The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-01-29
NOW We HAVE IT.
Historic PaWnee Rock Formally
Presented to State.
Mrs. J. S. Simmons Makes DOna-
ton for WOmen's Club.
DIR. STUBBS SPEAKS.
Governor Accepts Gift on Behalf
of Kansas.
Speaker DOlIey Tells of Achieve
mentS of the State.
MR. STUBS SPEAKS.

The senate and house convened IN
joint session today in Representative
hall at IL o'clock a. m, TO witness the
formal presentation Of the title deeds
TO Pawnee Rock to Governor w X
Stubs for the state of Kansas by the
women's Kansas Day club. The ses-
sion was one of the best ever held III
the historic hall Mrs. J. s. simmons
of Hutchinson. president OF the VIZ
mans Kansas Day club. MADE tne pl T.
sentation speech. paying hign trloutS
to the men who have Iegislated so well
for this state .
Governor W. R. Stubs responded IN
a happy speech aScribing TO the 4aoles
the credit for having Influenced the
men 70 pass all the good laws now on
the statute books. The governor M
the nail Squarely on the head Wnen ne
went on to suggest that the IurtIlef
need of Kansas at this time was the
hoTne-+raining and school education of
our boys and girls along the hneS OF
common sense and practical capacity 70
play their part in the world 5 WORK he
also urged the need OF an organization
10 relieve the distress of widows VINO
are left at the mercy of the world with
families to support The governor
talk instilled warmth and Hght INTO
the formal occasion and made Il one
of those typical Kansas gatherings
which has made this state the best
place to live in the Union The gov
ernor closed with the statement that
he had not prepared a speech, but that
now Lieutenant Governor Fitzgerald
would make the address of the day
Wanted to Hear DoIley.
The lieutenant governor. who was
presiding over the meeting, recOg-
nized Hopkins Of Finney, who moved
that the joint session be dissolved
Fitzgerald called for the yeas on this
motion and although only three
members voted in the affirmative he
declared that the motion had prevail
ed. The assembly would not have 1t
that way so Fitzgerald, with broad
grin. introduced Speaker J. \. Dolley
a. the orator of the day. The big man
from Maple Hill arose to the occasion,
as he always does, and made splen-
did extemporaneous talk In saying
amen to the governors suggestion TO
teach common sense in schools in
place OF Latin and astronomy. Mr..
Dolley declared that when he came TO
Kansas twenty-five years ago and set
tied on the prairies thirty miles west
OF Topeka there were located in his
county ten sons of rich men operating
large ranches and well supplied with
equipment, help and money These
young men with the silver spoons lost
their ranches. and today declared
the spea ker their ranches are owned
and operated by men who came to
this state barefooted and without
dollar in their pockets" Mr.. DolIey
did not add that he was one of the
men last mentioned, but such is the
fact.
Historic Pawnee Rock.
1t might be stated here that Pawnee
rock Is located in Pawnee county on
the old Santa Fe trail and is one of the
most historic sites in Kansas. The
rock rises ma jestically out of the
as large as the state house. Early
settlers. traders and freighters fought
often with the Indians under the
shadow OF this rock
The ladies' after a great deal of time
and trouble. secured the title deeds to
the land upon which the rock is stu
ated and today presented them to the
state to be held in trust in order that
this historic spot may be preserved as
a memorial always of the early strug-
giles of the pioneers It is expected
that some time in the future an ap-
preparation will be made by the Iegis-
lature looking to the Improvement of
this site or providing some means of
making the rock an attractive shrine
for all men and women OF sentiment.
After introduction of bills this
morning the house went into COM
mittee of the whole to consider GER
tain bills The bill by Phillips of
Sumner providing for the issuance
of school district bonds had been re-
turned TO the house by the judiciary
committee with the recOmme ndation
that it be not passed. The house de-
bated the matter with some warmth
in which several members took oc-
casion to go on record as favoring
the best school houses and equip
ment possible for the school children
of the state. The committee of the
whole voted to recommend the bill
TO the house for passa ge-
The bill by stone Of Shawnee. pro