The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-02-19
SALARY CUT.
It is Reduced $500 by the New Bank
ing Law Bill

CREDENTIALS SALARY CUT.
1t is Reduced $500 by the New Bank
ing Law Bill
The new banking law, prepared by
the senate committee on banks and in
surance from the law recommended by
Bank Commissioner Breidenthal in his
last report, passed the senate yesterday
evening by a vote of % to 9. With the
exception of striking out the section
that provided for the salary of the
bank commissioner, his deputy, clerk
and stenographer, the bill went through
without any material change.
The senate spent the afternoon in the
consideration of the bill. 1t came up
under special order at o'clock, and it
was Z o'clock when the final vote was
taken A number of amendments were
offered by Republican members, but all
that provided for any material change
in the provisions of the bill were voted
down by the PopuliSt senators.
1t was a Republican, however, who
was really responsible for the striking
out of the section fixing the salary of
the bank commissioner and the en-
plOyeS of his office. When that sec
ton was read Senator Hessin (Rep.,
Riley county, took the floor and said:
Right here I want to give the gen
tlemen of the opposition a chance to
practice what they preach. If we have
10-cent corn and Scent pork, and the
children are crying for bread, as Pop
ul1St members OF TINS senate nave stat
ed. here is q chance to get even. If all
salaries are to be cut down, as advO
Gated by the opposition, now is the time
to commence with the bank commits
sioner Here, in the face of all the
protestations of poverty, we are asked
to vote a salary of $1,000 a year for
the bank commissioner. If we are in
the condition the POpulistS say we are,
1 think $500 q year IS magnificent
salary to attach to an office which is
q Sinecure."
Senator Titus Pop., Harper county,
followed Senator Hessin and made the
motion to strike out the section. He
said:
I indeed feel grateful for the speech
made by the gentleman from Riley. 1
am glad that he has determined to re
form, and now see some chance of
making a Populist out of him before
he leaves here. I believe that this
legislature, and legislatures that will
be sent here in the future, is and will
be competent to make appropriations
for state offices, and 1 therefore move
to strike out the section
Senator Farrelly CPop., Neosho coun-
ty), chairman of the committee on
banks and insurance, opposed the mo-
ton of Senator Titus. He said:
Il am not here for the purpose of
defending the salary of any particular
office, and neither am 1 here to cut
down salaries Unfortunately, without
regard to the services performed. L
undertake to say that the man who
now fills the office of bank commits
sioner rightly earns every dollar of his
salary of 81. 500 year. say that the
office is not a sinecure, and that the
bank commissioner works as hard men
tally and physically as any officer in
the employ of the state"
Senator Matthews (Rep., Mcpherson
county)-The work of the present bank
commissioner meets with the approval
of every banker in the state, and 1 be-
Heve that such a man is worth $500
year.
ty)-Every man on this floor knows
that the man who now fills the Office
of bank commissioner is worth his sal
airy, and I am opposed to this penny
wise and pound foolish policy.
Senator King (Pop., Cowley county,
i am in favor of this motion to strike
out the section. I don't believe the
bank commissioner should get $500 a
year and his travelling expenses under
the existing conditions in this state. I
would be in favor of making the salary
81 600 a year.
The vote was then taken on the mo-
ton of Senator Titus, which was car
ried by a vote of 10 to II. The vote
was as follows:
Senators voting in favor of the mo-
ton were: Messrs. Braddock, Caldwell,
Campbell, Coleman, Cooke, Forney,
Hanna, Hart, Helm, Helmick, Hessin,
Householder, Johnson, King, Morrow,
Reser, Shaffer, Sheldon, Titus, Wal
lack.
Senators voting in the negative were:
Messrs. Battey, Benson, Braddock,
Crossan, Farrelly, Field, Fulton, Harris,
Lamb, Lewelling., Lupfer, Matthews
Mosher, Ryan, Stocks, Young.
During the entire reading of the bill
Bank Commissioner Breidenthal sat
by Senator Farrelly and gave the
closest attention. When the vote on
the motion of Senator Titus was an
nounced, he left his seat and walked
ont of the chamber: the expression up
on his face was not pleasant one.
Immediately after the banking bill
was disposed of, Senator Jumper, chair
ma. nof the committee on fees and sal
aries, introduced a bill fixing the sal
aries of state officers and other state
employees. In that bill the salary of
the bank commissioner is placed at
81, 900 a year and it is probable that Mr..
Credentials salary wifi be cut $780,
The new banking law will now go to