The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-01-04
A CALL OF THE HOUSE.
Sergeant-At-Arms Lugs in the
Necessary Missing Members.

The Populist leaders in the house were
frightened for the first time since the
opening of the special session yester-
day afternoon. For three hours the
doors of the hall were locked under a
call of the house and the ''beIIweth-
ers" of the Populist side were in sus-
pense as to the fate of the Clemens bill
supplemental to the new railroad law,
which gives force to that measure. It
was of the greatest Importance that it
be passed, and consequently it was an
afternoon of anxiety to the Populist
leaders.
The bill had been reported back to
the house from the committee of the
whole with a recommendation for pas
sage, and was called up by. Brown of
Pratt before the consideration of the
resubmission resolutions. 1t was read
for the third time and the roll called.
When the vote was announced it was
found that but So had voted in favor of
the bill.
On the final vote Graves of Leaven-
worth, Smith of Sherman, Armstrong
of Wyandotte and Marks of Jefferson,
all Populists voted against it because
of the strike provision. The result show
ed eight votes lacking for a constitu-
tional majority.
Brown of Pratt at once demanded a
call of the house. The doors were lock-
the absentees resulted in raising the
number in favor of the passage of the
bill to 81, two less than the constitu-
tional majority.
piled with warrants for the members
still absent and started out to find
them.
Gray of Lyon Brought In.
Gray of Lyon, who has been i'll for
several days, was the first man found
and was brought into the hall support
ed on the arm of the sergeant-at-arns.
He voted AYE making the number 81.
One vote was still lacking. While the
sergeants- alarms continued their search
oh hn let d1r-y
crowded around the PopulistS who had
voted against the bill and argued for a
change in vote. The arguments had no
effect.
Brown of Pratt had stated in explain
ing his vote that the bill was the foun-
dalton of the new railroad law. The
leaders realized that the failure of the
bill would leave the railroad measure
without force.
1t was then decided to suspend the
call of the house temporarily and pro-
coed with the consideration of the re-
submission resolutions. This was done.
At the end of an hour Brown of Pratt
demanded another call of the abSentees.
The call did not increase the number in
favor of the bill 1t was again laid
aside temporarily until the Hackney
amendment was disposed Of By that
time all the absent members in the
city were in the hall and again Brown
of Pratt demanded call of the alb
sentees.
Wallace voted AYE" bringing the
number to IS, the constitutional ma
jority. Dalton, however, at once chang
ed his vote from AYE to no." reduce
ing the number to g. Harvey voted
AYE" again making the constitutional
majority, but the Populist had hardly
started to applaud when Simmons
changed his vote from "aye" to no.
Dalton Changes Again.
By this time, Dalton had decided TO
make another change and changed his
vote back to AYE" Ernst and Sim
mons quickly made the same kind of a
change, bringing the number in favor of
the bill to Go, two votes more than a
constitutional majority. Speaker Pro
Tenn Weilep brought his gavel down
with a crash and declared the bill pass
ed 1t will now go to the senate.
The house then took recess until 7:30
o'clock in the evening.