The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-02-16
KANSAS LEGISLATURE.
Common Sense Prevailed in the
Senate and CampbelI's Bill
To Issue Treasury Notes From
the Kansas Treasury Defeated.
Senator Campbell's Object at Best
Was Merely to Force Test case
Other Legislative Matters

Senator CampbeIIs pet measure, the
bin providing for the issuance OF state
treasury notes for the purpose of enab-
ling cities and townships to employ idle
labor met its death in the senate yester-
dav afternoon. The author gave it the
oniv support it had in a speech, and on
the final vote, eleven Populist members
aided in killing it,
The bill was thoroughly outlined in the
State Journal Saturday evening, and was
altogether a novel meausre. When the
bill came up for consideration under a
special order a 4 O'Clock, Senator Camp
s Ps qd Of it, s0n he 5aid lengthy speech "
1T may be the thought that this meas
ure is entirely an innovation, yet there
is embodied in that bill features as OLD
as the government itself 1t IS really
expressed in one of his public letters as
follows: Treasury notes of small as wen
high denomination, bottomed on a tax
which should redeem them IA Ten yea a. >
would place at our disposal the whole CIR
culatlng medium OF the Z n 11,e ga ~ ~
This was the opinion OF Tnomas Je1c
ferson, the father OF the Deeiaratloh OF
IndeI endence this was the OPINION OF
John c. Calhoun, ana Abraham Lincoln
put the theory into practice when he
caused to be issued United States treas
In discussing this bill. I want to do
so from the standpoint of necessity. Per-
sonallIy / don't beliVe in corporations.
don't belive that corporations are neces-
sary to the existence of the nation, but
on the contrary l belive they are a men,
ace 10 the liberties of the people When
God Almighty created this earth he did
not create corporations, and this is proof
corporations The business that indlVi-
duals cannot handle, should be taken in
hand by the government as states, and
counties and municipalities.
The great proposition today is who
shall control and issue the money of this
country This Is now the most lmPor-
tant question before the American peo-
pie. Before the national banking system
was established the people of this colln-
try were practically out OF debt. Now
the mortgage blight covers this land from
possessions to the Gulf of Mexico.
Il wish to say. gentlemen. that in pas
sing this bill you need not be afraid OF
its hereafter. Before the comptroller of
the currency can enter on his work, he
viii be enjoined. This matter will be
taken into the Federal court for the pur-
pose of educating the people
1t is natural that Kansas should take
the first step in this direction If YOU
pass this bill. gentlemen. l promise that
it will be the wedge that viii unlock the
future of the people of the United States.
1t will arouse them, and they will then
see the great power that corpora tions are
exercising over the people OF the nation.
II this measure becomes a law, the agita-
ton that will follow will bring about
new condition of affairs in this country.
In the measure 1 have provided for the
employment Of idle labor by townships
que about out tie bill snif that int it NAV
conflict with the national banking law
put as l said before this measure. if pas
sed. will go into the courts before it goes
into effect. so that its legality may be
tested his proceeding Will serve to ed
Senator Crossan Pop) of Miami coun-
~. followed Senator Campbell. and spoke
in opposition to the bill He said:
4 think there are a number of merits
in this bill. but because of some of the
provisions it contains l am free to con
TESS that I can't support the bill. I am
cOnStitutonally opposed to going into
debt, and the passage of this measure
means debt to the state. I don't thinks
the provisions of this bill are wise and
IN TACT believe that if We should pass
he4
the people"
When Senator Crossan concluded. no
other member of the senate took it up-
on himself to discuss the measure either
pro or con, and the vote on the passage
of the bill was called for. When the roll
call reached the name of Senator Lamb
(Rep-l OF WOodSOn county, that gentle
man took the floor:
I very much regret the necessitv'
sad ne, OF making an explanation of
my vote. ! want to say that in my judg-
ment THIS is a measure which should re-
ceive the support of every Populist on
tins floor, and am sorry to see some of
the gentlemen of that party VOTING
against it. For it does seem to me thar
every man who stood upon the Bryan
platform and on the Abilene and Hufch
lnson platforms in the campaign of 1896
can eonscientiously do anything else
but vote for the measure"
Senator Harris: i wish to suggest IN
the gentleman from Woodson that to mon
OF his political faith things are not al
am much obliged for the suggestion
from the senator from LeavenXorth,7
SeAiN DCAielAOA 14dtID, continuing. and that
reminds me of the fact that platforms are
made to run on and not to stand on, 7
wish to say to the POpulist members of
this body that when you vote against
such measures as this, you are eating the
words that you spoke from the st1mn
and violating the pledges you made to
your constituents. -
The only good thing that I see about
the measure is, that supposed PopuIiste
are not supporting it, and as I know of
no reason why any one else should sup
port it, vote no .
At the conclusion of the roll call the
vote stood IL yeas to 90 nays, and the
Dill was declared lost.
senators sl.a a5, voting in favor of the passage
Benson. Braddock. Caldwell AGCI amp6aiHf'
luton Hart, Helm. Lewelling Mosher'
Pritchard. Shaffer, Young
Senators voting. in the negative were.
Messrs Battey. Coleman. Cooke. Crossan.
+ rarely, Field, Hanna, Harris Helmicle
Hessin Johnson. Lamb. Lupfer. Matt,
news. Reser, Sheldon Sterne. Stocks. r.
tus, Wallack, thinner
Senator'S absent or not voting were.
King, Ryan.
AFFECTTNG NTUTT a NrrO-~