Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1907-08-29
rWo.cENr FATE HISTORY.
Senator Brewer Relates Just What
M Happend.


fare last winter Mr.. Brewer says
Out Of Difference to the widespread
demand for the straight two,cens
legislation in my district, and In iac'
IN the entire state, prepared and In
troduced in good faith at the oee'n-
ming Of the session fiat tw0'cen' fare
bill.
Th,s hill took the usual course ana
,ooetber with the various other I'M
Do1tant railroad measures. namely
The maximum ireight-rate bills ana
the auti-pass bills, was referred 70
the railroad committee, composed oi
eleven senators.
After very careful and thorough
consideration lasting nearly ~ Gays
during which time every feature u
tbe two.cent fare question was In
vestigated and all interested Pa,'leS
given a hearing, the committed on
February 9th, made favorable re- :.
port upon my bill recommending II
for passage. .,ao.od
While the bill was being considered
NV the railroad committee, L was
ouietly making personal canvas OF
tho senate in It's interest. At the
time the committee report was SUP
mitted | had II pledges for the bill
this number including my own Vo'F'
during the period intervening De-
,ween the committee report and the
time the bill was taken up in the
oman senate secured the promise OF
faur more votes for the measure
making 81 in all, or just the neces-
sary number to pass the bill But
when the first test vote was had IN
tho senate the result showed IL votes
,or the bill, or two short OF The re-
ouired number. u,
This same strength supported tne
bill through the remainder OF the
session. l subsequently secured
three additional roll calls upon the
original bill, hoping to secure tne
necessary q votes to pass 1t, but In
this we we're disappointed and tne
substitute two-cent mileage PROPOSE
ton was adopted. opposed TINS
mileage proposition as being unla, u
and discriminative legislation as IL
provides for reduced fare to those
who need the reduction least ana
withholds 1t from those who need IL
most. However, l voted Tor inc
proposition on its final passage CIV
ing my reasons which appear In inc
record Of the senate as follows
ii made my fight upon the noor OIL
the senate for fiat two-cent paSsen-
ger fare for everybody. but MAJOR
ity Of this body has thought 1t wise
to amend my bill by making 1t Two
cent mileage proposition 1t is my
judgment that this is only delaying
the original measure and that the ila'
two.cent rate is sure to come in the
near future. However l always De-
lieye that half loaf is better than
none and as l do not desire to oeny
NV people or the people OF the state
nj Kansas the benefit which they Will
derive from this two.Cent milage
proposition therefore vote, Aye.
A few Of the supporters of the fiat
two.cept rate refused to support the
tNo.cent milage proposition, your
own Senator voting no. Even though
this measure is now quite popular
with good many people and is saw
ing the citizens of Salina and her
mercantile institution many thousand
of dollars annually.
The legislature had named the hour
for tinal adjustment for o'clock P
M. saturday March, 9th. All matters
Of business we're cleaned mp except q
few conference committee reports and
an appropriation bill. The second
conference cmmittee on the two-cent
fare controversy between the house
an senate reported at 4:SO that after
noon thar it was unable to agree that
IL was useless to continue its labor
lonser and asked to be discharged,
The request was promptly granted by
both houses and the general impress
ion prevailed the passinger fare matt
or. 30 far as this season was concerned
waS a dead letter.
1t was then l suggested making
o,e more trial and made a motion
asking for the appointment oianothe'
conference committee between the
two houses upon the bill. The com
mitlee was appointed and within ar