The Topeka state journal., 1897-03-10
WON'T TTRYIT NOW
Governor Leedy Talks in Re-
gard to Giving Members
OF the Legislature Another
Chance to Act.
NO SPECIAL SESSION
Will Be Called Till the Members
Express a Desire
To Carry Out the idea of the
Abilene Convention.

There will be no special session of
the legislature to consider railroad leg
islation.
Governor Leedy today said to a
Journal reporter:
AS 1 said to you yesterday, so far
as am prepared to say now, there
will be no special session of the legis-
Iature- L can see no necessity for such
a session of this legislature. The only
object of a special session would be to
pass a railroad law in harmony with
the Abilene platform and unless there
should be material changes in the
sentiment of the majority of the sena-
tors and representatives it would be
useless waste OF money and time to
indulge in special session of the leg
islature.
If on their own volition these mem
berS should signify to me a desire for
a special session L might consider such
proposition But, so long as such rad
1cal differences exist it would be use
less.
II have no desire to appear in the
attitude of trying to whip the legisla-
ture into line. 1t has declared itself
and sent to me a bill which I can not
approve and have sent it back. That
ends it, and for me to turn around
few hours or a few weeks or a few
months for that matter and call them
together again would be folly to say
the least. There is nothing now to in
dictate that a special session would re-
suit in different bill than 1 have just
vetoed. There are not only no indica-
tionS but have had no assurances
from individual members that would
justify proclamation calling an extra
ordinary session. 1 certainly should
not call a session unless 1 should be
given such assurances, either by a Suf-
f1cient number Of members or in the
form of petitions from the people in
dicating 2 popular desire for another
trial by this legislature. AS it stands
now there is no prospect of a special
session.
The present railroad law on the
statute books is of little value to the
we can get better one. The state can
survive anything; it is only a question
of how long the people will stand it.
Whether they will stand it two years
longer is a question. We will have to
fight it out in 1898 and see
The Populist leaders have decided to
make no further effort to pass a rate
bill at this session.
Should the members who are opposed
to maximum rate bill go home and ex-
perience a change of sentiment and in
dicate their willingness to pass a maxi
mum bill, the governor will call a spec
ial session, otherwise there will be
none.
The senate now blocks the way. %
members of that body being opposed to
maximum bill. 1t is claimed that a
Republican will be elected to succeed
Senator Harris, making "a members
who would be opposed to a maximum
bill. A PopUlist will succeed Lewelling
who will become a member of the state
board of railroad commissioners when
the session adjOurns.
The senate will control % members. a
majority of two who are unalterably
opposed to a maximum bill for four
years which, unless reverses of senti-
ment occur, will prevent during anoth-
er session of the Legislature the enact
expect to perpetuate their party in
Kansas.