The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-03-10
80 ass 6s @@ IS
House Pushes the Stock Yards
Bill Through.
Final Vote on Measure Was "A
to s.
IT APPLIES TO ALL.
Bill Not open to Objection Of
Special Legislation.
Fixes the Prices For Yardage
and Feed
Designed to Check the Robbery
ofShIppers.
1T APPLIES TO ALL.

The house took the bits IN its teeth
again last night and passed the Cald-
well stock yards bill by d vote of "A to
3. Cyrus Leland, who had opposed the
bill, was absent when the roll was
called. Bale Waggener voted for the
bill, although he gave it as his opinion
that it was unconstitutional Enright
stood by the stock yards company and
voted against the bill. Three Of the
eight negative votes came from the mi
nority
The stockyards bill has now passed
both houses. and as soon as it is il
proper shape it viii go to the governor
for his signature. Governor Bailey will
sign it.
There were two chief reasons why the
bin was forced through. The cattle
men of the state were for it and
brought strong pressure to bear on
their members to vote for it. Then
many members of the house believed
the senate had passed the bill simply
as a bluff and they wanted to call it.
Unlike the stock yards bill of 1897,
which the supreme court of the United
States declared to be unconstitutional
after a long fight, the Caldwell bill
applies to all stock yards in the state.
The bill of 1897 applied only to the
Kansas City stock yards. It fixes a
fine for the first two violations of the
law and an imprisonment and fine for
the third.
Senator CaldwelI's bill declares all
stock yards to be public stock yards.
Each stock yards is required to make
a statement annually of the number OF
cattle, hogs, sheep, calves and horses
/ it handles. For driving, yardage. wa
tering and Weighing. the charge is
fixed al IS cents for cattle per head, 5
cents for calves, 6 cents for hogs, and
4 cents for sheep. There shall be but
one yardage charge. This scales the
present rate down about 25 per cent,
so Senator Caldwell, the author, says.
/ The company is also required to sell
/ z, 900 pounds of hay for ton, Sc pounds
+ of Shelled corn for a buShel, 20 pounds
/ of ear corn for a bushel, and to charge
only 100 per cent above the market
price for corn and hay.
Owners of dead stock are permitted
to dispose of their dead animals to
al is directed to prosecute al violations
/ of the law Section contains the pen
alties. They are as follows:
That any person or persons violating
I any of the provisions of this act shall
1 be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and
upon conviction thereof shall be fined
for the first offense not more than 800;
! for the second offense, not less than 800
nor more imam $z0Os ana Tor the tnllQ
/ offense, not less than $780, nor more
! than $500, and by imprisonment in the
county jail not exceeding six months for
each offense. and for each subsequent
! offense he or they shall be fined in any
sum not less than $1,000 and by impris-
onment in the county jail not less than
six months
Senator Caldwell is elated over the
passage of the bill. Being a minority
member, he had no idea that he would
/ get it through but things got in such
shape that it could not be headed off.
The present and proposed yardage
rates at the Kansas City yards are as
/ follows: