Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1897-03-04
KANSAS LEGISLATURE

Feb. 25.-The Senate. by vote of % to
IL, passed the bill assessing and taxing
mineral reserves Bills were also passed
appropriating the interest received from
| the permanent fund of the state agricul-
tural college and providing for the payment
of the bonded Indebtedness Of the state. In
I committee of the whole the Senate RECON-
mended for passage apr opriation bills
covering the expenses of the Topeka insane
asylum, the state penitentiary. conveying
prisoners to prison, to purchase a marble
bust of the late Ex-Governor Charles Rob-
lnson and for the university geological sur
Vey.
| The insurance committee of the House
favorably reported the joint resolution In
, structing the attorney general to begin
action at once against the New York insur-
ance companies to recover back taxes The
Brown railroad bill came up in the after
noon on a special order. Jones of Neosho
moved to substitute the entire senate bill
for the one being read. Weilep Democrat,
of Cherokee, moved to lay the motion on
the table. but his motion was lost by a vote
of 81 to 81. The Jones' motion was carried
by the same vote. Fairchild, Populist of
Kingman, moved ia amend by substituting
the Brown bill, with the maximum schedule
and classifcations stricken out for the Sem
ate bill At the conclusion of the reading of
the bill the House adjourned without TAX
ing action,
Feb. 25.-The Senate by unanimous vote
passed the Harris railroad bill after havs
ing amended by striking out the schedule
of maximum rates. This leaves the power
to fix rates entirely in the hands of the state
board of railroad commissioners. The bill
was made special order of business, and
Notwithstanding its passage without dis
senting vote dozen senators fought 1t for
Ave hours, but were finally overpowered by
the majority and forced into line. One of
the principal features of the bill is that it
gives the commission power to enforce its
orders by mandamus proceedings The bill
contains 1000 words and meets about all
the complaints that have been made against
the railroad companies
The House, in committee of the whole.
killed Senator Hanna's anti-oleomarga
bill by vote of 81 to So. The House side
tracked all the normal school bills. by
adopting the report of the committee or
educational institutions against any more
normal schools. Representative Graves of
Leavenworth introduced a bill in the House
appropriating S95, 900 to buy a state print
ing plant The House committee on ways
and means reported unfavorably the bill
making an appropriation for the compile
ton of the State house.
Feb. 23.-The Senate, by vote of 81 to H.
indefinitely postponed the Hackbusch bill
repeating the metropolitan police law. The
report of the calendar revision committee
was adopted 1t places the appropriation
bills at the head of the calendar. The flu
sion members of the Senate held a caucus
and decided to change the railroad bill BY
a vote of 16 to 10 1t was agreed that the
schedule of maximum rates be stricken out,
leaving the power to establish rates with
the state board of railroad commissioners.
The House passed the bill from the COM
mittee on mines and mining. requiring the
payment of employees in cash. The bill is
aimed at mine owners who compel miners
to trade out" their wages at the company
stores The Stoner bill, establishing de-
partment for the inspection, grading and
weighing of grain was passed by the House.
The Barley fee and salary bill was passed
by the House by vote Of IS to %. Repre-
sentative Hackney's bill to prevent black
listing was passed by the House. Any per-
son blacklisted may recover from the per-
son or persons doing the blacklisting sum
three times the amount of actual damages
Feb. 20.-Both branches of the Legis-
lature adjourned at II o'clock, and in the
afternoon Mr.. Bryan addressed the Legls-
latnre in joint session on the science of gov
eminent The House passed the bills max
ing the home for eX-Federal soldiers at s.
James and the home for ex-Confederates at
Higginsville eleel1synary institutions de-
pendent CE The st3tc for support The Sem
ate did practIcallY nothing except to pass
Senator Peers piI hpproprlating 81 800 for
the construction b a monument to mark
the spot in Montgomery county where Dam
lei Boone and wife we're buried Senate ad-
journed to Tuesday.
Feb. 19-Tbe Senate after along discus
sion, passed Jumpers salary reduction bill
A big fight took place when the section re-
ducing the salary of district court judge
was read The committee wanted to give
county judges 81, 800 and those in counties
containing first class cities $4,000. A COM
promise was agreed upon whereby the sal
aries of all were fixed at $4,000 each. The
reduction in salaries of the various state
officials amounts to about 16 to 10 per cent
and Senator Jumper says that it will save
the state about 100000 a year. Mr.. Bryan,
by special invitation, addressed the legis-
lature in joint session on the science OF
government
These bills were favorably reported for
passage in the house: To tax bond surety
companies; Browns bill to compel private
corporations operating under franchise of
a city to pay into the city treasury all over
6 per cent profit as rental for streets and
alleys used Ury's bill to prevent discrlm-
nation and the giving and receiving of re-
bates on fire insurance premiums; to in
crease the tax levy for support of county
schools; Rothweiler's bill authorizing city
boards of education and school district OFF,
GERS to establish free kindergarten schools
and providing for tax levy not to exceed
mills