The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-02-11
THIS WAY OR THAT
State Officers and Legislators
Do Not Agree.
Each Wants to Dictate New
Railroad Bill.
By ELECTION OR NOT.
How Are the Commissioners to
Be Selected.
Governor Wants the Places
Made App0intiVe.
Trouble May Be Settled at Con-
ference Tonight.
By ELECTION OR NOT.

The state officers and legislators are in
row over the proposed railroad Dill.
The greatest point to be decided in the
ra1lT DAD bill in as far as the politicians
are concerned, is whether the board Of
railroad commissioners shall be elective
or appOintive, aud if appOintive, whether
BY the governor or the exective council.
After conference by the state ofncers
and the f1xerS it was decided that TIE
thing they wanted done was to have the
bill provide for the appointment OF the
commissioners by the executive council.
This would give the council good pun
and would also make them solid with
the railroads as they could and would
hold the whip handle over both the
roads and the commissioners.
This has been opposed by the polite
ians who have the good of the party at
heart, and they argue that if the board
j. made appointive it will disgust the
people who were promised during the
campaign last fall that the board would
be made elective. They expected the
governor to appoint the board to serve
unit. the time of election when the pet=
pie could elect whom they chose. If the
people are misled in this fashion on a
subject Of such great Importance tEey
claim that there is great danger Of the
parry being turned down at the next
election 1T would be the worst kind of
politics. they say, and they are fighting
against it.
The executive council and their friends
are working hard to secure their point,
and the committee has not decided what
to DO
The sub committee which was select
ed from the railroad committees of both
houses will meet tonight at ii 80 to fur
they consider the bill they will recon-
mend to the joint committee. The bill
they will report viii provide for a board
OF commissioners to consist of three
members which is to be noRpartisan, one
member OF the board to be a Democrat.
The orders Of the commissioners will be
enforced by the supreme court.
sioI.ers which is undecided is whether
they shall be elective or appOintive- The
railroads win be allowed to make the
rates, but the board viii have the auth
GRITTY and power to change the rates
when they are convinced that the rates
are not just and are discriminating.
Every organization of shippers in the
state has appeared before the committee
and has stated it's grievance and sug-
BeSred q Dill or clause introduced in a
bill which will relieve them from what
they consider unjust rates or discrimi-
nation.
The hay dealers, whose complaint was
that they could not get cars when they
wanted them will mot get the amend
ment in that they wanted. They desired
atty If they did not furnish cars when
ordered. The penalty was to be the Same
as that levied by the companies when
cars were not unloaded within the time
required by the company. The other
shippers have been satisfied that the biz
viii give them what they asked or near
" so.
When the bill comes before the Joint
committee it may be amended and there
is sure to be attempts at amendment
when It reaches the senate and house for
passage.