The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1892-09-30
PopuLIsTs VS.. REPUBLICANS.
What Their Record Was In Each Branch
of the Legislature. and What They

can do so much or so little to restore
confidence in Kansas. The only way
to determine whether there should be a
republican majority or a populist ma
jority is to compare the completed
work of both houses of the last session
That work is fully shown by the ma
tured bills. 1t matters but little who
may have been the authors of given
measures, as, when adopted, they rep
resented the sentiments of the majority.
Kansas cannot live in and for itself
alone. 1t must reach the monetary as
well as the commercial markets of the
world, and only as there is complete
confidence can its relations with the
people of other states be profitable.
The populists had 100 of the 125 MEM
bers of the house of representatives,
last session. These members were sup
posed to represent party having only
the good of the whole people in view.
Their work may be summarized as fol-
lows in the bills presented to the sem
ate, which they asked might become
laws to govern and control the people
of all parties:
An act to regulate the printing of
legal notices and advertisements. This
act took away from very many populist
papers the right to publish legal no
tees, which was the intent of its
author, Mr.. Jones, of Buffer
An act relating to county surveyors.
In this they gave the surveyor the
right to keep his Office open six days
each week, for which he was allowed
per diem as well as the usual fees per-
tanning to that Office.
An act to protect the interest of debt
ors in the foreclosure of mortgages and
other contracts in writing. This was
an attempt to evade all the require
ments of commercial law and CONNER
cial honor in that its purpose was to
evade payment of just debts.
An act relating to mortgages and
other liens upon real estate, regulating
the right of redemption in such manner
that the mortgagce would have an in
heritance to bestow upon his children
in attempted recovery of money or pos
session of lands.
An act authorizing county treasurers
to deposit public moneys in banks, and
relieving them of all liability in case of
loss while so deposited.
An act providing for uniform series
of text books. In this bill provision
was made for county, district and state
boards, all under pay, that would have
cost the state at least $4,000 the first
year.
Anact relating to assessment and tax
alton, by which all property, personal
and real, should be assessed at not less
than one-half its actual value.
An act to compel railroad assessors to
assess railroad and other property at its
true value in money, or the cost of con-
struction.
An act to regulate and establish
reasonable maximum charges for the
transportation of freight on the rail-
roads of Kansas As has been shown
by comparison, this bill would have in
creased freight rates on all distances
less than 125 miles from 10 to - per
cent. and would have closed most of
the coal mines in the state besides adj
ministering "a death blow to the bust
ness interests of all the cities of Kansas
CldtHllHO Il NlpitSdlc ltTTllDEt- III Sil-
dition to this, discrimination was made
in favor of farmers living near a strong
road against those living on subsidiary
or weaker line. as the latter would have
had to pay 10 to % per cent for an
equal distance in order, as the act said,
to help the weaker as against the
stronger.
An act regulating the fees and sal
aries of county officers. There was n
wall of distress throughout the state
when this bill was met on the way by
one introduced in the senate reducing
fees and salaries, as the former had
raised them. After two conferences
between the house and senate, the
house, bolstered up by the large attend
ance of newly installed alliance officers,
refused to recede from its position, con-
sequently there was no legislation.
An act to create a court of appeals,
which was an attempt to establish
still greater burden upon the taxpayers
by adding seventeen new officers mid
way between the supreme and district
courts.
An act permitting cities of the second
and third classes, and counties, to sub
scribe stock in companies organized for
the purpose of developing natural re-
sources. Those who know the concen-
trated quality of rdscality concealed in
company" dealing with an incorpor-
ated city, or county, viii feel graft
fed that there was a substantial dam
to obstruct this contemplated measure.
In addition to the above were one
hundred and twenty-one local bills,
among which was one to restore the
name of Davis county. There was. also,
the bill giving women full suffrage.
after the house had been informed that
such an act was unconstitutional and
of no force.
The picture so far presented is re-
lieved by the views taken of the work
done by the senate in its effort TO
uphold the good name and fair reputa
ton of Kansas. The first bill intro
duced was one regulating. and render
ing more economical, the departmental
control of the state. Referring only
to bills passed, the following are few
of the large number of measures all
. tending to the general benefit which
were passed:
An act providing for the organization
and regulation of banks.
An act in relation to assessment and
taxation.
An act regulating the fees and sal