Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1903-02-06
KANSAS LEGIsLzruRE.
House and seaate Choose Presiding ON
GERS and Begtn the Grind-Pr.ngie
for Speaker.

Senator Tapp introduced q bin in tbs
senate on the 10Th authorizing cities.
townships and counties to erect monu-
ments to soldiers and sailors at public
expense Senator Miller introduced a bill
providing for a township tax to build
roads Cubbison put in bill exempting
the Patrons OF Husbandry from the pro-
visions OF the insurance laws. Noftzger
introduced a bill requiring the state to
let its funds out on deposit to the banks
making the highest interest bid. Sena-
tor Leidy introduced a truancy bill. 1t
creates the position of county tr,1ant OFF,
Ger. whose dirty 1t shall be to see that all
school children in good health attend
school and provides for the punishment
by 6ne or imprisonment, or both, OF par
ents whose children are not sent to
school,. Senator Smiths bill giving
women the right to vote for presidential
electors was introduced in the house by
LELAND, of Doniphan- Representative Ma
ton. of Neosho. introduced bill MAX
ing blackmail a felony, punishable by a
heavy fine and Imprisonment In the peni-
Tertiary A bill by Representative Speer
pers promptly. Failure to supply cars
lays the railroad liable to a forfeit of S.
day to the shipper. Many other bills
were introduced.
Each branch OF the legislature met
separately at noon on the 9th and voted
on United States senator. Chester I.
Long had majority In each house. The
two houses will hold joint session on
TIC @oth aIS9 kOrkldHS SleGl MI. Long.
Senator Allen, of Doniphan. introduced
a bill repeating the present textbook
law. Senator NoftZger introduced a bill
creating a state insurance commission
TO nix Hre insurance rates In Kansas.
Campbell, of Bourbon, introduced a reso-
luton in the house to submit q local op-
ton liquor question to a vote of the peo-
PIE. The house was in session only two
hours. After the regular programme had
been run through and a vote taken on
United States senator 1t was decided to
adjourn for the day and let the various
committees get to work. The usual grist
of bills was introduced in the house.
The election of Chester I. Long as
United States senator to succeed w. A.
Harris was formally declared by the leg
islature at noon on the 18th. The joint
session was held in Representative hall.
The journals of the two houses. showing
the vote taken on senator the 9th,
were read. The senate journal showed:
Long. 30; Harris. =. The house record
was: Long. SO; Harris. .. Total both
houses: Long. 123; Harris, S. After the
vote was announced President Hanna
said: Chester I. Long, having received
a constitutional majority of both houses.
as shown by the journals, I declare him
elected United States senator for a term
of six years. beginning March next.
Senator Vincent, of Reno. introduced a
bill for a state fair. In the house Jones,
of Norton. introduced a bill giving the
executive council the power to buy the
patent right for a voting machine for the
state of Kansas. The sum of $4,000 is ap-
propriated for that purpose. Many other
bills of more or less Importance were in
troduced.
Senator Stewart introduced joint reso-
luton in the senate on the 18th to
duce the fees of state printer 80 Is per
cent. Without attempting to revise the
entire schedule of fees for different
classes OF work the Stewart resolution
provides that. when the state printer
presents his bill for any job of work
under the prevailing rates, the secretary
of state shall scale It down one-third-
Tapp's bill holding the owner of build
ing responsible for any damages sus-
tanned by workmen by reason of defective
scaffolding was killed.. Two different
joint resolutions to change the state con-
stitution in regard to the right of suf-
frage of foreign-born people were intro
duced in the house. Under the present
constitution foreigner only has to be in
the state six months and take out his first
papers to enable him to vote. Hill, OF
Russell, put in a resolution to require
a residence here of three years. Lin
ton, Of Smith. put in one. to have the
limit extended to five years and to
Quire the foreigner to become natural
ICED citizen. Several other bills Of more
or less Importance were introduced.
Speaker Pringle announced some more
committees.
The senate spent all the forenoon or
the 30th in a preliminary skirrnish on the
Hamilton-Geiger judicial contest case
from the Seventeenth district. The par
ties to the contest were then asked te
get up agreed statement of facts COW
ering as many points as possible ano
submit 1t to the senate on the I'd. .Ir
the house the bill to extend the fellow
servant law to all classes OF employees
came up for action. Mclaughlin and Ad
ans. of Sedgwick, each introduced bill
extending the law to all employees The
bills Were sent to the judiciary commit
tee, which committee sent them back
with majority and minority reports. The
bill was finally defeated. The judiciary
committee killed 30 bills In less than two
hours. The farmers scored a point wher
they got their bill making chicken steal
ing felony. punishable byea prison SEN
tence. placed upon the calendar. Speak
er Prfngle announced a few more COM
mittees. Several bills were recommended
for passage IN committee Of the whole.