Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1893-02-23
KANSAS LEGISLATURE.
Condensed Report OF the Weeks Proceed

Iags at Topeka
TIE senate was not in session on the 11th,
neither was the republican house The populist
house was in session in the afternoon and con-
sidered, in committee of the whole. McKinnie's
bill relating to interest on money and to pro-
hibit usury- The bill makes the rate OF interest
on all judgments and accounts when no rate is
specified By contract per cent and provides
that any person contracting who shall ask for,
accept or receive In any wise greater rate OF
interest than per cent per annuna shah for
felt the entire principal and all interest that
may have accrued thereon
In the senate the 18th Mr.. Shearer intro
duced his referendum resolutions prepared By
the alliance. proposing to amend the constitu-
ton, giving the people the right TO propose
laws and to vote upon the adoption or rejection
of all laws passed by the legislature before
they become effective The remainder of the
session was spent in committee of the whole
for the consideration of bills In the populist
house, which convened first and went into com
nittee OF the whole, Mr.. fuckers bin TO regu-
late the fees TO be charged and collected. the
services to be performed and the salaries and
fees be allowed and paid county and
township officers. was considered 1t cuts
down salaries and fees of county and township
officials about . per cent Little progress was
made in consideration of the bill The repubh-
can house met at O'Clock and Mr. Campbell.
democrat, chairman of the committee on cleo
tons offered q resolution that L Z Gum, OF
Labette. having been summoned before the
committee had failed to appear and that q
warrant for contempt be issued The resolu-
A
were introduced
THE senate was in executive session two
hours the 14th considering the nonina ton
OF H H ArtZ for adiutant-general The norni-
nation finally confirmed by q small major
ity------ In the republican house Mr. Seaton's
resolution declaring the seats of populist mem
oers vacant after February 21 was adopted 4
long discussion was had over resolution TO
provide for voting bonds by several western
towns 10 aid The building of Touring mills. The
bill passed repeating the poll tax law for cities
of the first class a spicy debate followed The
introduction OF resolution By Mr. Waters de-
Inanding an investigation of the charges made
against T. o. Harter, non-union engineer.
recently employed by the executive council
as chief engineer of the state house Mr..
HOch introduced i resolution, which was adopt
ed, that Ben c. Rich clerk of the populist
house, in the habit of disturbing the pro-
ceedings of the house republican,. that The
sergeant-at-arms be ordered TO arrest and bring
Rich before the body for contempt The house
then adjourned and the sergeant al farms start
ed in search Of Rich The populist house met
soon after the republican house adjourned
Sen c Rich, chief clerk who had been arrested
by the republican sergeant-a farms, put res
cued and released by popuiist friends, was on
hand to call the roll Speaker DunsInore made
speech and Rich called the roll Mr. Cert
offered resolution denouncing the arrest OF
Rich by IAN organized mob calling themselves
the republican house of representatives but
which We believe TO be in reality the Santa Fe
Railroad Co., which was adopted. The house
then adjourned until o'clock next day, and
Clerk Rich was escorted 10 his hotel under
guard
THE senate On the 18th was somewhat demon
allied by the trouble in the house and trans
acted no business Senator Sterne, (rep.), Of
Shawnee, introduced . resolution setting forth
that whereas, mob composed of anarchists
and their SynpathiZerS have attempted by force
and violence to overthrow the civil goTernmen n
of the state OF Kansas BY preventing The legal
! house of representatives,. presided over BY Hon.
I George Douglass, as speaker. from meeting in
representa- tive hall and performing their sworn
duties: therefore, resolved, that view with
horror the attempt to overthrow the constitu-
! ton and the laws of the state Of Kansas and
the attempt TO set up military deSpotism by
the governor OF the state " This was promptly
voted down by the popnlists - TIE republican
house broke down the doors OF the han OF the
| house of Representatives, which had been barri-
caded, and entered amid great excitement and
confusion and barred out the popuiist house.
They camped on the ground and held posses
sion all night The pOpulst house met AT 3
O'Clock in the basement OF the south wing Of
the capitol and immedia tely adjourned.
THE confusion and turbulent scenes a the
capitol took precedence over all attempts at
legislative work the 10th The senate did
nothing, and in the republican house a PROPOSE
ton for settling the dinicaItv, Or rather reach
ing compromise by which the republicans
should hold the hall ana the popllisfs meet in
another room was received and faEorabIy con
Sidered- The governor was to withdraw the
militia and the sheriff dish md his deputies
a resolution was adopted defining the arrest OF
Ben c. Rich, but legislative business was
transacted The populist house met in n hall
in the Stormont building and proceeded TO GO
through the regular order of business Sew
eral bills on the calendar OF minor Importance
were passed. and two bills having u special
bearing on the warlil1e situation about the
state house were introduced and rushed through
TO their final passage
The senate on the Eth took action upon
the DILL passed bF the populist house empower
ing the governor to remove for cause The sheriff
of any county at any time The entire time OF
the senate occupied in discussing = bill
| providing for tie removal OF the capital - the
interior Of the State The republican house
after camping the Dlttl a-ii5ld al nigat final
ally received the terms offered % the governor
and accepted them which, ie tSt- declared \
truce in The existing troubles Al z:Sl o'clock,
Mr. HOch, speaker pro tenn announced that the
+ time mad come when the house could take a
recess. He read list of sergeant s-at- arms
who would guard the hall AM i recess was
taken until next dav- The poYDlist house, be-
fore it had learned OF the agreement between
the governor and republicans. adopted con-
current resolution adj ouTuing the legislature
until April As soon as the l1noH lcdgc Of The
treaty OF peace was conveyed TO them they re
scinded their action and adjourned until Mon
day afternoon
WreStIi : or Rent.