS. 1t now looks as if the
movement will be successful.
LETTER NO. 2.-JANUARY 18TH.
1t is useless forthe INDEx to attempt to give
even a synopsis of the work done by the leeis-
iature. Our readers will generally get the
news from the daily papers, and a synopsis
would NIL our columns to OVERLOOKING The
work is moving along nicely. The very first
OIL introduced was one to punish bribery. That
bill was taken up this morning and is now be-
ing discussed. The legislature seems deter
mined to pass some good stringent laws. not
only on this but upon all other subjects. The
speaker has been busy making up his commit
tees, and at this writing they have not all been
announced. The house on Saturday, adjourn
ed till o'clock on Monday, and at this mo-
ment the roll is being called. About half a
dozen members are absent.
Last Saturday met ]. W. Dobson, Frank
Shannon and j. NJ. Lahey, of Barber county.
Miss Helen Cameron and Miss Blanche Ker-
cheval have been appointed by the senate, as
assistant enrolling clerks. Miss Jessie O'Bry-
an is an applicant before the house for a sim
liar clerkship, and think she will get it, The
city is full of visitors. Among the strangers
are Sam Wood whom everybody knows, Con-
gressmen Simpson, Otis, Baker, Davis and
Clover are here. ]. f. Willis, Judge Doster
and Rice, of Fit. Scott, are also here Mrs.
Lease and Mrs. Diggs, who were here a week
ago, haKe disappeared, but they will doubtless
be on hand before the week is gone,
The dispatches are being closely watched, to
keep track of the movements of Senator In
gals. There is suppressed determination In
the mind of each alliance man that ingalls,
must be beaten at any cost. l believe, that
should few alliance men sell out and Ingalls,
be elected. thsre is not enough police in Tope-
ka to prevent bloody riot But there is no
need for fear. There will be no sale Ingalls,
does notexpect to:buy anyone. He will make
contest before the U. 8. senate, on the ground
that nineteen delegate, who were elected by
counties having 25O votes or more, were not al
lowed to vote Tor senator. II these 10 men were
allowed to vote, it would change the result.
But it is sufficient ground for Ingalls, to make
a contest.
The state printer contest will be settled in
alliance caucus tonight, and by formal joint
ballot at O'CLOCK tomorrow afternoon The
man who gets the caucus nomination viii be
elected. No one can tell now who will be the
lucky man. There is a deep interest in the
matter, and some lies are being circulated. A
told me an hour ago that he had
heard that the INDEX man had voted against
the alliance ticket have no idea how gener-
al this reB6Ft buf when men haoir r., lie