The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-03-10

fought back as fast as he could but
the odds of 124 to 1 were too great
and the Greeley county man retired
to his seat.
There are III items on the claims
and accounts bill and the house spent
most of the evening session wrangling
over the two items giving extra pay
to the house employees who have
worked over time. Some of the MEM
bers wanted to pay all the employees
extra, but the motion was voted down.
Then Mercer moved to strike out the
item giving extra pay to any of the
employees. On the roll call on this
motion the rough house was start
ed Speaker Buchanan declared the
house adjourned with the vote stand
ing SO to Sc for the Mercer motion.
The charges preferred against
Speaker Buchanan Thursday night by
Chas. Case, and which resulted in his
conviction and sentence to receiving
gold watch, were as follows:
Mr.. Speaker: Disclosures have been
made to members of this house within
the last few days of such Importance
that under the duty which we. owe to
the state as members Of this legis-
lature. we cannot longer remain silent,
and decisive action must now be taken.
These matters relate directly to your
discharge of certain duties as presiding
officer of this body. Notwithstanding
my personal friendship for you and the
friendshop of others who have request
ed me to take this step, I must ask
that you call into the chair some mem
Der of this body well qualified to pre-
side during the remainder of this ses-
sion One with experience and stamina
to hold in check any disorder whoch
may arise.
Charges have been preferred in
writing signed by many of the mem
bers OF this body, and before proceed
to send these charges to the desk to be
read at the bar of this house, 1, in the
name of these gentlemen here assem-
bled, here and now insist that you
without delay. vacate the chair and re-
linquish the position to which but two
months ago you were elected by the
majority of this legislature. At that
time no one of US thought it would be-
come necessary to consider charges
against you. This is a proceeding new
in the experience of the state. From the
meeting of the first regular session I'M
til now il has never been necessary I'M
til this time to summarily call a
speaker to account.
Specification lit is charged by
Chas. A. Case and 124 other members
whose signatures are attached hereto.
that having been duly elected to the
position Of speaker on January 10, 1911
you nave ever since that time under
the most trying circumstances, dis
charged the duties of that high office
with courtesy, courage and fidelity.
Specification lit is charged by
George R. Allen and 124 other mem
bers of this house whose signatures
are appended hereto, that Immediate
ly following your election to the Office
of speaker of this house, you, in the
assignment Of members of committees
and the appointment of chairmen
thereto, acted in an impartial manner,
regarding neither partisan politics or
personal friendship, but actuated wholly
by desire to secure compact working
bodies for the purpose of securing
speedy and efficient legislation, made
such assignments in a manner salts
factory to this body.
Specification Hit is charged by
]. H. Cassin, alias Jimmie Casey
that while acting as speaker of this
house, you have only recognized him
one thousand three hundred seventy
nine times and have refused. him rec
ognition nine thousand seven hundred
eighty times and recognized in
stead the gentleman from Labette,
some of the gentlemen from Wyan-
dotte, members of the Davis family
or the gentleman from Woodson who
says he is a member of the ways and
means committee.
Specification IV-It is charged by
the lbs members of this house, each
singly for himself and in behalf of all
ed hereto, that in the discharge of your
arduous and trying duties as speaker
of this Thirty-fourth regular session,
you have conducted yourself in such a
manner as to endear you to the hearts
of each of us; that your decisions have
been impartial; your rulings fair; you
have forgotten personal friendship and
sought only to serve the state; and,
that to the careful and conscientious
effort manifested by you in guiding the
t. - i,
whatever Of commentator the peo-
pie of the state of Kansas will ulti-
mately place upon its work"
Charles Sessions, secretary of state,
has sent to the house the following
letter of congratulations on its econ
omy in the use of supplies:
This legislature has smashed all
records for economy in the use of sta
tionery and other supplies, handled
through this Office.
"The legislature of two years ago
broke all previous records by keeping
the stationery supply bills down to
$2,649.62, or an average of $44 per
day.
"But this legislature has gone even
that session one better by keeping the
stationery supply bills. including rem
tai of typewriters, down to $2,O20.99,
or an average of $34 a day.
This is a saving of IS per cent over
the good record of two years ago.
another noteworthy fact is that
this legislature has not spent single
penny for new furniture of any kind,
which is extraordinary in the history
of Kansas legislatures.
''The people of Kansas will, no
doubt, appreciate this record of econ
omy You are to be congratulated.
| Earl Akers, chief clerk, and N. H
Turner, sergeant-at-arms. who have
charge of the supply room of the
house, can point with pride to the
language of the letter.
! The house passed an appropriation
bill Thursday granting to the members
of the legislature $4,025 for extra ex-
| penses incurred during their stay in
| Topeka after the limit of the regular
ffty-day session had expired. This is
about $25 per member for ten days
time without regular pay. The bill
passed 20 to SO. Some of the mem
IL