The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-02-14
NO PASS BILL?
Is It True That the House
Refuses
To Take Any Action Against the
Pass Scandal?
KILL ALL THE BILLS.
Committees Smother to Death
Even the Mildest.
Each Member With His Card
board Bribe in His Pocket,
USES HIS INFLUENCE
Against Any Bill TO Reoulata
USES HIS INFLUENCE
Against Any Bill to Regulate
Pass Giving.
Good Reason for the People to
Show Their Anger.

s 1t seems that large number of the
members of the present legislature are
subject to the influence of railroad
pass. at least the three anti-pass bills
which were introduced in the house ear
ly in the session, have all been killed by
the committees to whom they were re-
ferred.
The people of Kansas want an anti
pass law. They want some legislation
which will take the influence out of
railroad pass. Especially they want a
law which will make it impossible for
judge of court to ride on a pass over
a railroad in the state which is inter-
ested in legislation in his court
The sentiment of the people of the
state is we'll understood by the mem
bers of the legislature and unless they
adopt some practical anti pass legisla-
ton they will fail to do their duty dur
ing the present session.
The sentiment of the people of Kansas
was shown to be overwhelmingly against
the using of passes by Judicial officers
during the last campaign, and it was so
strong that two judges of the supreme
court gave up their passes and several
district judges announced that they
would no longer accept railaoad passes.
The judges who gave up their passes
were men of principle and wanted their
official acts to be above the suspicion of
| being influenced by free passes.
Three anti-pass bills were introduced
IN the house at the opening of the ses-
sion. One by Mr.. Gardenhire of Shawnee,
which simply required that all passes
be registered with the secretary of state
1t is bill which is clearly
constitutional, and, while not iron clad, J.,
could be enforced, and the people of the
| state would then know what officers were
subject to the free pass influence, and
! could act accordingly
Another anti pass bill was introduced
by DIR. Simons of Sumner. Mr.. Simons'
bill prohibited the governor accepting of
railroad passes by railroad officials and
| state officers.
The third anti-pass bill was introduced
by Mr. Cox of Neosho Mr.. COx's bill
was one of those iron clad measures
which cannot be enforced if put on the
statute books 1t is bill which would
no doubt be declared unconstitutional by
the first court to which it would be sub
mitted
These bills were all referred to differ
ent committees and each met the same
fate. Each was killed in the committee.
First the committee on state affairs re-
ported unfavorably on Mr.. Simons' bill,
then the judiciary committee after being
repeatedly urged to make a report
on the Gardenhire bill, reported
it unfavorably, and this morning
the committee on railroads to whom Mr.
Cox's bill was referred reported it back
unfavorably. MIR. Cox is a member OF
the railroad committee, but he is under
stood to have introduced his bill simply
for effect At one meeting of the com
mittee Mr. Cox left and broke the
quorum when Chairman Remington an
nounced that Mr.. Cox's bill would be
considered. He apparently ran away
from his own bill
There are men on the floor of the house
who are favorable to some anti-p
legislation and should be given an op-
portunity to go on record. Let the
friends of this class of legislation in the
house stand together and make a record
for themselves. If they will good fai
anti-pass law, some such law as the ont
proposed by Mr.. Gardenhire, can b'
passed
Who Slew the Bills.
The members of the committee ol
judiciary who killed Mr. Gardenhire'
bill. are Mr.. johnson of Anderson, chair
man; Lambert of Lyon. Rohrbaugh o
Sedgwick, Hopkins of Finney. Cole 0
Barton, Miller of Morris, Moore of Sa
line, Sheafor of Cloud Robinson of Jack
son, Sutton of Russell, Bone of Clark
. NQUDtSOu Vi w duOOLIO, NOA VI 4N0OSak
Pancake of Scott, and Brown of Pratt
I The members of the committee O.
, state affairs, who killed Mr. Simons' bill
l are Mr.. Caldwell of Douglas, chairman
Sherman of Shawnee, Raemer of Mar
l shall, Murphy of Stevens. Clark of Wa
lace Lambert of Lincoln, and Barnett c
Ness
: The memb bers of the committee o
t railroads, who killed Mr. Cox's bill, ar
Mr.. Remington of Miami, chairman
, Rohrbaugh of Sedgwick. Moor
of Saline, Seaton of Atchisor
J Warner of Cherokee. Cox of Neosht
l Marshal of Rice, Spicknall of Sumne
l Andrews of Phillips, Hanna of Graham
Hack bush of Leavenwo-th, Pratt {
t Hamilton, Cannon of Kingman, CamI
, ball of Stafford, Trueblood of Osag,
i, Schlyer of Ellis and Barnett of Ness.
. Death to Gloucester.
NEW YORK Feb IA special di