The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-02-07

The Wastefu1 and Extravagant Feature of
Shown I'm.


it Shown Up.
Mr.. Benedict had fun yesterday with
the gentlemen in the house who had the
other day secured an increase in the
number of enrolling clerks They had
said Mrs. Hughes said she couldn't pos
sibly ct along without thirty. He sprang
his surprise so quickly and threw
them on the defensive so completely
that they sat in dumb amazement hardly
able to force sickly grin. Mr.. Benefiel
was the only one who rallied sufficiently
to make any attempt to state the case of
the more enrolling clerks" side and he
did so in a clear, plausible way but was
unable to stem the tide. The enrolling
clerk problem was settled for good the
other day. 1t has been settled for good
once more. Whether it will like
the Phoenix rise again or. develop
that everlasting tenacity of life which
party, cannot be determined until the
last day of the session shall have passed
into history. This vexatious question
has exhibited such vitality and such a
capacity for annoyance that there be
Legislators who are afraid to lead an up
right life lest at the very gates of the
New Jerusalem they be asked to support
resolution to instruct the recording an
gel to put twenty more clerks on the en-
rolling force.
A short time before adjournment yes
terday afternoon Mr.. Benedict sprung
his surprise by introducing a resolution
instructing the chief enrolling clerk to
reduce her force (which had the other
day been increased from twenty to thirty
by resolution) to eighteen. The house
was astonished- Some smiled, some tit
tered Mr. Benedict said:
'tJust to show some of the gentlemen
ho
increasing the force what fine trap they
fell into and what easy victims they
were, l want to read a letter from Mrs.
Hughes to one of the members of this
house. There were men here this morn
ing who had great fit of economy and
were greatly wrought up over paying
county surveyors 81 day, and l want to
see how they feel about economy now
and if the spell still lasts"
Mr.. Benedict then read the letter, the
| important part of which is as follows:
"If there is a resolution offered cutting
my force down to eighteen l wish all my
friends would stand by me and put it
| through. l have now twelve more clerks
| than | want or need, and some of them
will never be able to enroll bill, and
the fact is | don't want more than
eighteen. Wish you would put such
resolution through and relieve me from
| t0lS aW1Q DuEQ0Q.
Mr. Benedict took off his Eyeglasses,
| shook his head with roguish wink, and
sat down laughing.
Brown of Pratt, offered an amend
ment, ''that all of the eighteen enroll
ing girls be boys"
The eyes of the gallant knights of the
Q nrolling girls were all directed toward
Mr. Benedict "How do we know she
wrote it," grumbled Mr.. Hackbusch.
ayes, how do we know it is genuine"
said another.
Then Mr.. Hackbusch had the laugh
on Mr.. Benedict for a moment "May l
ask the gentleman from Wilson ques-
toni" he said "Are you familiar with
the chief enrolling clerks handwritingf"
Laughter.
Mr. Rohrbaugh, of Sedgwick, was the
Doubling Thomas He said: "There has
been a whole lot of secondhand testimony
as to what the chief enrolling clerk wants.
1t is well known that she has promised
the earth and l am in favor of having
her brought before this house and right
there at the speakers stand tell these
gentlemen whether she wants her force
reduced"
Mr.. Benefiel, whe has been Mrs
Hughes champion all along, said: 81 see
no necessity for this resolution. It has
been settled that the chief enrolling
clerk has a right to employ such as
, sistants as she needs, and if she wants &c
cut down her force she has the power Il
do So without any order from this house.
Mr. Zimmerman who introduced the
resolution which increased the force t
, thirty twisted about nervously. He in.
: voluntarily lodged as if someone were