The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-01-26
KISS AND MAKE UP
Mercer and Orr Lay Aside Their
Fighting Clothes.
Chase County Member Makes
Apology to House.
A MANLY STATEMENT.
Says He Was Nagged Until He
Lost Patience.
AtchisOn Man Also Says Incident
Is Closed.
A MANLY STATEMENT.

The house listened this morning TO
soft words that turn away wrath.
Quite a change from yesterday when
the chamber echoed to the battle cries
of some several members. Mercer, or
Chase. arose at his place as soon as
the chaplain finished the morning
prayer and addressed the house in part
as follows:
'I have been a member of this house
for three terms. and have tried during
that time to represent my people at
home 1t has always been my purpose
to be fair and courteous to all the
members of this house. Two years ago
/ was appointed to a state office by the
present governor. My people knew OF
this appointment and they reelected
me last fall by an increased majority
over a strong opponent. 1 owe alleg1-
ance to no one except my constituents.
No man can drive me to submit to
what is not right. l have endeaVored
to fill the office to which I was ap-
pointed to the best of my ability, but
whenever the governor expects any
thing more than that from me he can
have his commission back again.
II have been nagged on the floor or
this house until it became unbearable.
I have borne it as best I could. but yes
terday lost my patience and my tenn
per at the same time and for my words
spoken at that time 1 wish to apologize
to this house, and also for ungentle-
manly conduct unbecoming as mem
ber of this house,
Mr.. Mercer'S straightforward and
manly talk was applauded by the house.
Orr, of Atchison, the member who had
been called liar by the member from
Chase the day before, arose in his place
on a question of personal privilege and
said: My long experience as a lawyer
has led me to observe that men often
lose their temper in the heat of de-
bate and say things they do not mean
and which they regret instantly they
are spoken. The statement that / had
said that the member from Chase was
not representing his people at this ses-
sion 1 do not recall to have made.
am not conscious of having ever made
such a statement I have made no ref
erence to the member from Chase ~ex
cept to answer questions he has asked
me when l had the floor and that. IT
seems to me, was my duty to do. I
do not like what occurred here yester-
day. When member states to the
house a duty he owes the house that
ought to be sufficient to close the in
cident."
Speaker Buckman, speaking of the
matter, said that he believed that every
member of the house was here to do his
duty by his constituents. He said he
thought the gentleman from Chase had
been aggravated and he hoped thar
hereafter personalities would be omit
ted in debate. 1T can Go no good,'' he
said, nor promote legislation. We are
the Cnly representatives of the people
and We have a high duty to perform
here which should be done with dignity
Legitimate criticism is always in order,
but surely there are enough words in
the English language to express all the
feelings or criticism necessary without
trespassing the rules of etiquette be-
tween gentlemen"
Watson of Allen county, who also
holds al appointive office and who
took a heated part in the debate of
yesterday, took the floor and spoke
feelingly of the tendency of certain of
the members to refer in sighting terms
to himself and Mercer as holding an
pointive offices and leaving the i'm
preston that they were allowing these
offices to interfere with their duty as
legislators. He said that he had been
appointed in the bank commissioners
department six years ago and had re.
signed his place two years ago hut
that the resignation had never been ac-
cepted- He declared emphatically that
he was doing his full duty to his con-
stituents uninfluenced by any office
and he thought it was peanut politics
on the part of the house members 70
constantly refer to the appointees on
the floor of the house
Thus endeth the conflict of Yesterday
The house settled down with a sigh of
satisfaction to the humdrum consider
alton of bills.
The house was overwhelmed with
petitions this morning protestiny
against the Cones anti-Sunday baseball
bill. There must have been fiftv of
them and they came from every sectio,
of the state and contained thousands
hon r4c~ 1NE It,
and women One from Wichita con-
tanned 10000 signatures and one from
Topeka had $500 signers Another from
the Santa Fe shops here had over Oo0
names. One from Pittsburg had :. 400
names. The language of these petitior:.
was significant One of them reau:
Sunday is the only day of the week
in which the mechanics and workmen.
most of whom love baseball, can see
the national game. and we pray Won
not to take away our only recreation -
Another said: 1T is against the con-
stitution to Interfere with the rights of
citizens In the interest If the church, -
The anti-Sunday baseball bill came
before the house in committee of tho
whole this afternoon and the debate on
the measure attracted large crowd to
the floor of the house and the galleries
The following communication. signed
by fift-- good men and true was sent
to the desk b. Case of Dickinson and
was read by the clerk:
"Dear Friend Case:
I'VE. your undersigned constituents
of Abilene and Dickinson county. hav-
ing Just learned of your unfortunate
accident of having your pants torr
during a recent fracas in the state
treasurer's Office and believing that
you were entirely innocent of the af-
fair, desire to offer our sympathy.
1--WE, being your friends, realize
f~x,- = ! l.
home and having only one pair Of
trousers desire to show our FRIENDSHIP
to you in what we think tn ! most sen
Aib1e manner. We have not acted