The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-03-25
Roads Affected by Eighteen
Laws and One Resolution.
Kansas Legislature and Rail-
ways Parted ON Good Terms.
THAT EXTRA CREW LAW
One of Many Bills Cast Into
Discard i'm 1915 Session.
Other Items of General Interest
i'm the Traffic World.

The legislature enacted eighteen
laws and adopted one resolution
whic affect the railroads directly OF
indirectly. Only one law will make
additional expense for the carriers
the measure which requires the pay
ment of wages twice month FMS
law will be effective July 1.
The Santa Fe, having more en-
ployees in Kansas than all the other
lines. is hit harder by the semi-month-
" pay law than any of it's competitors 5.
E. L. Copeland, treasurer, has ar
ranged additional quarters and an ad-
ditional force to take care of the work
made necessary by the new statute.
While 1852 bills affecting the rail-
roads were introduced. the sentiment
of the house and senate was opposed
to anti-railroad legislation, and the
drastic measures offered We're
promptly killed. But the Democratic
leaders of the senate and the Repub-
lican leaders of the house wanted to
enact into law something that the Ia
Dor unions wanted" said one railroad
man, so they made the railroads the
goat and passed the semi-monthly pay
BILL
I'VE wanted a labor law to which
we could point with pride in the next
campaign, and it was generally agreed
that the semi monthly pay measure
would hurt the railroads less than any
bill presented is the way one senator
put it.
Governor Capper also wanted the
semi-monthly pay bill and used his in
fluence to have it passed after it be-
came apparent that his plan to put The
management of the state labor bureau
back into the hands of organized labor
would fail. The governor did not ask
for any other railway legislation.
Joke of Session.
House bill No 4, by Laing of Rus
sell, is regarded by the railroads as
one of the jokes of the session. This
bill passed with scarcely a dissenting
vote, requires railroads to haul stock
shippers to market free on passenger
trains. Stock shippers now are haul
ed free on freight trains in order that
they may look after their live stock.
Lawyers in the legislature said the
Laing bill was unconstitutional, but
expressed the hope that the railroads
would obey it, which it is said they
likely will not do. To meet the claim
of stock shippers that cabooseS on
seasons, the railroads have entered
into an agreement with the Kansas
Live Stock association to put coaches
on stock trains during periods to- be
designated by the Observation-Disclosures
tary of the association.
List of Bills.
Other railroad bills enacted into law
To provide for uniform railroad
crossings.
To fix minim UNI clearance of Struc-
lures over tracks.
To amend the stocks and bonds law
especially to enable the M, K. & T.
company to raise some ready money.
To require railroads to- transport
the equipment of national guardsmen
without extra charge.
To provide for railroad aid bonds
to meet the demand for railway facili-
ties in sparsely settled parts of the
state.
To require interstate trains to stop
at points at, or near state lines. as
directed by public utilities commits
tickets, measure intended to beat the
proposed 21a cent interstate fare.
Some lawyers say the law is unconsti-
tutional on account of the interstate
feature.
To validate the law requiring the
construction of switches to elevators
by requiring payment for such con-
struction.
To tax real estate mortgages with
limit of $4,000 on railroad mortgages
Among the anti-railroad bills de-
feated were:
To provide for extra freight and
passenger train crews.
To provide for extra switching
crews.
To limit the length of freight trains.
To provide for electric headlights in
yards
To provide for switch lights at
branch line stations
To prohibit the operation of loco
motives backwards.
To provide cross seats in cabooses
To provide Sunday labor.
To provide for verdict of three
fourths jury.
To provide for weekly payment of
wages.
To provide for viaducts or subways
at crossings in the country.
To provide for state inspection of
boilers.
To provide for state examination of
engineers.
To prohibit corporation employees
from trying to influence legislation.