The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-03-13
ACTION TOO HASTY.
Sorry He Shut Out Senator
Quincy's Protest.
Also That He Barred the Rail-
road Attorneys.

you made a mighty good record as
a presiding Officer of the senate, gov
ernor," said a man to Lieutenant GOV
ernor Fitzgerald yesterday, as Mr.
Fitzgerald sat at his desk presiding
over an empty senate chamber.
II managed to get through the ses-
sion with only two breaks that L re-
greet" replied Mr.. Fitzgerald. Il am
sorry l objected to Senator Quincy S
protest, and I'm sorry had those rail-
load men put out of the senate cham
Der The Quincy business regret De
cause it gave people an opportunity TO
say that 1 was trying to shield rom
Kelly. The other affair, viewed In the
light of what 1 know now, looked IKE
a grandstand play, and L can't do mucn
for fellow who plays that way.
1t is certain that Lieutenant Governor
FITZGERALD was not anxious about the
welfare of T. T. Kelly in the Quincy
matter He was. it is said, trying 10
keep the name of Ex-Governor Ba1ley
out of the affair. In this connectloh ~
should be stated that the protest OF
Senator Quincy, as originally hled, mas
been very generally misquoted hereto-
fore through a misunderstanding Ihls
is what Senator Quincy said:
s'I vote no, because the political ene'
mics of Governor w. J. Bailey, un-
known to him, have put in the bill item
No. 70 paying him $1,000 Thls is gone
as an excuse for putting IN the item
L. L.
items are unauthorized by law or equity
and 1 regard their payment as a crime
equivalent to grand larceny
When Senator Quincy and President
Fitzgerald talked the matter over, they
agreed that the reference to Governor
Bailey should be stricken out, ana TINS
was done.
The railroad lobby that President
Fitzgerald had ANONYMOUSLY eJecteo
from the senate chamber consisted OF
no less persons than George L. N1chol-
son. third vice president of the santa
Fe. and two other prominent railroad
officials. But Mr. Fitzgerald olun |
know it when he gave the order. He
simply knew that three men over IN
the corner of the chamber were tank
ing, laughing and making so much
noise that he couldn't hear the seha-
TORS making motions. He had pound
ed in vain with his gavel, but the rail-
road officials, realizing perhaps that
they owned more than half interest
in the show, felt secure in their I'M
rnutability and paid no attention to
the rhairman's vigorous pounding
Finally the president called the ser
geant-at-arns and sent him over with
Instructions to remove the dlsturDers
from the hall The sergeant-at-arms
walked up to the group, discovered
who were there, and decided that
diplomacy was the better part of
valor. He retreated- The speaker
called the sergeant-at-arms back to
sharply of the instructions Then the
sergeant-at-arms went and elected the
three men from the chamber. Mr..
FITZGERALD being still in ignorance of
the names of the men. There is no
doubt that the men deserved to be put
out but President Fitzgerald still has
q lurking suspicion that people think
he did it as play to the galleries.
Throughout the session President
FITZGERALD has shown himself a careful
student of parliamentary rules and
usage. and has discharged the duties
of his office with firmness and expedi-
ton He has been fair. and his rul-
ings have commended themselves to
both factions of the senate.
eff I ever should preside over the
senate again. said the lieutenant
governor ct would start in with a de-
Termination to have better order on
the floor. I would try to have all lob
byists kept off from the floor. That is
something which is coming to be
recognized as the proper course. The
members should not be interfered
with while in their seats. We could
have order if we kept the floor clear