The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-03-09
He SCORES MILLER
Cyrus Leland Goes After Sem
ator's Soldier Record.
Monument Bill Started Trouble
in the House,
IT HAS LITTLE CHANCE
Motion to Place Bill ON Calen-
dar Is Lost.
Speaker PringIe Is Drawn Into
the Controversy.
II HAS LITTLE CHANCE

The house held an *told soldier monu-
ment" session today, in which Cyrus
Leland went rough snod after the sol-
dier record of Senator H. B. Miller.
Senator Afiller's bill to levy a state tax
to build an old soldiers monument. to
cost probably $500. 900. passed the senate
and when it reached the house it was
referred to the ways and means COM
mittee. That was ten days ago.
The trouble was started by motion
by Representative Tucker to recall the
bill from the committee and place 1t on
the calendar. That was where Mr.. Le-
land got his cue and he said:
7 am an old soldier. but am opposed
to this bill and this motion. It means
that 100000 shall be spent to build a
monument to the old soldiers here in the
state house square. Senator Tapp has
a bill to allow the county commissioners
to make a levy to build a soldiers monu-
ment in each county. AS far as my
county is concerned. We would much
prefer to take the $1,000 or $4,000 which
we are asked to put into this 100000
monument in Topeka and put it into a
monument of our own in our court
house square. where our people can see
it every time they come to town.
7 want to say further that I am op-
posed to this idea of soldiers who went
i into the army in "a and 50 and served
a. few months soldering ever since. And
In this connection want to read the old
soldier record of the author of this bill.
I Senator H. b. Miller. The records of the
war department show that he enlisted
February %. 1865. was mustered IN on
March 7, 1865, for one year. He was
mustered out on September IL, 1856.
+ Those who We're present at the Wichita
4 convention remember how this mans
shane was presented as ar=-old soldier
candidate and a long string of battles
was read in Which his regiment engaged,
but it was not told that he did not Ell
+ list till the regiment had been in the
service for three years and a half"
/ "A number of speeches were made but
the only one which made hit was one
by Barnd of Ness, who said that he WaS
an old soldier, but did not work at il
much because he was knocked out early
in the war, but he is in favor of recog-
nizing the old soldiers in more sub
+ Stantlal manner than building mOnu-
ments to them after they are dead. He
/ wanted more liberal appropriations fol
the Soldiers home at Dodge City anC
the Soldiers Orphans home at AtchisoE
rather than spending money for monu-
ments.
Representatives Barker moved tc
amend fuckers motion by giving the
ways and means committee twenty -foul
hours longer IN Which to report the Dill
but this was voted down. fuckers mo
tion was also defeated by % to so on 2
roll call.
It is said that while Senator Miller die
not enlist until 1865. he was only 10 years
old when he did enlist.
The trouble over Senator Millers oil
soldier monument bill has engenderet
bad feeling in the Usage county delega
ton. It was intimated on the floor o.
fhts h0a7sa TO-DAY that the hill WAS sen
to the ways and means committee owe
the protest of Senator Miller, but Speak
er Pringle stated that it was 50 referred
at Senator Miller's special request.
Before the bill came over from ths
senate Chairman Francis of the housl
ways and means committee, sent a not
j to Speaker Pringle stating that Senate
Miller had requested that the bill b4
} sent to the ways and means committee
and as soon as it came from the senaU
Speaker Prlngle so referred it. Tha
night it came up for action in the com
mittee, and number of members op
posed it. Later Senator Miller sent
note to the speaker asking that he re
call it from the ways and means com
mittee and send it to the committee 0
state affairs Speaker Pringle repIie
that he had no power to recall it him
self but would entertain motion t
that effect and if the house would re
call it he would then send it to the stat
affairs committee.
Pringle saw trouble ahead and he 20
written statement from Chairman
Francis that Miller had requested tina
the bill be referred to the ways an
means committee.
Meanwhile letters have been writte
to certain Usage county papers, statini
that Senator Miller's bills are not give
a fair show in the house. Senator Nil
Ter has only had two bills go from tn
Z senate to the house. one of which is thi
monument bill. The ether. a road biz
; was really good measure. but tn
house cOmmitte of roads and Highways
s which is made up largely of farmers
decided that the farmers would no
e stand for it and turned it down
: rnaiEle TIE naaM