The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-02-24
THE FIGHT is ON.
Battle Between the Two Rail-
road Bills Comes Up
In the Senate TOday--A Motion
Is Made To
ADOPT HOUSE RATES.
If This Done the Measure Will
Be Settled.
If the Plan is Rejected a Con-
test Will Ensue.
ADOPT HOUSE RATES.

The senate this morning entered into
the consideration of the maximum
freight rate bill. probably the most i'm
portant measure now before the pres
ent legislature. The bill as intro
duced by the committee on railroads,
came up under a special order at 10
o'clock
When section 1 of the bill was read,
providing for the appointment of the
board of railroad commissioners, Sem
ator Titus (Pop., Harper county, Of
fered substitute providing for the
election of members of the board by
the people. Senator Harris, chairman
of the railroad committee, opposed the
substitute on the ground that the time
which would be consumed in agreeing
upon the manner of electing the COM
missioners would jeopardize the rail-
road bill. He said that he believed the
majority of the members of the senate
were in favor of the election of rail-
road commissioners, but that the ques-
ton should be considered separately
The substitute was lost by a vote of
&c nays to IL yeas.
An amendment to section 2, which
fixes the salary of each railroad COM
missioner at 81, 500 per annum, was Of
fered by Senator Campbell, placing the
salary at 800 a year. Senator Har-
ris offered as a substitute an amend
ment striking out the amount of sal
airy and inserting instead las may be
fixed by law He stated that the fee
and salary bill which passed the SEN
ate last week fixed the salary at $4,000
a year. and that if the bill became a
law it would cause the reduction de-
sired. Further that if the fee and
salary bill did not pass, the salary
would remain as at present, and that
n lyy 10 in "a of log inc
the salary at $500 year. Senators
Jumper, King and Crossan opposed the
Harris amendment, stating that the
salary should be reduced to 81, 600
year regardless of the fate of the fee
and salary bill, and favoring fixing the
salary in the bill at that amount. On
vote, Harris amendment carried.
When section IS of the bill was
reached providing for the maximum
rates and followed by the schedule pre-
pared as a basis for the board of rail-
road commissioners to work on, Senator
Jumper who it was thought would
take most radical stand on the maxi
mum freight rate question, moved that
the entire section and schedule be
stricken from the bill. This move was
decided on by a vote of Is to 10 in the
caucus of Populist senators last night,
the majority favoring the plan of leav
ing the board of railroad commissioners
to fix the rates
In support of his motion, Senator
Jumper said:
Il do not believe or never have be-
1ieved in a maximum schedule of rates
I believe it lacks in business principles
and believe that it will be impossible to
frame a schedule that will be satisfac-
tory to the people of this state. l be-
lieve that any rigid and unfieXible rates
that we may fix by law will be carried
into the courts by the railroad compa-
MES, and probably decide unconstitu
tional 1 believe it would be suicidal to
enact into law the rates contained in
fT71r fla
uIe makes an increase in the present
rates in the majority of cases. On the
other hand, the schedule fixed in the
house bill believe the people would re-
iect The rates in that bill are dis
tinctly long haul rates, and discriminate
between the long haul shipper and the
short haul shipper. 1 believe that the
easy and satisfactory solution to this
question is to- turn the matter of fixing
the rates over to the board of railroad
commissioners"
When Senator Jumper concluded.
Senator Titus pop Harper county, Of
fered as an amendment to the amend
ment, the schedule of rates fixed in the
bill prepared by the house committee on
railroads This schedule is practically
the same as contained in the old maxi
mum freight rate bill which passed the
senate two years ago. Senator Titus
said:
maximum freight rate for several years
and the people will not consider that
this legislature has done it's duty if a
maximum freight rate bill is not passed.
The rates fixed in the house BILL which
1 now offer as an amendment to this
bill, will give some measure OF relief to
the people.
Senator Householder followed Senator
Titus with speech of considerable
length advocating the adoption of the
house schedule. He said that maximum
freight rate legislation had formed a
part of the platform of the Populist
party in this state for several years,
and that the legislatu was pledged to
give the people such legislation He
stated that the rates fixed in the house
bill were higher than the rates now in
force in Iowa which rates had been
held TO be constitutional by the courts
In closing he said:
IF we now, by a divided force, re-
fuse TO give the people what they de-
mand, the people will condemn US as a
party
Senator Harris-The rate fixed in the
senate bill is not maximum rate, but
is a basis on which the railroad COM
rnisSiOners can work The general phrase
maximum freight bill'' has been used
in a number of political campaigns but
the real demand of the people is for re-
lief by reduced rates without regard to
set phrases. Personally, 1 have never
been in favor of a maximum rate L De
Iieve that it is not practical and that it
will tie the hands of the railroad COM
fniSSiOnerS. 1 am perfectly willing to
accept the amendment proposed by the
senator from Usage, but am heartily Op-
posed to the substitution of another rate
which will result in litigation and post
pone everything we are trying to do.
Senator Shaffer-I certainly believe
the amendment to substitute the house
schedule should not prevail tits apparent
to all, after considering the bills that