The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-03-01
OuOTES SHAKESPEARE.
A Lively Exchange of Personalities in
the Senate

LA0 06udIcs
An exchange of personalities, proba-
bly, as bitter as any ever heard in the
legislative halls of the state capitol, was
INDUCED in by Senator Jumper (POpu-
list Usage county, and Senator Hessin
Republican Riley county, in the SEN
ate this morning. The scathing remarks
were the result of an amendment Of
fered by Senator Hessin to a bill in ref
erence to the clerk of the supreme court
introduced yesterday by the committee
on fees and salaries, of which Senator
Jumper is chairman.
The bill abolishes the present system
of allowing the clerk of the supreme
court in compensation for his services
salary at $4,000 per year. 1t provides
that all fees received by the clerk in his
official capacity shall be paid over to
the state treasurer on or before the first
day of each month, and that the state
accountant shall make an examination
of the records of the court in reference
to the fees collected once each month,
and shall compare the result of his ex-
animation with the statement made by
the clerk
When the bill had been read through,
Senator Hessin rose to offer his amend
ment. He said:
''I am still in favor of the initiative
and referendum I want to give the
people, the fountain head of all knOwl-
occupy the important position of clerk
of the supreme court. therefore offer
the following amendment to be incor
porated in section l of this bill.
Provided that at the next general
election, there shall be elected one clerk
of the supreme court, whose duties and
salary shall be prescribed by law
Senator Farre1ly, (Pop., Neosho coun-
that the amendment was unconstitu-
tional and that he was surprised that
the Sena tor from Riley county, a mem
Der of the legal profession, should offer
such amendment.
In reply to these remarks by the SEN
atOr from NeOsho county, Senator He's
sin said:
II had the constitution before me
when 1 prepared this amendment, and
I clearly understood that it was uncOn-
stitutional. But my experience in this
body has been that the constitution cut
but little figure. I have been raising
constitutional questions since the first
day I entered the chamber, but the
band wagon has run over me so often
that L have concluded that the consti-
tuition has no place here. And for this
reason I have prepared an amendment
in direct opposition to the constitution
with the hope that it will pass"
When Senator HeSSin sat down, Sem
ator Jumper took the floor. Il want to
suggest to the senator from Riley, said
he, that in the opinion of this side of
the house there is a great deal of diff
ference between the constitution as it
really is and the constitution as he
states it is. It's my personal opinion
that he don't know much about the
constitution. / have never said much
about constitutional questions on the
floor of this senate, because I am not
in that class of business. 1 am a farm
err and stock raiser. But I want to say
right here, that if didn't know more
about farming and stock raising than
the gentleman from Riley knows about
the constitution, would go out of bus
ineSs.'
This declaration from the senator
from Usage brought Senator HesSin to
his feet in an instant In reference to
the class of persons that the senator
from Usage belongs to, said he 'I think
the class is ably pictured by Shakes
peare in Richard the Third. Here you
find this quotations:
THE midwife wondered and the people
cried,
Jesus bless US, he is born with teeth,
Which plainly signified
That I should snarl, and bite and play
the dog
To all mankind
Before Senator Hessin had time to re-
sumo his seat, Senator Jumper was on the
was no doubt that he was thoroughly
mad. Il want to say in reply said he
the senator from Riley belongs to that
class of persons who were better still
born than born at all
Here Lieutenant Governor Harvey took
hand in the discussion by demanding
order while he beat tattoo with his
gavel. In few moments the usual quiet
of the chamber vas restored.
The vote was then taken the amend
ment, and it was lost. Senator Farrelly
then offered an amendment striking out
$4,000 as the salary of the clerk and sub
shutting $500.
In support of this amendment and
against the bill as introduced, Senator
Lamb (Rep., Woodson county,. spoke in
favor of the amendment.
Senator Farrelly also spoke in favor
| Of the amendment. stating among other
| things. that it would at the present time,
if passed, strike at man who had done
as much as anyone else toward the sue
cess of the party now in power. On vote
| the amendment was lost.
A second amendment was then Offered
by Senator Farrelly placing the amount
to be allowed for clerk hire at So 600 in
stead of $500 provided in the bill. This
| amendment carried.
The final vote was then taken on the
bill, and it carried by a large majority,
The bill will now go to the house.