The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-01-24
.INEFFICACY
OF PRAYER.
The Senate Chaplain Prayed
For Harmony to Prevail
And Nothing But Continuous
Rows Followed.
THREE TIMES A WAR
OF Words Broke Out About One
Thing and Another.
One Was About as Small a Thing
as the Electric Lights.

The senate met at o'clock Monday
afternoon. the session being ushered in
by fervent prayer by the chaplain,
who expressed the wish that harmony
might prevail. In the two hours which
the session lasted there were three dis
tinct and separate scraps.
First Senators Householder and
Jumper clashed over a resolution by
the former providing for an investiga-
ton of the state institutions by spec
ial committee.
Then Senator Hessin and Senator
Forney came together over the 1atter's
resolution to have the electric lights
turned off in the committee rooms.
Then Senators Hessin, Titus, Lewell-
ing and King had a controversy over
Senator HesSin'S concurrent resolution
carrying appropriations to pay the sal
aries of employees and members OF the
special session.
Mr.. Householder's resolution, pre-
scented soon after the senate convened,
follows:
Whereas, The report of the state
board of charities has not been pub
lished and no recommendation having
been made by it to the legislature con-
corning the needs of these Institutions;
and,
whereas, Each institution is asking
for large appropriations at the hands of
the present session of the legislature,
therefore be it
Resolved, That the committee on
charitable institutions of the senate is
hereby authorized to visit the various
charitable institutions under the control
of the state board of trustees of charita-
BILE institutions for the purpose of in
quiring into the needs of these institu-
tions and to report the same to this
body. The committee is hereby author
lied to take with it a clerk and stem
ogra pher for the purpose of making
such reports. That the members of
said committee and the clerk and stem
ographer shall receive their actual ex-
penses incurred in making such trips
and reports for use of this body"
AS soon as the resolution was read
Mr.. Jumper denounced it as scheme
to get somebody job and declared that
no special committee could do the work
half as well as the members Of the
board of charities who had charge of
the institutions.
Senator LeweIling moved an indefinite
postpOnement of the resolution and it
was laid upon the table. The report of
the board of charities was held up by
the Populist secretary of state, but Mr..
Jumper has prepared a list of the rec
concentrations made by the board and
will present them to the senate for con-
SideratiOn, after which the Householder
resolution will be again taken up.
Senator Forney had a, streak of econ
Omy and introduced resolution order
ing the sergeant-at alarms to see that the
electric lights in the building are turn
ed off, especially in committee rooms.
He said the globes cost % cents and
would burn only so hours.
said it was a joke to order the lights
turned off. I'VE have" said Mr.. Hessin,
lone of the finest and best light plants
to be secured in the state house. 1t is
in operation all the time and 1 can't see
the sense of turning off lights in COM
mittee rooms and corridors, especially
when it is dark therein The lights cost
from II to rs cents and will burn 600
hours"
Senator Jumper took a turn at For
ney and said: We have got the lights,
TrN
the dark
.'Oh, let it go then" said Forney af-
ter Senator Coleman had given the
resolution a rounding, up The vote was
then taken and Mr. Forney stood alone
in supporting the proposition.
Then Senator Hessin asked that his
concurrent resolution providing for the
payment of the members for the spec
ial session lie over and retain it's place
on the calendar.
Il move as a substitute that it be in
definitely postponed" said Mr.. Titus.
Il made no motion" said Mr.. Hessin.
Il beg the senator's pardon. 1 never
knew him to talk so much before and
not make motion" said Titus.
May heaven help YOU" retorted Hes
sin. L am not responsible for your
shortcomings. I didn't make you and
had nothing to do with the job
Senator Lewelling who had been
calmly smoking over by window re-
turned to his seat and said:
Il think this. talk is out of order.
There is no motion pending"
THE point of order is well taken"
said President Richter
II make motion that the resolution
be indefinitely postponed" said Senator
King.
Il object to this said Mr. Hessin
1.-THE resolution has not been reached in
regular order on the calendar"
Didn't you call it up said Mr. King.
mo, I asked that it go over until
the members were hard up and then 1
believe it will pass replied Hessin.
Mr.. Hessin was about to make a.
speech when Senator King arose and
said1
Il make the point of order -
THE point of order is sustained" in
terjected Mr.. Richter.
Il suggest" said Hessin, that the
chair first hear what is said before he
rules"
1.-THE point is that the resolution is be-
ing disposed of in regular order,' said
Richter.
Correct" exclaimed Mr.. King
II object to the presidents being
mind reader said Hessin.. He had the
last word but the senators sustained
the motion to Indefinitely postpone the
resolution.