The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-01-21
LIVELY TIME IN HOUSE
Adams, of Butler, Said InYesti.
cation Would Be Expensive.
Chandler, Of KiOwa, Says His
People Want to Know.
Three Members, of House, Two
from Senate, to Investigate.

The legislature win investigate the
coal famine A resolution offered by
Mcmillan at Tuesdays session was ta-
ken up at 10 o'clock this morning as
special business and was adopted after
IS minutes of discussion. It was then
sent to the house of representatives
which adopted it with an amendment
requiring that q report on the investi-
cation be made in IS days. The senate
accepted the amendment. AS soon as the
two members Of the senate and the
three members of the house have been
named by the presiding officers, the in
vestigating committee viii begin its
work
It win be the duty of this committee
to determine whether or not the coal
famine is attributable to the action of
the railroads. the refusal of the mine
operators to sell their product or the in
ability of the mines to get enough men
TO dig the coal 1t viii have power to
summon and examine witnesses and to
enforce attendance at its sessions It's
report will be made in writing and one
of the senate stenographers will be i'm
pressed to take the testimony offered
Mcmillan of Minneapolis, the author of
the resolution opened the discussion
He said: While. as I stated yesterday,
I consider an investigation of the condi-
tions which produce the great and un-
+ parallened coal famine. the most i'm
portant business before this legislative
session. its importance has been borne
home more strongly to me by a letter
from a citizen of my home town. Mime
apolis. which states that there is not
pound of coal to be purchased at any
la~ of rii
pings from the leading papers of the
state showing the conditions of famine
which now exist and calling for action
from this body for the relief of the peo-
pie of the state.
Senator Miller of Usage, was ready with
a reply. Miller is from the center of
the field from which most of Topeka 8
fuel when it has any. is drawn He
made an able defense for his cOnstitu
ency claiming a shortage of workmen.
/ He asserted that the Usage county op-
( era tors are ready and willing to dig coal
but can't get men. Senator Householder
of Cherokee next claimed the floor. He
said:
This is no partisan matter. live in
a coal district myself; I have been en-
4 gagged in the coal business myself and
am able to answer my friend from
! Usage by saying that whenever have
( applied at the shafts of my own county
I have been informed that the shortage
/ was not of men but Of cars Inquiry at
there are cars but no power to move
them. This IS a case where the legis-
lature is called upon by the people OF
this state to find what is the cause Of
the conditions embarrassing them
Senators Pestana of Russell. Simons
of Sumner, Noftzger Of Harper, Porter
( of Crawford. Branine of Harvey. White
of Jewell. King Of COWley and More
house of Norris spoke in favor of the
resolution.
The house had a coal famine discus
sion this morning, which was more of a
debate than any which has yet hap
pened in the house.
1t came up on a motion by Dunn OF
PottawatOnie to substitute the senate
resolution providing for legislative in
Westigation of the coal famine.
Adams Of Butler Immediately jumped
up to oppose the proposed investiga
tiO=--
1T will cost $1,000 he declared, "and
won't amount to anything The winter
viii be over and the legislature adj
journed before the investigation could
be completed"
This brought Chandler of Kiowas to
his feet Kiowa county probably has a
worse time getting coal than any other
county in the state. because the rail-
roads appropriated what the dealers or
dered and they could not get more
The people of my county are de-
manding to know about this business, ?,
Chandler said IF there had been a
blizzard some of the people OF my cOun-
ty would actually have suffered be-
cause they could not buy coaL They
want to know why they can't get it.
Five thousand dollars is a very small
consideration when the lives of our con-
stituents are in danger"
"I would ike to ask the gentleman a
question. said Adams of Butler. What
could the legislature do in case it made
1T depends upon the cause" replied
Chandler
mo. it doesn't said Adames The
prOba bilities are that it IS simply a
shortage of coal, and the legislature
can't do anything about it"
Fisher Of Crawford said the mines
are getting out all the coal they can be
cause the high prices furnish an incen-
tive to them to do so. and that the mon
ey would co more good if it should be
spent in buying coal for the poor instead
of in making an Investigation.
Adams Of Sedgwick said he thought
the time for the investigation should be
I limited in order that it should be as
t speedy as possible, and he moved to
refer the resolution to the committee on
resolutions TO be fixed up
Bucklin of Thomas made a speech in
support Of the Immediate passage Of the
/ resolution. He said the coal belongs by
a -