Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1901-01-17

THE KANSAS LEGISLATURE.


| Oi tue Session ny tue INTRODUCTION
| OF Numerous Measures.
Topeka, Kan, Jan. l6.-The senate
and house met at noon and elected W.
Y. Morgan state printer. Senator
King nominated Grant W. Harrlng-
ton for the fusionists. The vote was
taken by roll call of senator's and rep
resentatives, each man voting as
his name was called. One hundred
and three votes were cast for Morgan
and Al for Harrington.
Many bills were introduced in the
senate. Senator Fulton wants cigar
cites barred from the state. Senator
CubbIson presented measure for the
safety of the travelling public and pro-
lection Of lives and limbs of railway
employees. Senator Morehouse wants
the time for hunting quail in Kansas
from October and November to No
vember and December Other sem
ate bills were:
10 enable cities of the first class TO
issue bonds to aid in securing rail
road shop improvements; to enable
first-class cities to condemn and &C.
quire water works plants; to tax
franchises; to fix witness fees in po-
lice court at 80 cents day; TO create
a board of railroad commissioners
and provide for the regulation Of
railroads; to amend the present cleo
ton law so as to prevent fusion; to
make the positions of city clerk, mar
shall, street commissioner and assessor
in cities of the second class ap-
pointive; to parole convicts; to hang
first-degree murderers; to provide for
the establishment Of civil service in
the state institutions; to amend the
contempt law so that a jury trial
cannot be demanded; to give the
right Of appeal IN habeas corpus cases;
TO give o man or wife the right to
testify against each other in divorce
cases; to give the school fund com
missioners the power to compromise
bonds held against counties and
municipalities in western Kansas; to
abolish the days of grace on notes; to
give the state board power to assess
express companies; to enable the or
ganization of live stock and farm cor
porations; to exempt the garnish-
ment Of wages Under Sc week; to
restore the citizenship of inmates OF
the reformatory; to permit school
districts TO drill for gas; to strength
en- the game and fish laws; to pro-
vide for deeds of trust; to amend the
grand jury law, making 1t more diff
ficult to obtain grand jury; to con-
solidate school districts in sparsely
settled communities Of the state, to be
settled by vote Of the residents Of
the districts interested; to require all
life and fire insurance companies do
ing business in Kansas to deposit with
the state treasurer bonds or other
securities in the sum of the premiums
received on Kansas business.
The name of Morton Abaugh was
sent to the senate by Gov. Stanley
for confirmation as state bank com
| missioner for four years beginning
March next. The appointment was
confirmed in executive session.
Dooley introduced in the house
bill making radical amendments OF
the divorce law. One change forbids
taking of the decree by default, II
the defendant fails to appear the
court shall appoint an attorney to
make an appearance and inquire into
the allegations set up by the plaintiff,
and for his services he shall receive a
fee of SIS, to be added to the costs,
Another section forbids the marriage
of either party within two years I ON
the date of the decree, and the plain
tiff must have bona iide residence
of u year before commencing the ac-
| ton, II abandonment, failure to
support or habitual drunkenness be
| alleged, such cause must have eX-
listed year Other important house
bills presented included the following:
To create IA judicial district in Cher
okce county; to permit Judges to set
tie bills of exceptions in chambers;
TO invalidatc deeds where the post
office addresses of the parties are not
given; to exterminate prairie dogs
by funds raised by taxation; to tax
franchises in cities of the second class;
to prohibit combinations of grain
dealers; to permit thrashers to have
| II lien on the grain for their pay;
to repeal the fish warden law, to
! increase salaries of officials of first
class cities; to repeal all equal suf-
frage laws to pay the railroads $47,-
600 for hauling the Twentieth Kansas
soldiers home; to build county high
school building in Anderson county;
to pay the wages of employees first out
of the assets of corporation or firm
, that has failed; for a constitutional
I amendment to do away with the 500
. exemption allowed the heads of frmi
: lies.
Il Republican members of the houst
E held caucus to decide about the
G employment of clerical help. A res
| olutlon to keep women of the pa;
' roll received only four votes,
David 0vermyer of Topeka, wa
nominated for senator by the fusiol