Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1903-01-31
KANSAS LEGISLATURE.
house aud Senate Choose Presiding ON
Gers and Begin the ,Grind-Pringie
for Speaker.

With only two dissenting votes the SEN
ate on the 2lst adopted Senator McMil-
| lans resolution to investigate the coal
| famine. A bill introduced relating to
quarantine yards will. II passed, force
| the Kansas City Stock Yards company
| to move It's quarantine yards. Other bills
were: To prohibit Sunday theaters: ex-
| emptlng $500 worth of property OF old SOL
| diers or their widows from taXation....
| Griffin, of Jefferson. introduced a bill In
| the house providing for the holding OF
| state fairs under the supervision and con-
| troll OF the state board of agriculture.
| Other important bills introduced were:
| Authorizing private corporations to de-
| crease their capital stock; authorizing the
| employment of additional attorneys to as
sist the county attorney In the prosecu-
| ton of criminal cases; repeating the law
| authorizing cities of the first and second
! class to appoint assessors; to prohibit the
| killing of quail at any season and also to
| prohibit the killing of antelope for
| period of five years: cutting down the
| amount OF bonds municipality may issue
| from ten to five per cent. OF the assessed
| valuation and reducing the levies for
| taxes a municipality can make one-half,
with the exception of the levy for inter-
| est on bonds; providing for the election
recurring express companies In cities OF
| the first and second-class to extend their
| free delivery service to a mile and one
| half from the office; requiring railroads
| to build shed over repair tracks at their
division points to protect and shelter
their employees during SHOWS, sleet, rain
| and inclement weather.
II will take $1,000 to pay the postage on
Secretary Coburn's biennial report, just
issued A bill carrying an appropriation
| for that amount was introduced In the
senate on the ed. Other bills introduced
were: To raise the salary of the state
superintendent of public instruction from
5000 to $3.50: to punish dissertation OF
the flag of the United States, such as
| the printing of advertisements upon 1t;
| to elect railroad commissioners by vote
| Of the people; to elect the state printer
at general elections; authorizing working
! of coal mines by the state under the d.
| recticn OF the governor: making express
companies liable for full value OF goods
da-:e--d in t-arst r'pkirg 1t c-"!E,e to
, c..l sTa,;es. centipedes, tarantulas. etc.
Perkins. of Leavenworth. introduced an
| initiative and referendum resolution to
| change the state constitution. The first
move In the direction Of good roads legis-
lation was made in the house when
Pralle, of Marshall. introduced bill au-
| thorizing the township auditing board or
| any township In the state to levy spe-
cial tax for road improvements. Other
| bills prohibited the selling of patent med
| icines in Kansas without license from
the board of health; for the punishment
| OF men who abandon wife and children;
| to prohibit the use Of live birds In trap
| shooting.
Senator Tapp introduced hill in the
ttA attth 1f,su
| townships and counties to erect monu-
| ments 10 soldiers and sailors at public
| expense Senator Miller introduced 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-
| .or Leidy introduced truancy bill. 1t
| creates the position of county truant OFF,
Ger, whose duty 1t shall be to see that all
| school children in good health attend
school and provides for the punishment
by fine or imprisonment, or both. or 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 maxi
ing blackmail felony. punishable by q
heavy fine ard imprisonment in the peni-
Tertiary. A bill by Representative Specr
requiring railroads to supply cars to ship
pcrs promptly. Failure to supply cars
lays the railroad liable to forfeit OF -
a 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 l..
Long had majority in each house. The
two houses will hold joint session on
the 2Sth apd formally elect Mr.. Long.
Senator Allen. of Doniphan, introduced
a bill repeating the present Textbook
law. Senator Noftzger introduced bill
creating q state insurance commission
TO fix fire insurance rates in Kansas.
Campbell OF Bourbon. introduced rcso-
luton in the house to submit local op-
ton luuo- 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 vote taken on
| United States senator 1t was decided to
adjourn for the day and let the various
committees get to work. The usual g-ist
of bills was introduced In the house.