The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-11-15
NO SESSION.
Little Probability That Gov.
Leedy Will Call
A Special Session of the Legis-
Iature.
A MAJORITY SPEAKS
Against a Special Session at
the Conference
In the Governors Room at
fha State HOuS0.
A MAJORITY SPEAKS

There will be no special session of
the legislature. Governor Leedy refuses
to make any definite statement to that
effect but he has intimated as much.
''I am still thinking the matter over
he said today in reply to question from
a reporter as to what he intended to do
Cant you tell something about your
decision, gOvernor?'
Well he said, Il suppose you know
I had a little party of those interested
last night to talk this thing over. Some
of them were pro and some con, but
they were mostly con. Now you will
have to guess from that what VIII
do.
This special session proposition" the
governor continued, was not anything
that I originated. I understood that
some of my friends wanted a special
session called, and as they wanted to
talk with me about it I set last night
for the talk They came and they talk
ed. And there it ended
It is stated by those close to the gov
ernor that he would not hesitate to call
a special session if he was sure what
the legislature would do when they
got here If he thought they would
pass a railroad law, and one or two
other good measures and then go home
he would call the legislature together at
once. But he is afraid they won't do
that '',The legislature has not been
broken to ride said one of the COVER
nor's intimate friends today, ''and he is
afraid he cannot control it."
When Governor Leedy called his eau
Gus to order there were present United
States Senator W. A. Harris, Chief JUS
tice Doster, Congressman W d. Nln-
cent, Associate Justice 5 ID. Alien,
of ard
of regents of the state Agricultural col
lege; John w. Breidenthal, state bank
commissioner; Taylor Riddle, chairman,
and W 7. Upton, secretary OF the stats
central committee; H. S. Lands, war
den of the penitentiary; E. V. Wharton,
state oil inspector; H s Martin, late
candidate for congress in the Fourth
district; James Butler, assistant SUI
perintendent of the reform school; II.
B. Fleharty, deputy oil inspector; J. G
Mccoy, live stock inspector; Judge c
2. FOote, insurance examiner; Ed
Pfost, city judge of Kansas City; w.
L. Brown, eX-chairman of the state
board of charities; H. G. Jumper, chair
man. w. D. Street, Frank Shane and
P. H. Dolan, members of the state board
of charities; Joseph Riggs, state ac-
cOuntant; John Dryden and 7. D. Beal,
member of the live stock sanitary COM
mission; H. N. Boyd, assistant adjutant
general; J. NJ. Senter, secretary, and
Richard COyle, clerk of the board Of
railroad commissioners; J. NJ. Tanner.
steward of the Topeka asylum; George
IT. McGrath, state mine inspector; G..
c. Clemens, supreme court reporter; R.
H. Semple deputy bank commissioner;
John Martin, clerk of the supreme
court; Private Secretary J. NJ Lewis, J.
w. MOrphy and George Harrison, of the
Topeka Advocate.
Among the conspicuous absentees
were Attorney General Boyle, State Au-
ditOr Morris, Secretary of State Bush,
superintendent Stryker, Treasurer Hef-
lebOWer, Major Harvey, Webb McNal,
superintendent of insurance, and W. P.
Dillard chairman of the board of rail-
road commissioners. Webb McNa1l
and Treasurer HefebOWer were both
absent from the city. Auditor Norris
said that his health would not permit
him to venture out after night. Mr..
Boyle and Judge billiard called on the
governor before supper and expressed
themselves as opposed to the proposed
special session. Secretary Bush was
around the state house until after 10
o'clock, but he refused to go into the
caucus or have anything to do with it.
When asked a s to his reasons he simply
said that he was newspaper man and
he understood newspaper men were eX-
cluded. Mr.. Bush has expressed him.
self in favor of the extra session.
G. G. Clemens said that there is more
hope of the present legislature accom-
pllShlnS something than OF any other
legislature, because they have no rea-
son to be afraid now that they are po-
htically dead for the present.
the proposition. He said that the ma
jority of IA which the Populists had in
the session of two years ago had prac-
tically dwindled tO-a minority. He cited
eight representatives in the Seventh dis
trict alone who, he said, he knew per-
sOnally would vote to go home on the
first day the session convened. Brown
of Pratt and Glenn Fairchild, of king
man, he said, We're both fighting the
administration, another member had
moved to Oklahoma, and others were
sulking. I'VE have no hone of accom-
plishing anything if we do have a spec
ial session. concluded Mr.. Brown. 1.-THE
people ought to rule and they have
spoken. The spoils should go to the
victOrS. If you want to wind up our
chances and give the Republicans a
perpetual lease in Office, there is no bet
ter way than to call a special session
of the legislature"
The conference was purely an inform
al one, and the object, as stated by
Governor Leedy, was to consider the
advisibility of cOnvening the legislature
In special session and to consider any
other matter for the good of the party
Wnlcn might come up. Every little while
some one would allude to the cause of
the defeat of the Populist party. Some
aLttIbuIed It to the lack of railroad leg
1SIaUon, others to the stay at home
vote and others to the fact that some
OF Mckinney 8 war policy, which had led
some voters to believe that they ought
to stand by the president
John W. BreidenthaI advocated the
cause or the special session He wanted
the legislature to enact railroad legisla-
the railroad commissioners by the direct
vote of the people in off years" and
giving the board sufficient power to
regulate rates.