Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1899-01-07
IN SPECIAL SESSION.
Kansas Legislature convsses at the Call OF
Gov. Leedy 10 Act ON the Rail-
road Question.

The railroad bill was read for tho second
time In the senate on the soth and further con-
sideration postponed until the Sist An emer.
gency was declared and the house bill appro-
priating 10000 for legislative expenses was
passed without opposition The Joint resolu-
lions providing for the election Of state printer
BY tho people, and for increasing the legislative
sessions 70 100 days ut 10 o day salary for each
man were recommended for passage .... In the
house partisan debate was started when
Representative Mccarthy rep). OF Jefferson
county. called for the report Of the bribery In
vestigating committee Tho motion calling
for report was finally tabled Bills were In
troduced In the house increasing the power
and the Jurisdiction Of the railroad court;
creating q state insurance system; preventing
the granting Of franchises TO street railway
companies without o vote Of the people.
and giving city councils the power TO
condemn public utilities and assume
their management and control In the
interest OF the cities Tho following bills
were reported for passage: The McNall bill re-
quiring every foreign Insurance company do
ing business In Kansas 70 pay annually state
tux Of two per cent on oil premiums collected;
for state insurance Of school property; prohibit
ing the sale OF prison coal on the market: re-
ducing passenger rates TO 2x cents o mile for
adults and W cents for children; for insurance
against loss by hailstorms The latter bill
provides that so or more people who own or
ore financially interested In ct least GOD acres
OF grain may mutually insure each other against
loss by hail The feature requiring 1000 acres
OF land was stricken out
TIE railroad bill which the house had passed
on the Goth was passed by the senate on the
3ist by o vote Of 20 ayes TO IS noes The fu-
sionists. except Senator thinner Of Wyan-
Aaff WI nd In far h
licans voted against Il Populist Senators
Hanna. Lewelling and Farrelly voted for the
bill under protest. Senator Lamb introduced
o resolution protesting against the seating OF
Congressman-e elect Roberts, Of Utah, and IL
was adopted without opposition The bill
making q reduction Of 20 per cent In the fees
OF state printer was reported favornbly. The
following bills were recommended for passage:
Creating state society Of miners; providing
for state uniformity Of textbooks: raising the
salaries OF legislators from 10 10 Is per day..
The house rules, rs agreed upon by the populist
caucus, were adopted the republicans
voting solidly against them Brown, Of Pratt.
introduced bill prohibiting the issuing OF
railroad passes 10 any person. Among the
bills reported favorably were: Requiring rail-
roads to give stock shippers passes or stand
responsible for the injury OF stock In ship
ments; reducing telegraph rates: restricting
the output Of penltcntlary coal: requiring oil
chattel mortgage transactions to be recorded;
abolishing the state board Of railroad COM
missioners A protest from the Kansas State
Teachers association against state uniformity
Of high school textbooks was received. The
rcsubmission resolution was referred back
The bill to let county printing TO the lowest
bidder and the bill TO elect county printers by
O vote OF the people were reported adversely.
THE senate on the Cd killed the bill increas-
ing the regents Of the state university from six
10 seven. Senator Hanna presented q bill for
the election OF state insurance superintendent;
Hanna's bill increasing the paw Of state sena-
tors from e 70 IS day was killed The bill
creating q court OF common pleas for Chero- |
kec and Crawford counties passed the senate.
The bill prohibiting the issuing Of passes to
anyone except railroad employees. and for the |
Of passenger rates to two cents q |
mile were reported favorably -. The bill to |
abolish the state board Of pardons |
was defeated. lacking eight votes OF
o majority The bill giving counties |
along the Arkansas river the right to raise |
money to fight the Colorado irrigation COM |
panies was defeated Among the bills passed |
by the house were the following: Taxing for |
eign insurance companies four per cent on all |
premiums received on business In Kansas:
counties townships and cities from |
voting bonds In MD Of railroads; an oct author
izing 80 or more farmers TO organize u mutual |
insurance company against the destruction OF
by hail: nm act repeating oil laws
creating md governing the present state board
,f railroad commissioners
THE house on the Sd passed n supplemental
railroad bill. forbidding compulsory prepay
nent OF freight and giving the court OF visita-
lion power TO sit rs court OF arbitration 1t
required call OF the house. lasting oil after
loon. to rally enough votes 10 pass It The
resolution favoring resubmission and the one
avoring constitutional convention were de-
eated in the house. The house passed the
bill placing fraternal beneficiary societies un-
Ter control Of the state insurance department
md knocking out wildcat" fraternal orders
rhe house also passed the bill creating q
common pleas court for Crawford and Chero-
zee counties. The house killed the bills re.
luclng passenger rates to 2h cents per mile and
% prohibit the sale OF prison coal on the open
market Gov Leedy transmitted MESSAGE 70
he Legislature conveying his approval OF the
abroad bill and the bill 70 tax insurance COM
,anies THE senate recommended for passage
he Titus bill reducing telegraph tolls and
,lacing telegraph lines under the control OF the
lew court OF visitation. Senator Stones bill
the removal Of all appointive on
es except after conviction Of crime, was
filled, as was also the referendum bill The
enate. by vote OF s!to o. Endorsed Gen Long
treet's scheme for q government railroad from |
<ansas CITY 10 the Pacific coast