The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-02-12
May Establish a Debtors Court
i'm Kansas.
Justice for Poor Who Cannot
Afford Lawyers.
RESPECT To ABRAHAM LINCOLN
Resolutions to His Memory by
Rising Vote.
Congratulations to Ireland Are
Held Up.

A debtors court for the benefit of
the poor and unfortunate of the state
is provided for in a bill which will be
introduced in the senate late this af-
ternoon by j, NJ. Davis, senator from
Bourbon county. This court will be
organized for the purpose of collecting
small bills and debts and settling
financial differences among the poor
er classes who are unable to hire at
torneys. A court under the Davis
measure, will be established in all the
larger cities and counties of Kansas.
The judge of the small debtors court
will be appointed by the county COM
missioners, the city commissioners or
the city councils of the cities and
counties. This judge will serve with
out pay and his court room will be
either at his home or in a room pro-
vided for him at the court house or
city hall. Only the small expense of
stationery and supplies will be in
curred-and this to be paid by the city
or the county.
When poor man has bill to col
lect he will go. to the judge and eX-
plain his case fully bringing with him
all the evidence and details. No
swarm of lawyers will be there to OBJ
ject to his testimony-no jury will sit
blank faced to his left. Every bearing
on the case will be explained and the
judge of the debtors court will decide
on the merits. No technical procedure
will be tolerated. Just a plain fair
SSlIl0mSnL between man ana man.
This court is planned for the pur-
pose of benefiting the laboring men
of the state and the poor who have
no funds to throw away on attorney
fees. An appeal to the district court
is allowed and the man, if he feels
like it, will have no jurisdiction taken
away from him.
The bill also was introduced in the
house.
&c
Price and ]. H. Stavely, leading law
authorities of the senate. nearly a
half hour this morning to convince
the other members of the upper house
that today was not legal holiday as
far as legislative business was con-
cerned. The senate this morning un-
til 10 o'clock was simply a part of
yesterdays transactions. Finally the
members consented to adjourn and
open the calendar for today in regu-
lar order. The fear hung with them.
however, and only one bill was intro
duced in the morning session.
The senate after an impassioned
talk by Senator Stavely this morning,
tabled the congratulations to Ireland
in her home rule victory. Senator
Stavely said the victory was not won,
that the House of Lords had refused
to concur in the decision of the House
of Commons and that it was not the
place of the Intelligent legislature of
the state of Kansas to send congratu-
lationS that were not opportune. He
defended his position by telling the
senate of an interesting affair more
than 125 years ago when his great
grandfather was an Irish fighter and
was imprisoned by the English on ac-
count of his beliefs. The senate
agreed to wait until a more suitable
resolution was drawn W before of
fering congratulations to the Irish
shore. Senator Malone will send in
the rewritten resolutions tomorrow
m orninS-
Senator Price of Clark county made
a prediction on the senate floor today
that drew applause from the Repub-
lican side of the house. In speaking
of the Democratic decision to disfran-
chise the ignorant voter in Kansas
through the Massachusetts ballot law,
Senator Price said:
by this educational qualification,
you have destroyed the Democratic
No retort was heard from the ma
jority members.
The combination Wilson
and committee automobile tax and Ii
cense bills were discussed by the COM
mittee of the whole this morning, but
no definite action was taken.
Once more the Democrats split forces
and the RepuDllcanS were aDie TO push
over bill introduced by a Republican
member in opposition to a resolution
by a member of the majority.
This time it was the Carey bill provid-
ing for the appointment of an eff1cien-
cy committee to investigate the state
and make recommends
tons for economy. The Davis resolu-
ton covering practically the same
ground was killed.
Despite fierce attack on both meas
ures led by Senator Bale Waggener,
and Senators Milton, Nighswonger,
Gray, Mcmillan and Joseph, the Carey
committee bill passed the
committee of the whole by a vote of
21 to Is. One good cause however-aI-
though it failed to be made known on
the floor-Governor Hodges favored the
Carey act. This lined up a number
of the strong administration Democrats
and the bill was passed.
For nearly two hours Senator Wag-
gener was able to conduct a miniature
6libuster against the Carey measure
First he tried to strike out the enact
ing clause. Then he tried to kill both
the Davis and Carey bills by smother
ing the enacting clauses. After ami |