The Iola register., 1891-01-23
THE LEGISLATURE.
MFR. Pearson's Letter-Summary of The
Work of the Legislature up to
the Time of Going to
Press-Notes and
Comments.
MIR. PEARSoS'S LETTER,


MIR. PEARSON'S LETTER.
TOPEKA, KANs., Jan. 10, 1S91-Since
my last letter the house has been in
session every day except Sunday. A
great many bills have been introduced
on almost every subject imaginable.
Quite furry was created Saturday
morning by the introduction of bill
to make it a penitentiary offense for
anyone TO offer bribe to State Of
ficer, or for them to take one. The al
lance members thought they saw
scheme by the Republicans to have
some of them arrested for riding on
passes and thereby prevent them from
being present to vote for senator, not
knowing that one elected to a legista-
tive body cannot be arrested while in
attendance, except for treason or breach
of the peace. After some discussion
it went over until Monday, when mo-
tion to suspend the rules and pass will
be voted down. With some modifca-
tion it should become law. But the
alliance men say if we have got along
for twenty-one years without it We can
get along awhile longer. Some of the
alliance members do not ride OH these
passes, while others do; they think it
is i'm the nature of bribe.
The alliance members are non-com-
initial on the question of senator. l
have asked several of them who they
favor and not one of them has indicat-
ed his preference, but 1 am inclined
to believe it will be Peffer.
Mrs. Lease, the Vincents and that
crowd are for Judge Doster. They are
the implacables, the extremists-per-
haps you say the anarchists, if there
are any in the peoples party. They
may not stand by the caucus nomina-
ton. There are enough of them if
they do not to prevent the election CT
the nominee. Mrs. Lease says she
would rather see Ingalls, elected than
PETER or Elder so if they do not stick
by the caucus action there will be fun
on the 9th.
attended an alliance meeting Fri
day night at which General Rice and
Sam Wood held the boards for about
two hours. The same speeches that
were made last fall were INDUCED in.
There is but one Sam Wood. He is
simply inimitable. Short, thick set,
quite corpulent, broad between the
eyes, low forehead and large mouth,
and with a voice and manner that can
not be described. He kept the house
in an uproar nearly all the time with
out saying anything new. The wilder
the statements made by the speakers
the more the crowd cheered.
They have formed within the last
week here citizens alliance which is
to be extended to other cities of Kan
sas, with just the same manner OF
work as the alliance. 1t is to unite in
one band of brotherhood the farmers
of the country and the laboIers of the
cities. What affect on the country of
such an organization will be when we
consider what they advocate in their
speeches ought to make thinking men
stop and consider.
Capt. S. ]. Stewart was in Topeka
last week, and so was Capt Thrasher.
The stringency in the money market
TO renew loans or TO make old ones is
all over Kansas. One man told me the
other day, and he has been in the loan
business for years in Topeka, that he
had S15, 900 he would hike to loan but
dared not do it with the prospect un-
friendly legislation. He made this
significant remark: 1.-THE harder it is
to collect a debt the harder it will be |
to get money and the more interest
those who borrow will have to pay"
1 hope some of our calamity brethren |
urging on Legislation that will make il |
harder to collect obligations entered in
to will think of the above remark. Ii
we We're all out of debt it would not
make much difference what laws were
enacted; things would adjust them
selves.
I went down to the soldiers orphans
home at Atchison Saturday and spent
the Sabbath there. 1t is filled with
bright, healthy children. The way in
which it is managed is mostadmirable
and is one Of the most deserving insti-
tutions of the State. 1t ought to be
0ne;haflatger at least. They have l24