The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-04-11

! thinner, Ryan, Campbell, Farrelly, Han
na,, Helmick. Forney, Lewelling, Helm
| and Armstrong.
]. w. Butler Of Topeka was placed up
| on 7fe stand. but he did not know any
thing about the charges OF bribery. His
| name had been given to the committee
| by some one. The committee the adj
| journed until O'Clock tomorrow morn
| ing. The session tomorrow will likely be
| short, as most of the witnesses who were
expected will not reach here before Sun
day
The attorney general has advised the
committee that il has no power to COM
| pei witnesses to answer questions, so it
has been decided TO confine the examna-
| ton to those VINO are willing to testify.
SPECIAL SESSION LIKELY.
Everything points 10 the calling of a
| special session Of the Kansas legislature
/ in the early part of June. In every coun-
/ ty in the state there are leading Popu-
/ lists 50 thoroughly dissatisfied with the
work of the legislature that has just ad-
| journed that they are making an organ
lied effort for a special session. In over
ulists have been held and resolutions
adopted condemning the record Of the
| Populist legislature, and in most cases
| demanding that Governor Leedy call the
members together for the purpose Of
again attempting the enactment of
maximum rate legislation. 1t is known
! that Governor Leedy is anxious TO cali a
| special session providing he can have as
surances that a majority of members
viii vote for a maximum freight law. He
has assurances that several members
Who opposed the maximum rate bill last
month have been won over to that side,
but up 10 the present time he is unable
10 count the necessary number Of votes
The pressure from Populists sources is so
great, however, that a special session is
almost certain.
How about the extra session of the
legislature?" reporter asked.
i have nothing new 10 offer on that
! subject" the governor replied. MY po-
sition is known. There would be no wis
dom in calling a special session without
the knowledge that a majority of the
people want a special session, and that
!
lature would vote for the kind OF rail-
road legislation they promised the peo-
pie in 1896. l have no such information
at this time
Are you hearing anything from the
people about special session."
Il am getting letters from all over the
state. Some are favorable to a special
session; others are not In most of them
a regret is expressed that the legislature
did not pass maximum freight rate bill
/ am watching this correspondence care
fully"
What do you hear from the mem
bers?"
Not much. However, I expect to hear
something this week. Several senator's
and representatives have notified me
that they will be here
Senator's Householder, Jumper and
Titus were in Topeka this week. and
each favors a special session, although
they do not agree as to what kind Of
railroad bill should be passed. Titus
and Householder are favorable TO the
old-fashioned maximum rate bill. Jum-
per is opposed to il. He wants the pres
adopted as basis, and then clothe the
railroad commissioners with power to
adjust determinations upon complaint.
In speaking about the matter, he said:
Should the Legislature adopt the rates
now in force by the railroads, the roads
could not attack their reasonableness.
Then if the board were given the power
TO adjust discrimna tons upon COM
plant, 1t would only be a short time I'M
I'll the freight rate problem would be
solved. In some places the rates are too
high, and at others too low should the
commissioners, upon complaint, lower
the rates where they are too high, the
railroads would raise the rates where
they are too dow, and in that way the
discrimination would soon disappear"
When asked if the governor would be
favorable TO such a measure as he pro-
posed he said he would
1t has been discovered that many Of
the acts OF the recent legislature are de-
fective and imperfect. So many bills
were changed by the clerks of the legs-
lature that Attorney General Boyle said
yesterday that il was very likely that a
special session Of the legislature would
have to be called for the purpose of
''enacting some legislation"
Governor Leedy says these mistakes,
although serious, will not cause him TO
call special session, unless the error in
the stock yards bill should be fatal to
that measure. But until the courts
shall decide he said. Il will not issue
call for a special session, nor shall 1
call one unless I shall be assured that
the people want one. If it should turn
out that the blunder in the title Of the
stock yards bill is fatal to it, j should he
very sorry, but it is for the people 10 say
whether there shall be a special session
| am OF the same mind as 10 railroad
legislation. While great many bills
were changed after their passage, few.
if any, were changed mahciously. All
trouble of this kind was due 70 incom-
petent or indifferent house and senate
employees. Not all were either incom-
petent or indifferent. but many were,
and some were even insubordinate. Bills
that passed both houses as originally in
troduced were sent 10 the governor with
out change. The trouble was in keep
ing record of the amendments. Some
were ignored. and. in this way, errors
crept into bills
At mass meeting Of the citizens OF
Ellsworth county the following resolu-
tons we're adopted:
Whereas. Our las: legislature failed
10 give us maximum freight rate law
as promised in our state platform. there
fore. be ii
Resolved. That We condemn them in