Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1905-03-15
LEGISLATIVE OBSERVATIONS.

The republican legislature has com.
pleted its work. and in spite of all the
talk about the short session it required
just as long to do the work as at any
former session. Gov. Hoch now knows
q great deal about legislation that he
did not when he was candidate. He
has found that one cannot make sever
al hundred do as he wants them to do.
~
The cost of the legislature was close
to $75, 900. The auditor has not made
his report, but he has said the cost will
not be less than the amount named.
This Is less than the cost of the last
legislature, which was the most expen-
sive ever held, but it is more than the
cost of any legislature held while the
popnlists were in power. The cost of
the last legislature under Leedy was
but $4,000.
~
The great reform legislature which
has just adjourned appropriated ST.
300 600 for the expense of the state for
! iSNOs " I'LL OhO CAOCpIlOl VI tuO dP-
| preparation made two years ago this
is the greatest amount the state has
/ had % pay to conduct its business. It
/ is almost twice the amount appropriat-
ed ten years ago. This is reform if you
want TO think so. Will some of the re-
form republicans rise and tell why the
appropriations were SO large? During
the campaign last fall they promised
that the expense of the state would be
reduced in a remarkable manner. At
ter they got in power, that is. after the
reform republicans got in power, they
stopped talking about cheap state gov.
eminent.
*x*
There was great talk among the re
publicans of passing good railroad
bill. They promised faithfully that
they would give the railroad commits
sioners power to bring suits against the
railroads without complaint being made
by the shipper. They did not do it. In
stead they created the Office of assistant
attorney general for the Office Of rail.
road commissioners. This means that
the republicans will have another good
| job to give out, and that the shipper
will not be benefited. The Federation
of Commercial Interests of the state
opposed the bill as adoped by the legis.
lature, but the republican railroad at
torneys in the legislature succeeded in
fixing the bill and passing it, SO that it
does not aid the shippers. The origin
al bill was one which would give the
railroad commissioners as much power
as the commissioners of Illinois, Iowa
and Texas, and these states are said to
have the best legislation regarding rail.
road and freight rates of any of the
| states in the union.
~
1t is conceded by the republican mem
bers that the most conservative mem.
bers were on the minority side of the
house. In spite of the small number
they have aided in killing off a lot of
fool legislation which was proposed.
~
One Of the bills which was passed
will show how much the republicans
favor the man who has to borrow mon
ey. 1t is the act regarding redemp-
tions. The act provides that the time
OF redemption be reduced from eigh-
teen to six months. This is a bill
which was advanced by the state bank.
ers' associations, and it went through
without question. The man who Dor
rows money will learn what this means
when it comes to redeeming property.
~
Now that the legislature has had
time to think about it they would like
to have another vote on the oil refinery
bill.
~
Senator T. Dumont Smith, who has
the reputation for looking after his
own interests, and who is one of the
attorneys in the suit of Kansas against
Colorado, concerning the water rights
OF the Arkansas river, succeeded in
getting an appropriation of $4,000 for
attorneys fees. Of course, Smith was
looking out for the interests of the
state, and did not consider that he was
one that would receive So. 900 as salary
from the appropriation.
~
The primary election bill which was
promised by the republicans and which
! Gov. Hoch talked so much about, did
not pass.
-
The republicans could not do without
railroad passes, so they killed the bill
which would have done away with the
pass evil. They gave no reason for this
and made no defense of the pass sys
tenn; they simply killed the bill. What