The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-03-02
KANSAS LEGISLATURE.
Harris Bill viii Pass the House
Without Amendment.
Hackney Amendment Killed By
Vote of 60 to IS.
Many Representatives Avail Them
selves of a Chance to Make
Speech About the
Measure.

PCT in of
sage the Harris railroad BILL with but
few amendments, none Of which change
the general character of the measure
a. it passed the senate. The vote stood
81 FOR, y against.
The Hackney amendment was killed
after considerable debate by a vote of
60 to IS.
Those voting against the Hackney
amendment were
Aker. Armstrong Dem). Bacon, Bar
ker. Basgau (Dem), BotkIn, Bennett,
Bradley, Brooke Brown Of CowIey
silver Rep), Brown of Greeley, Buell.,
BurkhOlder, Burtis, COnger (POp), Cub-
bison. Dalton CPop). Dewitt, Doyle ISL
yer Rep. Ernst CPop), F'inney, titz-
gerald, Fouts, Cfiessler, Graves lPop),
Grimes, Hackbusch. Haywood, Heck
man, Heminger, Henley, HOIIernDeah'
Irwin. jackson of COmanche. Jackson
of Harvey, Johnson Of Chase tPop),
Jones Pop), keddie. Lambert Of Lyon,
Larifner. Lawson CPOpl. I4ObdeH- Long
ley MARKS (EoCp). Mccarthy. MckeeVer,
Moore. Montgomery CPOp). Perry. Reed,
SeatOn. SeaVer ShOuse. Smith of Brown,
Smith Of Sherman Pop), Stuart. Tur-
ner CPop), Try, Nogelsesang, alters
R0p) Williams (silver Rep-)
Those voting for the amendment were:
Barkley. Bean. Brown of Pratt, Carr,
Cassin, Clark Crosby. Davis, DInSus,
Eppersgn, Fairchild. Farrell, F'eighneT.
Fell. Foley. Fulton, CfooCnO, Gray,
Hackney. Harbaugh. Harvey Hibner,
IngIe Jameson. Jaquins. Johnson OF
Labette, Johnson of Nemaha (ReP-6
keefer. KeIson, Lambert Of Lincoln
Lews, LOOMS Malin. Marty, McGrath,
1Tetzler. Mott. Muenzenmayer, out
calf. Patton. Ravenscraft Richards,
RothweiIer Russell Rutledge, Simmons,
Taylor. TruebIood. Wallace. Ward,
Wehrle. Weflep. Wright and Street
Gates CRepl Gillespie Pop, Merrill
POp). Poison (Rep), were absent
rar n -aT7 n =
der continued from Saturday al
o'clock yesterday afternoon
The debate was opened by Brown of
Cowlev. who argued that the Hackney
amendment would amount in reality to
the confiscation of the railroad proper
". and place II in the hands OF the state
as represented by the railroad com
Mr. Brown claimed that the Iegisla-
ture has no power under the constitu-
ton to enact such measures as are pro
posed with reference 10 railroads
Mr.. Marty OF Clay (Pop) followed, say
..This legislature should redeem the
promises made to the people Republ-
cans and Popuiists alike nave pledged
their representative to the enactment
Of Laws along the line proposed in the
amendment, and if We fail to do 50, I
We viii be buried in a cyclone OF indig-
nation. This amendment should pre-
vail"
Mr. Keefer read q speech which con
Sumed 10 minutes, during which the
mem bers who did not leave their seats
dozed comfortably, utterly oblivious of
the effort being made before an unap-
preciatfve house.
Edwin Taylor of Wyandotte Pop). re-
scented for the Republicans. also the
PopuHsts. statements which had been
made by WeiIep and Brown of Pratt.
Mr.. Weilep charged the POpulists who
were opposing the bill as being traitors.
Mr.. Brown said:
The Republicans are servile serv-
ants of the corporations and We ex-
pect their opposition on this bill"
To these statements Mr.. Taylor OBJ
jected seriously and said:
If this be the mission of Populisn
then so far, I desire to disavow its
Mr. Taylor supported the amend
Mr.. wenep was the next speaker. He
said.
This legislature is surrounded by the
ever seen at the capital. Yesterday I
saw representatives lead up to the rail-
roads brace-game. could name them
but viii not do So"
Name thenl Name Them came
from both sides of the house. and
BurkhOlder of Marion CRep). jumped |
up and demanded that Mr.. Weilep give |
the names to which he referred.
I am not obliged TO give the names |
at this time" said Mr. Weilep. ''but if
you viii have an investigating COM
mittee then I will name the men"
Il don't know if any of the men were
bought over. but I know they were
there" exclaimed Mr.. WeiIep COntfn-
uing he said. The railroads as they
are operated and conducted today are |
bonded and mOrtgaged for a larger |
sum than would be required to dupli- |
cate them The officers who receive /
salaries from 81. goo to $4,000 per year. /
send their children to London and |
'Paree. to complete their e1ucatfOus |
Are you farmers able to do this2 Your /
earnings assist in doing this. Why not /
pass a law which will reduce the salar- |
les to basis more nearly equal to your |
earnings! We can not hurt the rail- |
roads, but we can make them be fair 4
TO the people by this law. Now is our I
opportunity. If We do not accept it we /
VIII probably not get another chance !
MI eilep then proceeded to explain /
that no Republican had been elected to
a high Office in Kansas unless they had |
permission OF the Santa Fe company |
He said:
Bishop W. Perkins was the only
member of the United States senate |
who voted against the lead ore provis- /
ions of the Mckinley bill which gave |
had ore which came to the shelters
q the east Perkins came back to
Kansas and was defeated by the rail- /
roads because he had voted contrary to |
their wishes. There are others whom /
I could name. but I viii only ask every |
on this floor 10 vote as his /
best judgment may Indicate"
Mr. Brooke of Shawnee, spoke. until /
his voice failed, because of a severe |
cold in favor of the senate bill and /
against the amendment He said: |
THE senate bill IS all that you can |
expect. 1t is reasonable in /
all particulars, and will work no injus- |
tees"
Cassin Of Crawford defended the
amendment, as did Hibner of Johnson |
who read several chapters against rail- |
roads from the report of the transpOr- |
tation committee of the National |
Grange
Mr.. Hackney spoke briefly in support /
Of the amendment. followed by Brown |
IF Pratt. who disputed the claim that /
the legislature has no constitutional /
power to fix rates. and as evidence in 1
support of his assertion exhibited the /
rate sheet and classification Jared /
1nder the Iowa law
The vote was then taken and the |