The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-09-11
SPECIAL SESSION.
Governor HOch Intimates That
One Will Be Called.
That Is Unless the Railroads
Recede.
WILL WAIT AND SEE.
Wants to Talk Over Situation
With Mr.. Grattan.
Also See Resolution Passed by
the Legislature.
Attorney General Jackson Ex-
WILL WAIT AND SEE.
Attorney General Jackson Ex-
poets to See Special Session.

Unless the railroads find some way
10 back up on this decision. there will
be a special session of the legislature -
This is the opinion given out this
morning by a close friend of Governor
Hoch concerning the refusal of the
roads 10 put in the 2-cent fare in Kan
sas-
There is a rumor in circulation at
the state house that the roads have
left q loop hole in their resolution of
regret" and expect TO crawl out
through this hole at the last minute.
The text OF this resolution is not
known. but it is said that 1t contains
a provision for filing legal proceedings
in some court of competent jurisdic-
tion to secure an injunction to prevent
the order Of the board being put into
effect The railroads are said TO an
ticfpate that the court would order
the rate put in under the order of the
board. and that they could then obey
this order and escape all responsibility
for putting the rate in voluntarily
They would be in the same position in
Kansas that they are in other states
Governor HOch this morning said.
when asked il he would call a special
session.
7 do not care to say what I will do
until I have seen the formal resolution
which. according to the press reports.
has been adopted by the railroads II
IS not exactly proper to announce
what I Will do on the authority of
newspaper dispatches
This much you may consider as
cartain-either Kansas viii get that
fiat 2-cent a mile passenger rate or
this rate will be withdrawn in neigh
boring states
I vii mot call any special session or
i In
want to talk the matter over with M
Grattan attorney for the board OF rail-
road commissioners. and possibly with
the members of the board, too 1t may
take several days for me to find out
what ought to be done
Governor Hoch was asked whether he
was communicating or had communicat-
ed with any of the members of the leg
fslsture for the purpose of finding out
what the attitude Of the members would
be on the 2-cent fare bill
Y have rot done anything of this
sort" said Governor HOch. because
have the fullest confidence that if the
members are called together they will
DO their duty"
You think that the 2-cent fare bill
would not be blocked in the state SEN
ate as il was before2"
7 believe that the bill could be
DO YOU think that If a special session
was called there would be primary
election law enacted?"
~Oh. 1 don't know about that" re-
plfed the governor, sufficient unto the
DAY is the evil thereof
Late this forenoon. Governor Hoch
went to the Office OF Mr- Grattan, the
attorney for the board. and talked the
situation over with him briefly After
this was over. it was announced by the
governor and Mr.. Grattan that nothing
of definite nature had ben decided upon
we want 10 wait until We know
exactly what the railroads nave
done said Mr. Grattan-
DO YOU think there will be a spec
iaI session of the legisiature?" was
asked
use all the authority given him by law
to secure a 2-cent rate for Kansas,
was the reply.
Attorney General Jackson guessed
that there would be a special session
OF the legislature
Judging from what 1 have heard"
said Mr.. jackson. the railroads are
planning 10 join the Democratic party,
and they figure that they can beat the
Republicans in the next election They
are willing 10 force the hand of Gov
ernor Hoch and have special session
in the expectation of injuring the Re
publican party
The last special session of the legisla-
ture was called by Governor w J.
Bailey at the time of the 1903 flood The
session was called June II. and convened
Tl1ue % Governor Leedy called the
session previous to that in the year 1893
That session was held in October, and
was convened on five days notice
The call for a special session does not
limit the matters of business whicn
may be taken up and considered Any
thing that the legislature wants to dis
cuss can be discussed. The constitution
limits a special session to SEQ pay for
zach member, which means a so days
session
Mr.. COnnell Talks.
J. NJ ConneH. general passenger agent
OF the Santa Fe road, today stated that
he thought the decision of the Kansas
ignore the order OF the board of rail-
road commissioners to place in a fiat
Two cent fare rate over the state. under
the existing conditions. was justifa BILE.
L have Travelled over Kansas quite a
great deal lately" said Mr.. Connell. |
.sand there does not seem to be the mad
CIV for the two cent rate to be placed
into immediate effect, that the action OF
The railroad board would indicate
.a-The 500 mile books for SO seem 10
give good satisfaction and are being
generally used by the travelling public. |
The moment We give a two cent rate
that moment the excursion rates cease
as they have in Missouri Iowa, Illinois
and Nebraska
IN Kansas our road has given sx-
cltrsiou rates of one fare plus 80 cents,
which is one and one-half cents a mile. |
10 the big fairs over the state. This
week Topeka is getting advantage Of
these rates for her race meet
We are now losing money on our
passenger traffic on the branch lines of
y