Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1899-01-12
Hanna IS OUT.
SENATOR FROM THIS DISTRICT
GETS WARM.
Puts His Resignation in the Hands
Of the Districts Pop Committee
Would Not Vote for the Supple
mental Railroad Bill.

nation as senator Of the Clay'Dickin-
son dis rct to this districts Populist
senatorial committee with the under
standing that they forward it to the
governor if they are dissatisfied with
his attitude in regard to railroad leg
islation
The resignation was sent to Gov
ernor Leedy this morning. He &C.
cepted it aud special election will
probably be called in this district in
80 days to elect state senator.
This greatest surprise OF all the
surprises Of Governor Leedy's special
session is the direct result Of the at
tempts Of the Populist majority to
whip certain senators into line Tor The
supplemental railroad BILL without
which they confess their Court Of Wis
itation bill is a mere farce. AS a last
desperate resort the supporters OF the
supplemental bill sent out kilograms
to constituents of the refractory Pop
ulists asking them to wire their sena-
tors to stand by the bill.
John W. Breidenthal, it is said, was
the agent selected to bring Senator
Hanna to time. Mr. Breidenthal was
very anxious to secure the passage OF
his banking measures and it is claim
ed that in consideration of votes for
his bill he consented to use his infu-
ence with friends at Sentor Hanna's
home to help swing that gentleman
in line on the railroad bill
The story goes that Mr.. Breidenthal
wired certain Clay Center Populist
to get members Of che party to wire
Senator Hanna to vote for the railroad
bill and this was done. As Senator
Hanna's attitude was consistent with
bis position two years ago he resented
this and called the bluff by rendering
his resignation.
Friday afternoon Senator Hanna re-
ceived the following dispatch:
CLAY CENTER, Jan. 6. 1899
George W. Hanna, Senate Chamber,
Topeka, Kansas:
"By all means support the supple
mentary railroad bill.
Geo. W. Mccormack, Glace, jon
son, Scroder, Hemphill, Vincent, Vim
cent. Jellum, Hemphill, Cowell, ker-
by, Mckee, Randall, Miller"
Senator Hanna Immediately wired
the following reply to W. P. Hemp
hill, secretary of the senatorial COM
mittee.for this district;
"Notify parties interested will be
home on Rock Island tonight. VIII
give them my resignation as senator
GEORGE W, HANNA"
At $50 p. m. Senator Hanna started
for Clay Center. He reached there
about II o'clock and went into con-
ference with the gentlemen who had
signed the dispatch. He explained to
them his position.
He said that he had opposed max
imum rates measure two years ago
and had been maligned for so doing
Notwithstanding this fact, the last
Populist state convention had turned
down maximum rates and sustained
his position
Then came the extra session Of the
legislature. Senator Hanna had come
with the other members and like
them had voted for the caucus rail-
road bill. Not satisfied with this the
Populist majority had tried to force
down his throat a sugar coated maxi
mum rates bill with an odious strike
provision. He refused to support IT.
Then came the real fight. The
maximum raters, angered at their de-
feat, succeeded IN getting the house
to pass the bill without the objection
able features with the avowed inten-
ton Of whipping the refractory Popu-
lists into line on some sort OF a bill
Senator Hanna stated that while he
resented this attempt to force him in
to voting against his convictions he
had told Senator King who had asked
him to move to reconsider that he
would do so if they could get votes
enough to pass the bill with the
strike feature omitted. Senator King
came to him later and said they had
the votes, when Hanna called County
Clerk Cowell and ex-Judge Ryan, two
of bis constituents, into consultation
and they advised him not to change
his original vote, saying they would
stand by him.