The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-01-20

changing her name.
Then Veatch, of Washington, a vener-
able gentleman with a long white beard
arose in his place and stated that he
had known this women for wears and
that she was entitled to thu best graces
of this legislature If ever any resident
OF Kansas was He said that Mrs.
Smead was a fraiI little woman. who
had for years been the victim of her
vicious husband and that she had fled
clear from California to escape him He
had known her on the coast as the
close friend of his daughter, but had
lost track of her at Kansas CITY four
years ago when she secured a divorce
and left that city with h-r boy He
had heard nothing of her until this bill
came before the house and he made
pathetic appeal to his fellow members
ito grant the unfortunate woman her
request Brown of Kingman, ever gall
liant, entered the lists on behalf of the
lady, and with him came Boyd of Re
public and Stone of Shawnee and car
ried the day.
When next this man Smead. this hus-
band. searches through the city direc-
tory for a trace of his victim he will
be cruelty disappointed to find nothing
that resembles his outrageous name un-
der the letter s.
Still. the woman should have been
granted relief from the name of
Smead, even if her husband had been
good and kind to her.
A petition was presented to the house
yesterday afternoon which declared that
autos on the public highways are be-
coming a menace to the rural popula-
ton The legislature was urged to
take some step toward granting relief
in the way of stricter laws governing
the speed of these red devils and check
ing the mad impulses of their lunatic
drivers.
Matson of Sedgwick, is driving his
mr. T-ieaff Ion hill n
the legislative course like a barrel roll
ing down hill. After getting a favor
able report on the measure from the
horticultural committee he yesterday
had it referred to the ways and means
committee in order to get the necessary
10. K. on the $4,000 appropriation that
goes with it. Matson introduced three
new bills yesterday.
The only contest now being consider
ed by the house committee on elections
is the one of Broil1er VS.. Stout from the
Stevens Morton district, Broiller being
bond required by the house.
The other two contests in the house
were: Finley VS. Crosby from Cheyenne
and CandilI VS.. Jackson from Comanche
county.
Another railroad bill made it's ap-
pearance yesterday afternoon intro
duced by Davis of Bourbon which dt-
reefs the railroad commissioners to
appoint five track inspectors who shall
walk over and carefully inspect the
tracks of the railroads of the state at
frequent periods and report all track
and roadbed in bad condition. The
commission is then empowered under
this act to require the roads to get
busy at once. The inspectors shall re-
ceive a salary not In excess OF SIS per
month.
IL. o.. =,
the house by the Introduction of an
other bill limiting the charge to pas
sengers on railroad trains in this state
to two cents per mile. Children from
to IL years may ride for lie per mile
under the provisions Of this bill and
all travellers may carry baggage not in
excess of 200 pounds free.
Merrill has introduced his tenth bill
in the house. The last one prohibits
splitting in any public place or build
ing or railroad train and provides
penalty in the shape OF fine OF from
81 to SIS for the offense. However, the
railroads and public halls must be
equipped with spittoons.
Burke has introduced bill which
provides for the county commissioners
to perform all the duties of the pres
ent county tax assessors.
Amrine fathered another batch of
bills yesterday in the interests of the
new school legislation. One of these
bills confers the right of eminent do
main upon boards of education. Which
means that they shall have the right
to condemn and appraise private prop
erty for school purposes.
: Shideler introduced a bill which re-
quires school boards to furnish trans
portation for pupils to and from
school where they live two miles or
more distant from the school house in
their district This is an advance since
the days of our fathers and grand
fathers when the country boy was in
luck to get a chance to walk to school
even if he lived three or four miles
away from the schoolhouSe. But two
miles is a long ways for youngster
to tramp to school and conditions are
different now By all means let the
children be given transportation to the
diture of money required will be bread
cast upon the waters.
Shideler has another school bill,
and one that will make lots of people
sit UP and take notice. 1t provides
that any teacher who has a relative
on the school board shall be barred
from employment as teacher in the
school over which this board has jul
risdiction.
A bill by Matson of Sedgwick pro-
vides for the protection and safety
of street car employees by requiring the
street car companies to equip their
cars with enclosed vestibules and seats
for the motorman and other appli-
ances and conveniences for the train
crews
DISSECT THE BODIES.