The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-01-09
House of Representatives Ad-
journs For a Day.
Gives Speaker Barker Time to
Make Up Committees.
A RUSH FOR PLACES.
Resolution Over a Night Watch
man Starts a Skirmish.
Mr. McKeeTer Shelves It All by
a Ruling.

One day of toll, followed by another
OF rest. is the easy schedule upon which
the house has started in After per-
functory session Tuesday afternoon the
legislators of the lower house deter
mined TO wait until Thursday morning,
ten o'clock before resuEling business.
Those members who live within striking
distance wrote their names on pieces Of
gummed envelopes. pasted their illus
trious cognomens on their chairs and
desks, hshed out their railroad passes
from a pocketful OF bills. resolutions
and memorials and went home for a
day Speaker Barker is given today to
make up his committees
They had listened to the reading OF
the governors message picked out their
seats and haggled a moment over some
very minor appointments. 1T was hard
~ the message that made them tired
only one elderly member was observed
10 go to- sleep while four young men
gave the document the blandest express
sion they knew how because they want
cd 70 read their way in TO jobs as
reading clerks
IT, K Richie. Of Crawford county. a
serious looking young man with wide
brow and high forehead and a gentle,
penetrating, even enunciation was the
first reader to try his voice on the mes
sage He was later selected as first
reading clerk on motion OF SeatOn- The
message was given over into the hands
OF q committee consisting of Mason of
Finney. Rees of Allen and Durham of
Lincoln. by them TO be divided up and
apportioned among standing commit
tees.
After the reading of the message there
was nothing further to do but choose
seats or get up fight. They did both
The seats were awarded by lot after
the old members, deaf and infrm, had
been allowed first choice There was
quite a football rush for the seats that
were left as the counties were drawn
from the hat
1t was now time for the fight. One
big one could not be secured, apparent
ly. SO they trOtted out two little ones
with some desult0ry skirmishing on the
side
Noah IT, Bowman. PopuIist member
from Anderson, introduced "a resolution
20 provide for a committee of seven to
inspect the titles of bills before they are
presented His idea is that many cases
are lost in court on technica1ities be-
cause the titles of bills are detective
ne republicans jumped on it right and
leIL Ihey held II meant another stand
ing committee with a clerk and stenog-
rapher and that the house. in committee
Of the whole, inspected the titles of bills
This was one little fight
Members began jumping up to put
Forward by resolutions. candidates for
places thus created. Lawrence Of Suun-
ne. .ier wanted night watchman appointed
10 look after Representative hall His
resolution named c. ". Banta
IN the skirmish that followed Ed Nc
heeNer tried to look like Tom Reed. and
succeeded Harris Of Lyon moved the
whole matter be referred to the ser
geant-at-arms as it seemed to lie with
lh MS province to keep custody Of hall
IIopeEty- IhIs motion prevailed. where
upon Major Remington discovered that
tney mad given a minor officer a piece
oI pie 20 hand out at his own sweet
Mll- Ine chair then ruled that the mo-
tion had not carried at All ana tba
Mnole matter was shelyed under the
Speaker Barker was granted a. door
-. espeI. stenographer and page on mo-
ton OF Francis Of Allen.
As the speaker has been iii and could
not make up his committees adiollrn-
iiieut was taken until Thursday morning
at 10 o'clock. as there would he NJ b,isj7
ness that could be transacted todax-