The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-12-17

Senator Forney Sees No Use
in it But viii Help.
MAJORITY is INDIFFERENT
What Is Proposed for the
Session.

Wichita is not holding any jubilee over
tie idea Of an extra session. Everybody
IS talking about it. OF the twenty five
Pops whom the representative of the
Eagle talked with about the matter at
least half were Indifferent, as many as
eight were against it and this leaves about
one-dhiTd of the party, on this average,
really in favor of an extra session. Sen
stor Forney. of Belle Plaine. was one of
the number. He was a leader in the Pop
renate TWO years ago. He said that the
calling OF an extra session now was a
piece Of foolishness.
When asked If he would oppose the
measures likely to be introduced az the
session, he said:
NO. l shan vote with the party on
Whatever measures are proposed for the
benefit of the state, but think We should
have done something when we had the
opportunity. that's all. There was no
sense in our going UP there and staying
over regular term and now after tine
election has been carried by the Republic
cars, rllrn around and call a special ses-
sion TO do what we ought to nave done
In the first place. However. 1 hope it
Will result in some good Jaws. 1 shall
Go all I can ~ help
A Z. Helm was against any extra ses-
sion. OF the others who opposed the plan,
come We're afraid that after the members
were there something would come up to
prevent any good work in Jhe limited
time they world have and failure, of
course. they regarded as a final defeat of
the party in Kansas.
Others opposed the scheme on account
Of the great expense it would incur
Most Republicans. Ayhen the subject of
a special session was mentioned, simply
laughed. Some of them swore. A few
were willing TO cancede tg1at if Leedy
regarded it as a matter of necessity, he
mad a perfect right to call an extra ses-
sion. Taken all in ala the voters and tax
payers are heartily against the special
session.
Among the measures ITO be proposed are
first, railroad bill. AS stated in the
call, the object of the session is TO enact
some sort of a railroad law that will sat
iefy the demands of the Populists. just
what kind of law this will be is as yet
81 matter OF speculation, each Pop being
afraid to venture an opinion. 1t is gen
orally agreed that whatever bill may be
PASSED WEI provide that the members of
the railroad board shall be elected by the
people directly; and, further, that the
board shall have absolute power to fix
rates
The last requirement. is hard to over
come, as uae fixing of rates has been F1eld
10 be fr1ctio namenable to strict inter-
predictions and rulings Of the supreme
court
This was the chief weakness of the bill
prepared by Ed. Little for Governor Leedy
and submitted 6y the latter to all the
members OF the legislature when he tried
some time ago to intimidate them into
giving a promise TO the Pop oracle of
Kansas to work fer its passage. G. C.
Clemens. who first suggested such a bill.
has said repeatedly that the document as
completed by Ed. Little was full of
holes meaning that it would never stand
the test of Hhe supreme court.
Senator Ha rri; hill was a literal tran
script OF fsAA famous Iowa maximum
freight rate daiw The cream of it was
contained in section 10, which provided
that
The board of railroad commissioners OF
this state are hereby empowered and d.
rected to make for each of the railroad
corporations doing business in this state. |
rs soon as practicable. subject to the aim
itations and restrictions herein contained /
q schedule of reasonable maximum rates |
and charges for the transportation of |
freight and cars. on each of said railroads |
and said power TO make schedules. shall |
include the pOrNar 20 make classifcations /
Of all SUCH frets5hts. and Il shall be the
duty Of said commissioners to make such |
classification.
Section Is OF That bin. as printed re-
neatedly in the Eagle two years ago while
the Pops we're in regular session, is as |
follows:
Said commits sioners whenever they have /
sufficient reason TO believe that any com
mon carrier Is violating any of the orovis- I
ions Of this asst. snail al once institute an
inquiry in the same manner and TO the
same effect. as though complaint had been
made
The three objects in view bv the Pom
leaders are 70 pass a maximum rate law.
2 new banking law. repeal metropolitan I
police law, abolish the board of pardons
and nut the state institutions under civlI
service.
w ~