Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1899-01-05
IN SPECIAL SESSION.
KanpaS Legislature Convenes Mt tho Call Of
Gov. Leedy to Act on the Rail-
road Question.

THE business In the senate on the oath was
largely OF n routine character, several hours
being consumed in an unsuccessful attempt by
the republicans TO have the records OF the
minutes changed. AT four o'clock nm nd
journment was taken to the Goth at four
o'clock, In the house 80 new measures were
presented, including those for convention to
revise the constitution, TO tax foreign insur-
ance companies to repeal the law creating tho
board OF pardons TO repeal the law under
which the live stock sanitary commits
sion Is appointed and substitute state veteri-
marian, to prohibit the sale Of cigarettes TO
minors, TO do away with convict coal mining,
TO prevent garnishment TO annoy debtors, TO
place express companies under control OF rail-
road commissioners and to place state institn-
Jions Under civil service, A motion TO pass the
senate emergency bill to transfer funds tailed
to pass-ayes 90; noes, ~ The house i'd
journed until four o'clock p. m. on the 26th
THE senate was in session only half hour
on the 2jth, but nearly n dozen bills were In
troduced, including the following TO create
state society OF miners; doing away with the
state mine inspuctor for bank guarantee
fund, advocated by Mr. Breldenthal, and 10
amend the garnshmont laws. In the house,
the 80 bills introduced on the ed were ad-
vanced to second reading The bill making
S3l 0J0 In the university fund available for the
legislature vas reported favoraby Ury's
Joint resolution TO repeal the penalty clause OF
the prohibitory law was read the second time
Among the new bills presented were the fol-
lowing: For state uniformity Of hlgh-school
books; to create state society OF labor for a
2h-cent-a-mile passenger rate on railroads.
and for county ownership of telephones
IN the senate on the 27th Morrow (rep), Of
Washington county, re introduced the railroad
commissioner bill which was killed In the leg
islature two years ago, Other bills introduced
we're; 10 tax foreign insurance companies
seven per cent on net premiums and American
companies Ave per cent to elect state printer
by direct vote Of the people; for the initiative
and referendum in cities and towns providing
for state textbooks in county high schools
BY vote OF % to ID the senate rules were
amended making the votes OF Is senators nee
essary TO call for the ayes and nuves instead OF
three, The house bills introduced included
the following: To abolish the Office OF coal oil
inspector; to make public the value of rail-
roads and control the amount Of railroad mort
gnges; to make the state insurance supertn-
tendent sole judge Of the sovcncy OF COM
puny and giving him absolute power to bar
companies from the state; to prevent railroads
watering" their stock allowing the collection
OF reasonable attorney fee in all cases where
In Judgment is rendered for wages or labor A
Gn air line railroad from Kansas City to the
Pacific coast was referred. The house adopted
resolutions in memory OF Representatives
Ayers Bennett, Wilson and Maxwell, members
Of the regular session of 1867, who have since
died
THE house was in session only ten minutes
on the 2Sth The senate session lasted over
an hour A joint resolution was introduced,
submitting to n vote OF the people constitu-
tional amendment placing the manufacture
and sale Of Intoxicating liquors under state
regulation; increasing the length Of Legislative
sessions to 100 days and increasing the pay of
members to is per day Important bills intro
duced were: Requiring bankers to file with
the state treasurer bond for double the
amount OF deposits; regulating corporations
and fixing the liability Of stockholders reduc-
ing the fees Of state printer; reducing passen-
ger rates to two cents mile and prohibiting
passes
BY strictly party vote Of 20 to 30 the house
on the 29th passed the bill regulating the
freight and passenger rates Of Kansas railroads
and providing for the settlement Of strikes,
The house also passed bill nppropriating S2D-
0 for expenses of members OF the legislature
to date. Among the new bills introduced we're:
TO increase the plumber OF state university
students to seven TO dissolve certain depopu-
lated school districts; providing for the iuhlc-
tion Of the death penalty in fiTst-degree murder
cases and requiring the governor to sign all
death Warrants to perpetuate the present state
textbook commission; to prohibit the re-
moval of members OF state boards except
for cause; to bar insurance companies
from Kansas who contest the payment OF
claims in the federal court. In the senate the
railroad bill was introduced by Senator King.
Other measures included the following Giving
counties the right to own their own telephone
systems; to tax insurance companies not Or
ganized under Kansas laws two per cent on
gross premiums collected in Kansas; to pre-
vent the removal from office OF any appolntee
OF the governor after confirmation by the sem
ate unless by impeachment or after trial and
conviction in the district court