The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-01-20
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It looks as though the state senate is
going to give prompt attention to at
least one crying evil of modern BUSH
ness conditions-the one permitting the
circulation of the numerous bad checks
which in the past month or so have
reduced the merchants. OF Topeka to a
condition verging on distraction. The
Paulen bill in the senate has already
been favorably reported from the COM
mittee on banks and banking with the
recommendation that it be passed. The
bill has been drafted with view to
stopping the fraudulent writing of
checks when the writer knows he has
no money on deposit. 1t has no dangers
for the regular depositor of bank
who inadvertently overdraws his ac-
count
Section of Senator Paulen's bill pro-
v1des for the legitimate overdraft and
defines the term credit as applied to
drafts upon bank accounts in the fol-
lowing language:
THE word credit as used herein.
shall be construed to be an arrange
ment or understanding with the bank
or depositary for the payment of such
check or draft
The penalty for wilfully drawing a
check where there are not funds to
meet it would be punishable by peni-
Tertiary sentence Of from one to five
years.
Topeka business houses will greet the
Paulen measure with great joy. The
same condition probably prevails every
where in the state, for the circulation
of worthless checks is alleged to have
grown in recent years to an enormous
nuisance, this being attributed to the
increased number of banks and to the
generally prosperous business condition
in Kansas which has made the use of
checking accounts far more general
The senate committee Of the whole
has recommended for passage Senator
Nighswonger's bill for the creation of
private corporations for the encourage
ment of learned professions. 1t pro-
videS for the organization of a corpora
ton for this object without the pay
ment of any fees other than those for
filing and recording the charter so long
as the corporation is not designed to
engage in business for profit. Its af-
fairs shall be managed by three or
more directors and such bodies shall
have all the powers ordinarily granted
to any corporations not created for
money making.
The recommendation Of Justice John
S. Dawson, made just before his retire.
ment from the office of attorney gen.
eral of Kansas to go onto the supreme
OclCIl, tlldl hdHSdS eAlcuQ Tie III
quiSitOrial powers Of her county and
state attorneys SO that information
bearing upon suspected violations of
any of the state laws might be cleaned
by private investigations before actual
complaints were issued, is being bark
ened to in the senate. The Bowman in
QUESTION bill has passed the commit
tee of the whole with it's approval for
final adoption. 1t gives the powers in
dictated, which are now available only
for the investigation of suspected vio-
lations Of the states prohibitory liquor
laws.
A bill calculated to make the owners
Of suburban real estate, when plating
property not inside municipal limits for
subdivision and settlement. provide for
suitable roads to every portion of the
subdivided area, is up for final passage
in the senate, bearing the pproval of
the committee of the whole. The bill
provides for the petitioning for a road
by the owner of land completely sur
rounded b. other land and gives the
commissioners of any county pr wer to