The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-02-13
introduced in the Senate This
Morning by the Committee.
Employees and Railroad Assess.
Ors the Only Favored Ones.
RATE BILL TO FOLLOW
Will Reduce Present Rates Ten
Or Twenty Per Cent.
Debate Over Introduction of
Pass Bill Today.

Senator w. A. Harris, as chairman of
the senate committee on railroads, in
troduced in the senate this morning the
anti-pass bill as finally decided upon.
In addition to railway employees, the
bill as introduced, excerpts the members
OF the board of railway commissioners
and board of railway assessors as per
sons who may receive free transporta-
ton from the railroads. The bill as
first decided upon at the meeting last
Thursday night, excepted only railway
employees.
The introduction of the bill was re-
sponSlble for an exchange of words be-
tween Chairman Harris and Senator
MorroW, Republican member of the
committee When the bill was read for
the first time Senator Morrow moved
that the committee be allowed to recon-
slider the measure, and in support of his
motion, said:
THE reason I ask that this bill be re-
considered IS because when the COM
mittee adjourned last night we agreed
to leave the decision of whether the
measure should be reported to the SEN
ate to Senator Helmick, who was alb
sent. We have been playing horse with
this bill and several other matters for
over week, and I am getting tired of
IT. Members of the committee have
changed their votes on this bill three or
four times, and when we adjourned last
night the vote stood a tie on whether
shape. Then we decided to leave the
decision to Senator Helmick. Senator
Helmick is unfavorable to reporting the
bill as it now stands, but we find this
morning that Senator Hanna has
again changed his vote, voting for the
introduction of the BILL while last night
he voted against it. L don't think this
Should be allowed
Senator Harris replied to Senator
Morrow by saying:
THE committee had a meeting this
hn f1rr,
and at that meeting Senator Hanna
changed his vote. The bill has been in
PRODUCED in accordance with parlia-
mentary procedure and with all regu-
larity. make this statement emphati-
cally."
Senator Morrow-Senator Hanna's,
vote was not changed or made public
while quorum of the committee was
present.
The vote on the motion to allow the
committee to reconsider the bill was
then taken, and the motion was defeat
ed by vote of II nays TO yeas. In
explanation of his vote Senator Hanna
said:
LAS has already been stated we have
had considerable parley over this meas
ure- At first I voted for a bill to ex-
cept no persons but railway employees
and when the bill was reconsidered and
amended at the meeting last night so
as to include the board of railway as
SCISSORS and board of railroad comnlis-
siOners, I voted against it. After the
meeting, however, L decided to change
my vote, and so informed the chairman
this morning. 1 have nothing to be
ashamed of in changing my vote, and
the only thing l am sorry for is that I
did not change my vote before the COM
mittee adjourned last night. L vote
no. ="
Senator Helmick also explained his
vote. He said:
1T has always been my opinion that
all persons should pay their way
the railroads, with no exception except
railway employees. This was the stand
1 took in the committee, and am there
fore in favor of reconsidering the bill"
In the meeting last night Sena tors
Harris, Householder, Lewelling and
Forney voted in favor of reporting a
bill, excepting the board of railroad
commissioners and board of railroad
assessors in addition to railway en-
pioyes, while Sena tors Morrow, john
son, Fulton and Hanna voted against
the exceptions BY Senator Hanna
changing his vote, while Senator Hell
mick opposed the exceptions, resulted in
the vote of to in favor of reporting
the bill as it was introduced this morn
ing.
The matter of arranging a maximum
schedule of rates was also taken up at
the meeting last night and it was agreed
that the schedule should make a reduc-
ton of 10 per cent from the present
rates on grain, Is per cent on live stock,
and 20 per cent on coal With the ex-i
ception of the additional five per cent
reduction in the rates on coal, this ar
rangement will accord with the COM
promise offered by the railway attor-
neys and it is thought that the rail-
roads will agree to the schedule. On
this matter Senator Harris said today:
I'VE have reasonable assurance from
the railway companies that they will
settle down on this basis without any
litigation whatever"
The maximum freight rate bill will be
introduced Monday. The measure will
be changed to the extent of striking out
section G.
This section provides that rates fixed
or to be established by the railroad
commissioners shall be upon the basis
of a fair and reasona bic compensation
for the services performed or to be per-
formed. That no reduction of rates
shall be made by the commissioners,
which, applied to the business of any
railway company in the state for the
next preceding year, would have pre-
vented it from earning in this state 6
per cent of the assessed valuation of its
property in the state for taxation for
that year over and above the amount it
actually expended during that year in
operating, maintaining and renewing
its railway and equipment, and for tax
es, not including interest on bonds, or
dividends on stocks.