The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-02-07
NOTES FROM THE LEGISLATURE

| According to senatorial courtesy il
is improper for a senator during
session to officially address another
senator by his name. They talk to
| each other as the Senator from Ed
wards, the Senator from Mitchell, etc
! Senator, Quincy was in the chair DUR
, ing the session of the committee of the
whole yesterday afternoon and Senator
Simons rose for recognition.
Where are you from?' asked Sen
ator Simons, while the other senators
roared with laughter.
1.-The Senator from Sumner has the
floor" gravely announced Senator
Quincy. ~
A good deal of petty thieving has
been going on in the senate cloak
room. Gloves and scarfs and variety
of things have been taken from sena-
torial pockets. The limit was reached
yesterday when Senator Caldwell
missed a package. 1t was 1ntimated
that this package was of such nature
that it could hold a liquid. The theft
of this brought a resolution from Sen
ator Waggener to the effect that in
view of the fact that many things had
been stolen from the pockets of sena--
tors coats that all senate employees
having duties in or near the cloak
room be discharged forthwith unless
they produce the guilty party.
1--WE have a precedent for such &C
ton" said Senator Waggener. "in the.
action of our president in summarily
discharging whole companies OF col
ored soldiers because some of them
were guilty of something" Mr.. Wag-
pener then said he had lost a pair of
gloves, other senators had lost all sorts
of things and the straw which broke
the cameTs back when Senator Cald-
wells coat had been touched for the
most valuable bundle it contained.
lieutenant Governor Fitzgerald re-
ferred the resolution to the committee
on temperance
Favorable action has been taken by
the senate committee on agriculture
On the bill introduced by Senator
Stewart which makes an appropria-
ton of $4,000 to be expended under
the direction of the State Agricultural
college in purchasing seed wheat for
Kansas farmers. The fund is to be so
managed that it will be kept intact.
the farmers paying for such seed
wheat as they 1aed-
An opportunity will be afforded the
railroad this evening by the house and
senate committees on railroads In joint
session to present their views on the
maximum freight rate proposition
which is before the legislature IN the
form of bills introduced by Senators
smith and Young. This hearing was
scheduled originally for last night and
the members of the committees ana
the. railroad attorneys were. on mana
hut as soon as the meeting was called
to order the railroad attorneys told the
members of the committees that their
freight experts had been unable to
nreDare the case that they wished to
present and asked for a postponement
for couple of days. Senators Smith
and Young both insisted that their |
hills have an early hearing. The COM !
nnittee retired for a few minutes and |
that the hearing would be |
adjourned until this evening at 1880 |
O'Clock Judge w. r. Smith, general !
a attorney for the Santa Fe, gave an off |
hand opinion that both of the bills i
were Unconstitutional because they |
would prove to be of the conffscatory |
order.
Senator Robertson, one of the three |
new senator's, made his maiden fight |
In the senate yesterday afternoon and |
won He started the opposition to the |
a advancement from the committee of |
the whole of the bill introduced by |
Senator Hayden and which seeks to
increase the salaries of the assistants |
to the supreme court reporter Each |
of these assistants now receive $1,000
a year and it is proposed to increase
the salary of one to $1,000 and the
other. to $1,000. 1t was the general
that things had been
well CREASED for the easy sliding