The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1892-10-07
POPULIST WISDOM.
What the Alliance House of Representa-
tives Proposed to Do.

pers appear to be 10th to give the pub
lie the work of their last house of repre-
sentatives. it becomes a duty to give a
careful resume of the bills favorably
reported in that body. There were
very many bills which were too much
for even populist stomach, and they
were strangled in the committee. The
following do not include the many
moonshine measures, but are only some
of those which received the sanction of
various committees after due delibera-
lions:
Mr.. Freeman, seeking to discriminate
in favor of such townships as had voted
bonds in aid of railroads, presented a
measure providing that those townships
through which the railroad passed
should not have any portion of the
school taxes paid by said railroad Mr..
Freeman, by this act, declared against
the prudence of townships that refused
to load themselves with bonds. House
bill No. As.
The committee on printing desired to
appropriate $4,000 for the purchase of
material for state printing house, and
then place superintendent, printers,
pressmen, etc, on the state pay roll.
This reform" if any one will refer to
house bill 60, would be a most extrava-
CANT departure and would have proven
the beginning of an era of extravaganza
and wastefulness such as this state has
never seen.
Mr.. Wilmington. in No. 10, sought to
abolish the office of fish commissioner,
belelieving that the lakes and rivers of
Kansas were now sufficiently stocked.
Mr.. Twitchell sought, in 50, to COM
pei telegraph companies to do that
which they have always done, his evil
dent purpose being to get in a clause to
force the company to pay attorneys
fees. His purpose was evidently to pro-
tect that much abused class, the attor-
neys. as no one else would have bene-
fitted had this bill become n law.
Mr.. Donovan, in %, would have pro-
tected four insurance companies named
by extending to them generous provi-
sions and relieving them from the con-
troll of the insurance commissioner.
The committee on insurance Endorsed
this bill and recommended its passage.
Mr.. Webb, in 131. prese nted an assess
ment law that might have been salts
factory to some, but which would have
worked a hardship to many. 1t re-
quired the subdivision of all farms into
fortv-acre tracts for separate assess
ment. When the assessor had doubts
about the correct subdivision he was
empowered to employ a surveyor an !
add the cost to the tax s 4 prop .riy
was to be assessed at is true money
value and not at its forced .,llng price.
Having retired from the loaning bust
ness Mr.. Elder proposed in 1872 to pre-
vent the collection of any mortgage,
note or other evidence of Indebtedness
unless stamped by the assessor with the
word assessed" He would make his
old compadres pay taxes on both the
mortgage and the accompanying mort
gage note. a specimen thrift that comes
to him late in life. In 1874 he provides
for forfeiture of principal and interest
where there has been an agreed inter
est in excess of 10 per cent. per annum.
Like all new converts he would crush
tened upon.
Mr.. Wilmington, the particular
bright star of the house, in 141 endeav-
Ored to abolish the school districts in
Lincoln county. In explanation he de-
clared the public school system a fall
ure, and if he could have his way he
would also abolish all school superin-
tendents and school teachers as useless
appendages to society. but the people
were not yet prepared for this great re-
form.
Mr.. Lovett presented 175, which met
only the partial Endorsement of the jul
dietary committee, as that body refused
to make a recommendation. He pro-
vides that in all actions of foreclosure
of liens upon real estate where judg-
ment of foreclosure shall be granted
that the judge shall grant a stay of
from sixty days to two years
House bill PA has no father or spon-
sor. In this bill there was an innocent
looking provision giving county sur
veyors permission TO keep their offices
open, under pay. six days in each week,
in addition to all field charges
Mr.. Webb, in 25s. provides that any
person, upon his bare claim that he has
legal claim upon an estate, may eject
the holder thereof. This remarka BILE
measure especially declares that 1T
shall not be necessary to show how the
plaintiffs estate or ownership is de-
rived" In other words. any man who
has seen a piece of property with covet-
Gus eyes, might forcibly take possession
of the same.
Mr. Patterson. in 90 reduces the prices
of county printing to 80 cents square
for first insertion and % cents for each
subsequent insertion. and is willing to
pay u cents for each tract in sale for
taxes, excepting town lots, for which
he would give cents.
The committee on Judiciary, in SIG,
changes the present law, or would
change it, so As To require all notes and
mortgages to he filed with the clerk of
the court for cancellation before judg-
ment shall be entered; If the defend
ants have not all been personally served
they shall be forever barred from bring
ing suit.
Having failed in his effort to vacate
the Office of fish commissioner Mr.. Whit
tington. in $50, proposed to abolish the
board of pardons.
The Judiciary committee, in 34S, pro-
posed to remove the political disabili-
ties of all persons. whether applicants
for such removal or not
Mr.. Howard has evidently attended
some sale of unclaimed freight or ex-
press matter. as. in 500, he would forbid
the sale of any unopened package. He
calls such sales a species Of gambling.
H. a a Iii Ir-a r.