The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-06-23
Have THREE Bills
Shawnee Business Men Outline
Needed Legislation.
The Bridge Construction May Be
Made Optional.

AS the result of meeting called for
and held at the Commercial club rooms
Monday afternoon several bills are un-
der preparation in the hands Of COM
rnittee of five Topeka lawyers who will
be charged with the business of present
ing them to the proper legislative com
mittees. The discussion of these bills
was commenced in Monday afternoon s
meeting. 1t was continued by the COM
mittee on state and national legislation
of the Commercial club this morning
and has finally been left in the hands
of Judge T. F. Carver. County Attorney
Otis E. Hungate. City Attorney Charles
F. Spencer, NJ. T. Campbell and j. j.
Schenck.
At least three bills will be prepared.
One of these will be a general bill au-
thorizing the county commissioners to
compromise taxes. The committee. in
its discussion this morning, Concluded
that the passage of such d bill would
be the most practicable way in which to
legallze the reduction of taxes for flood
sufferers. In the past the commi sslon-
erS have exereisssA this poser although
not vested with any spzcifIsu authority
for doing 1t. The iidea OF drawing a
bill under which a readjustnent Of the
assessment rolls might De accomplish
ed was abandoned
Under d separate bill the county will
ask for authority to reconstruct or re
pair its damaged bridges The county
commissioners do not want the repass-
age of the act of 1901 under which they
were *.authorized and directed" to build
four bridges They want TO be empoW-
cred to rebuild the bridges when the
county has the money County Com
missioner Haynes expressed the opinion
that it would cost about $4,000 to put
the four new bridges back into proper
shape and that the work might be con-
tinued for two or three years.
It is likely that the law committee
will see fit to prepare two bills author
izing the city to issue bonds.
Bonds for the purpose of repalrng
streets and bonds for the purpose 81
extending relief to flood sufferers g ?
probably not be authorized In the same
bill Authority to raise money tor bofh
purposes Is desired by the city and by
the county and before it finishes IT,
work it is not unlikely that the law
committee Will have produced hals
dozen different bills. A meeting of the
law committee has been called for 5
o clock this afternoon
At Yesterdays meeting in the Com
7aercial club rooms there were present.
besides several members of the club.
four or Ave members of the city councli.
the county commissioners, Capt. H. NJ
Philips County Clerk A. Newman, ex~
Representative A. F. Williams, Pepre-
CLANCY, Trustees NJ T. Watson 0f
Tecumseh township W. n. Perdum Of
Soldier. E. A Ward of Nenoken. W }.
Ixirkna trick of Rossville. and Ed Hew-
ms of Dover. Several other prominent
farmers from different parts of Shaw
nee county were present All attested
the serious condition in which farmers
along the Kaw found themselves and
all were in favor of an immediate re-
duction of taxes if possible. There was
also manifest a strong sentiment favors
able to the immediate replacement Of
the Kaw river bridges.