Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1897-02-11
CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION.



In the Kansas Legislature.
TOPEKA, Kan, Feb. S.--Senator A. G.
Forney introduced bill in the senate
to provide for constitutional conven-
ton. The bill provides that at the gen
eral election held in 1898 the voters
shall all vote upon the issue to amend
the constitution. Senator Householder
presentei free kindergarten bill. 1t
provides that the boards Of education
in all cities shall be compelled to
establish kindergarten schools and
they shall be maintained by money
from the city school funds. At the
regular election held it shall be voted
an assessment of two mills on the dol
lar to establish the kinder
garten fund. All children between
the ages of four and six
can attend. Other measures presented
by Titus, to empower the attorney
general to bring suit to collect the
principal and interest of the perma-
nent state school fund; to empower the
Encouragement to compromise the in
debtedness of Anthony, Harper county,
and Cimarron, Gray county, to the
permanent school and agricultural
college funds; by Coleman, to make
it compulsory with counties Of $4,000
inhabitants and over, and discretionary
with counties of under $4,000 popula-
ton, to establish high schools; by Wal.
lack, to establish a state normal school
at Ellington, Atchison county
and to compel railways to vesti-
bule their cars. The senate COM
mittee of judiciary has reported un.
favorably the Householder bill to re-
quire bond Of $1,000 for every child or
wait brought to the state to insure the
state against any crime or depreciation
which may be committed by such
child, and Zimmer's for the appoint.
ment of deputy coroners in counties
having over $4,000 inhabitants The
senate, by vote Of 30 to /, passed
Householders charities and corrections
bill.
When Crossan's bill to maintain
separate schools for whites and blacks
came before the senate it was passed
20 to 10, but before the result was an
nounced several senators changed theil
votes from aye to no and the bill was
defeated, "a to 70. The senate passed
Forney's bill to limit county, township
and city indebtedness to five per cent
of the assessed valuation after amend
ing SO as to exclude cities of the first.
class.
The house committee on live stock
presented substitute measure on the
stock yards and recommended its pas
sage. Its provisions are very sweep
ing. In regard to charges the bill says
at shall be unlawful for the owners OF
proprietors of any such stock yards
within this state to charge for yard
ing, watering and weighing of stock
greater prices than the following: Fol
yarding, watering and weighing cattle
Is cents per head; calves, s cents pei
head; hogs. 6 cents per head; sheep,
cents per head, and there is to be only
one yardage charge"
Burl.s, Of Finney, introduced in the
house bill to make an appropriation
Of $40, 900 for the erection of an execu
tive mansion for the governor in the
city of Topeka. Brown, of Pratt
presented petition signed by
all the inmates of the state
soldiers ho.Ae, praying that Their
sons or daughters be not dismissed
from the home and sent out into the
world to make their own way until
they arrive at the age of 49, The
age now is IL for boys and IA fol
girls. The house committee of Judi.
ciary has recommended for passage
Hackney's bill to provide that gradu.
ates of the law department of the state
university shall be permitted to prac-
tice without further examination, and
the committee will fix the fees of court
stenographers at five cents per folio in
instead Of ten, as now, and the
per diem at 81 instead of SO, and has
referred to the committee of tenn
perance Browns bill forbidding the
manufacture and sale of cigarettes.
The house committee of the whole
has recommended Mr. Larimer's
bill to prevent extortion by
public officers. 1t provides that
any officer who shall unlawfully
exact any reward for the perform
ance Of his duty or who shall charge
more for such duty than the law au-
thorizes shall be fined not more than
$500 or Imprisonment in the county Jail
not more than one year. or be pun
ished with both such fine ana impris-
onment.
Brown, of Pratt, introduced bill
providing that government license in
possession of other than a druggist
shall be taken as prima facie evidence
Of the guilt Of person charged with
selling liquor. Hackney presented a
measure to repeal the law providing
for the appointment of investigating
committees.
To AIITLOPI7E PASSES