Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1905-02-08
LEGISLATIVE OBSERVATIONS.

One of the most important bills which
has been introduced in the present
legislature Is one by Senator Wagner.
This Ii an insurance bill which takes
out of the hands of the trusts the right
to make rates By a rating bureau. AS
the insurance rates are now fixed all of
the companies charge the Same rate
on different classes of insurance. This
rate is fixed by the bureau, which is
nothing more nor less than trust. 1t
J Mr.. Wagoner's bill passes the republican
legislature there will be no fixed rates
and the insurance companies will have
to compete with each other for busl-
ness, and will naturally offer lower
rates to the man who wants his proper.
ty insured. 1t is we'll known fact that
the people Of the state are paying twice
what should be charged for insurance.
The insurance companies all 60 by the
rating fixed by the Eldredge Bureau.
MIR. Wagner proposes to do away with
the bureau and let the insurance com
panles Lustle for their business just as
lobby from the insurance companies at
the capital working against the bill.
and this is mighty good evidence that
! the bill will reduce the income of the
insurance companies.
~
One of the most notable things about
| the way In which business is conducted
IN the legislature this winter is that the
speaker, Mir. Slnbbs, Is never in his
chair. Judge Clark, the speaker pro
| tenn, dots all the business while Stubbs
IS OIL the floor lobbying for measures
which be THINKS should pass. This has
| lIcan and democratic members of the
| house. Both Gov. HOch and Mr. Stubbs
have made strong talks against the lob
| bylsts, but it is known by those who at
tend the sessions that Speaker Stubs
does more lobbying than any man in
| the house. He says that he is not lobby
ing and is only looking after the bills
which 1t is necessary TO Kill or pass. This
Is new description of lobbying There
has been a general howl among the re
publican members regarding the way
Mr.. Stubbs is conducting the house, and
the chances are there will be a revolt.
Il appears that he has a very bad case
of "swelled head" since he has been
chosen speaker.
~
| Representative Turner of Butler
county, has introduced bill which
provides that mutual insurance com
Danles should create reserve fund to
protect those who are in the company
The bill has merit, and it NAV pass. but
after the committee on insurance
gets through with bills they never ap
pear again except as waste paper. The
insurance committees in both houses
are under the thumb of Insurance Com
missioner Luling Nothing that he
does not recommend will get through
~
p. w. Goebel. of Miami county, is
making name for himself IN the leg
stature. He does not Introduce many
bills, but he IS consulted by the repub
Icans on many measures. and when he
speaks on measure he is given the
closest attention. His experience in
he house has given him the advantage
over many of the new members.
~
| A deliberate attempt to insult the
democratic members of the legislature
was made by Mr.. Beekman of COwley
county last week, and he was called
down bv Representative Lupfer in q
very neat manner. Mr.. Beekman was
mad because the democrats opposed the
Barnes bill, which proposed to vote
Lcney for the erection of high schools
1t was cOntended by the democrats that
The building of high schools was local
measure. and that if any county want
ed high school the representative of
that county should introduce local bill
to that effect, and it would be passed
Mr. Beekman said the democrats did
not favor education and it was natural
hat they would not support the bill
He also said that democrats were dem
tgogues. Mr.. Lupfer answered him
by saying that the democrats were not
many IN the house. but that it took n
good man to be elected on the demo.
cratic ticket this YEAR, while most an,
thing could have been elected on the
republican ticket. The remark is to
the point, for 1t is fact that the mi
nority in the house are better men than
the majority.
~
1t will be noticed that the legislature
lacks that rush which Gov Hoch said
would happen. The legislature is rush
ing forward In Crawfish fashion. The
senate adjourns and goes home when it
| chooses lust as every other rerublicap