The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-02-16
In CAP And BELLS
Dignified Members of the House
Enjoy Themselves.
Mr.. Hendricks, of Rawlins, Vic
tim of the JOkers.
BANK INTEREST BILL
Was Directed at the PIutOcrat
of tho House.
Ends in Barrel of Apples and
House Becomes Serious.


| Member of the house donned their
caps and bells this morning and vast
ed three-quarters of an hour or so in
trying to make some of those noises
peculiar to merry TESTERS Mr.. Gordon,
of Wyandotte, introduced a bill pro-
viding that state banks shall not
charge more than per cent interest
| on money loaned and must pay at
least per cent on money deposited.
This bill was rushed through to a sec
ond reading and referred direct to the
committee of the whole and placed at
the head of the generaI order calen-
| dar. As soon as the house resolved
itself into a committee of the whole
the bill was taken up for consideration.
1t was understood that the bill was a
joke on Mr.. Hendricks of Rawlins,
one of the plutocratic Kansas bankers
IN the legislature. But the joke was
| turned on the versatile Commercial
club of Topeka, and n large juicy lem
on was handed to that organization.
| After all sorts of alleged fun had
been INDUCED in for three quarters of
an hour a motion was made by Mr.
Ham of Rocks, to the effect that fur
Their consideration of the measure be
dispensed with and that it be referred
to the Topeka Commercial club. This
motion prevailed with a roar of ayes.
When the bill was taken up Mr..
Dawson was in the chair, presiding
over the committee of the whole. The
clerk started to read the bill in that
clarion voice for which he is noted.
Mr.. Foley of Rice, got red, white and
blue in the face trying to get recog-
milton to protest against action being
taken on the measure. Chairman Da-
vison ignored him. The clerk went on
reading in the loudest possible tone of
voice and Mr.. Foley continued to veil
Mr.. Chairman The medley of his
yells and the shouts of the clerk made
frightful din. But the clerk carried
OFF the honors for making noise and
Chairman Dawson refused to inter-
rupt him to recognize Mr.. Foley.
9When the clerk had finally finished
rea ding the bill Mr.. Foley was appar-
emily exhausted for the time -beihg-for-
he did not then insist on getting the
floor. Then the horse play began. Mr..
Morgan moved that the author of the
bill be excluded from the floor Mr.
Gordon thought that his measure was
a most meritorious one and that the
legislature had just as much right to
control the rapacity of banks as it had
to control railroads Mr.. Morgan's
motion was not put to a vote.
Mr.. Hendricks. at whom the bill
was aimed, made serio-comic speech
against the measure. He said it did
not worry him much because in 80
days he could move his bank over into
Nebraska, and the measure could not
affect him in the slightest. He ad-
mitted that banks in the short grass
country earned yearly dividends Of
from 20 to 40 per cent.
Mr.. Archer wanted to know if Mr..
Hendricks did not consider such earn
ings beyond reason and imposition
on the people of the state.
Mr.. Hendricks replied that he did
not because other business institutions
in the state. particularly lumber and
hardware concerns and the railroads
as we'll, made as large profits.
On motion of Mr.. Oshant. which
prevailed, the bill was amended SO as
to fix the interest rate on money loan
ed by banks at per cent.
Then an important point in the
comedy was reached when Mr.. Kirt-
land moved to amend the bill so that
its provisions should apply to no part
of the state but RawlinS county, where |
Mr. Hendricks has a few of his banks.
This motion was carried with 4 whoop.
Mr. Hendricks retaliated with a
motion to fine Mr.: Kirkland barrel OF
pink eyed" apples for his audacity.
This motion also prevailed.
But the crux of the comedy was
reached when Mr.. Ham of Rocks
moved that the further consideration
of the bill be dispensed with and that
1t be referred to the Topeka CONNER |
ciaI club. This motion was carried
with more than an unanimous vote as
several of the mem DerS yelled aye
three or four times.
AS an incident to these dignified |
Mr.. Martin was fined a |
barrel of apples.
After three-quarters of an hour had
been wasted with this frivolity the !
general orders calendar was taken up. |
one of the first bills considered was
Mr. Leland's rearranging the salaries
of the employees of the State Historical
society. AS the bill was originally in
troduced it increased the salary of
George Martin, the secretary of the
society. from $500 to $4,000. The
bill was amended in the committee
fixing his salary at $4,000. Mr.. Hen
bricks moved to amend the bill by
fixing the salary of the secretary at
$500 as it stood in the original bill.
This amendment was voted down and
the bill was recommended for passage
as it was reported by the committee.
A number of measures of no ma
terial Importance were recommended
for passage by the committee of the
whole and the committee rose at 11:45
o'clock A few moments later the
house adjourned until O'Clock on
afternoon.
is WEARY OF MARRIAGE.