The Globe-republican. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1889-1910, 1901-02-28

by practically every Repub mem
Der of the Senate and House and it is
reasonably certain OF passage as it
Is now drawn, that 1t is fair to con-
slider it as law.
The manner in which this
~ bill was prepared is in |
- such striking contrast to
the star chamber methods that marked
the preliminary steps in the Court of
Visitation bill that it is worth con-
sidering- It will be remembered that
when the Court of Visitation bill was
about until it was brought into the Pop
caucus ready made 1t was rushed
through the caucus under whip and /
spur, without amendment or debate,
and put through both houses in the |
same way The authorship of the bill |
was variousIy ascribed at the time to |
David Oyermeyer, E. c. Little, David |
Martin and Attorney General Boyle /
but each of these gentlemen hastened |
to deny any part or lot in it, Perhaps /
when Bailie Waggener is on his death t
bed we may learn who wrote it, but |
until that time it's parentage remains
UNKNOWN Bastard IN Its makeup as
well as parentage, it remains a found
ling whom no one will acknowledge
The present railroad bill is a Repub
1ican measure and was framed in this
way The two railroad committees OF
the Senate and House, composed of
some OF the ablest members of both
branches. and representing all political
parties, first met in joint session They
considered the three or four railroad
/ bills that had been introduced They
/ listened to everyone who desired to be
| heard, farmers, cattle shippers, miIlers,
grain men, lumber men. coal men,
railroad attorneys and freight agents.
| IN short, all classes who are interested
| in transportation For days and weeks
| the hearings were had, open to every
| one Then the various bills, the rail
road commissioner law, and the sim
| liar laws of other states were carefully
| analysed and discussed in the light OF
the hearings already had. Opinions
| were interchanged and gradually the
| sentiments and views of the full COM
mittees crystallized into shape Then
| a subcommittee from both houses was
| appointed who prepared bill in the
light of all that had been gathered
| from all sources Then this bill was
ing jointly 1t was again considered
line by line Changes were made and
! then a Republican caucus was called,
attended by every Republican senator,
and 81 out of S3 members of the
House, and the completed bill was sub
mitted to this caucus Here 1t was
| again read and discussed line by line,
| and a few important amendments
| made, and SO it stands as Republican
bin.
No legislative measure in Kansas
| was ever so carefully, openly and pub
| Iicly considered and formulated as this
bill, and it stands to-day the strongest
| in the Union
The bill is too long to re
me siil produce in full. 1t con-
In Detail sists of forty sections,
and briefly analysed it provides for a
Board of Railroad Commissioners,
consisting of three members. one OF
whom must be of the minority party,
chosen by the executive council on
April l. 1901; one for one year one for
two years and one for three years and
every year thereafter one member is
chosen for 4 term of three years The
members receive 81, 500 per annum and
select a secretary at $1,000 and a stem
| ographer at 81 200 This cuts off one
clerk from the old law and makes il
cheaper in cost than any other com
| mission board
given general supervisory powers over
all railroad lines, express companies
sleeping car companies and common
carriers 1t has power to subpoena
and examine witnesses, administer
| oaths and compel the production Of
! books and papers, and a refusal to
| appear before it and testify or produce
t | books and papers is made misde
: | meanOr-
woe Eo" rolling stock and equip
CTS ment of railroads, ad
ditions or changes IN station houses
change or reduction in rates and sucf
| general changes in the manner of Oper
| ating or conducting the railroads O
l | the state as may be shown to be to tht
!. | public interest 1t may provide FOL
, | owning or leasing of cars by shipper:
with regulations for loading, hauling
, | and returning same and charges fOl
both as well as for loading by com
{ pany on return haul 1t may ordel
connecting switches and tracks be
tween crossing or parallel lines anc
: regulations thereof, order cOnstruc
r ton of new depots, switches and side
tracks to accommodate traffic 1t ha:
| full control over questions concerning
| crossings of one road over another ant
complete and absolute power to su
: pervise and reduce rates of transpor
S tatiOn.
q Amy person desiring to dr.
o so may condemn land 70
ErSiieSes a switch, build the sam,
and connect it with the tracks of tn,
railroad company except that between
: stations on the main line: this car
no Nit he 81 ~,
e company This latter restriction is o
= course for the general protection o
. the travelling public In order that tn.
. Board may be advised of complaints i
is provided that the mayor and council
: of any city, or the trustee of any town
ship may make complaint that tn,
rates for freight to such city town
! | ship are unreasonable, unjust or dis
eliminating, and upon such complain
the Board shall Immediately inveStI
: gate such complaint, and if shown Il
|. i-E2-i--f + + r