The Globe-republican. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1889-1910, 1893-11-03
TAKE ALL THE STEPS.
Then You VIII Have Ii Fixed In Your Mind
How . Legislature Il Born.

I
reader all the steps in the process OF
bringing Kansas legislature into ex-
istence. The laws cited are authority
for every step, and any reader can
readily read both constitution and
statutes as cited by stepping into the
nearest law Office. This is an incon-
trovertible method of ascertaining who
was right in last winters debate in
Topeka Here are the questions and
answers:
Question-At the last election who
elected the members of the house and
senate?
Answer-The people, at the polls
''How did the people and the candi-
dates find out who was elected?"
THE votes were counted in each pre-
cinct, and the result reported to the
| county clerks, who with the county
commissioners as a canvassing board
counted up the figures in each case and
| determined which candidate was
ahead (Sec. 1857 Comp. Laws 1851"
What did each county clerk do after
it had been determined who had re-
ceived the most votes?'
HE sent a report of who was elected
to the secretary of state. (Sec. 5000 c.
L. 1882"
''Why did he do this?"
Because the laws of the state say
that he must
What did the secretary of state do
on receiving the reports of the county
| clerks?"
''He sat down with the governor the
auditor. the treasurer and the attorney
| general and these Eve officers made an
/ official survey of the reports of the
county clerks and themselves made the
| final and conclusive announcement as
! to who was elected-conclusive until
/ either the house or the senate. on hear
| ing evidence. should conclude that
/ given holder of canvassing board GER
tifcate was not entitled to hold it.
| (Sec. 1896 c. L. 1SS9.)'
/ ''Why did the secretary of state and
! the other officers named go to the
trouble of examining the reports of
the county clerks as Z canvassing board
as above described?'
Because the law directs that they
/ shall. (Sec. 1886. c. L. lsS9.)"
How can it be that the law is so
/ foolish as to direct that all this be
| done when the governor tas we are
told by the populists) has the right to
recognize whoever he prefers as COM
posing house or senate. and to en-
force his recognition by calling in
the militia?'
The populists who perpetrated the
recognition trick-all of them. from
the governor to the most insignificant
member of the minority in the house
broke the law and tried to do what
they had no sort of right to do just
that they might have things all their
own way. The governor has NO more
right to say what the lawful house is
than the house has to say who the law
full governor is. In case OF dispute it is
the business of the supreme court to
settle such questions. That is what
the court is for and without such a
referee for such disputes the state
might reasonably expect to be flung
into bloody warfare whenever a close
election cast any sort of doubt on the
result. The law tells how legislatures
shall be organized and conducted and
how governors and other state officers
shall be seated. and the no
ment dispute arises as 20
which OF two legislative bodies,
or which OF two state officers is
the one rightfully in place. just that
moment the supreme court is avaiIa bic
for an authoritative settlement of
which of the two is right and which
wrong. Without such an arrangement
the state would always be IN danger
from the action OF bold and unscrupu-
lous men who might attempt TO have
their way by force rather than by
right. Such men as Gov. Lewelling do
not like courts unless they can have
the making OF them. as in the case of
the Hughes court-martial
But 70 return to the cdnvassiur
board. what is done with its report?"
1t IS filed with the secretary of
state. recorded in book. certificates
of election issued and the whole mat
ter becomes part OF the state archives.
(Sec 2G9S C. L. iSS9)."
After it is filed. recorded. etc. what
is the first use made OF it?''
"A copy OF IL Is put DeIOre eacA
branch of the legislature at given
hour in accordance With section 2Gg9
c. L. 1859, which reads as follows: Up
on the day fixed by law fOr the assem-
bling Of the legislature, the secretary
of state shall lay before each house
list of the members elected thereto,
with the districts they represent. in
accordance wirh the returns in his Of
fee
What is meant by laying before
each house list. etc.
'.It is meant that the secretary shall
do as Secretary Osborn did in the case
of the senate-he put q list into the
hands of the presiding officer
did he put such a list in the hands
of the presiding officer of the housed"
He did not y majority OF those
holding certificates OF membership in
the house decided by vote who should
preside over them, and the secretary
did not leave the list as directed with
such officer. but. On the contrary. de-
clined to do so in order that the senate
and the governor might have chance
L L A. - l.