the department provides that its expenses shall be paid from the collections made by it from the insurance companies doing business in the State; all appropriations, therefore, for its support should be payable out of the insurance fund only. There is now in the treasury, to the credit of that department, of moneys collected by the Superintendent, $10,652.26.

There may be, and probably are, some minor defects in the insurance laws, but I am fully convinced that the present system has been of great benefit to the people of the State, and that it ought to be retained. Governor Booth, in his annual message to the Legislature of California in 1873, in commenting upon the Insurance Department of that State-a department similar to ours-says: "The result of an experience of nearly six years proves the wisdom of our legislative enactments relating to insurance. There are no defects apparent in the system, which protects alike the insurer and the insured, and constitutes a complete method of supervision by the State without undue official interference, free from discriminating exactions or prohibitory ones, but perfect enough to compel actual security and financial soundness." And the experience of California is the experience of all the States where the system has been adopted.

The salaries of the Superintendent and Chief Clerk are higher than they need be, and I recommend such a reduction thereof as will make them conform to the salaries of other officers, who are charged with the performance of like service.

CONCLUSION.

Upon the opening of the present session of Congress, all, or nearly all, of the general appropriation bills were introduced into the lower house, and when the time for the usual holiday recess was reached the important public business was found to be further advanced than it had been at any similar period for many years. The lesson is worthy of imitation. As the Constitution compels the Executive to share with the Legislature the responsibility of inconsiderate as well as of wise legislation, I feel warranted in urging you to give the first consideration to matters of the first consequence. No reason can be assigned-a pernicious custom alone excepted-why the leading appropriation bills, the revenue bill, and other important measures, should be passed and presented to the Executive during the closing hours of a session. There are no grave questions of a political char

acter which exact the preference in your deliberations, and it cannot be doubted that the people would regard a material reduction in the usual expense of a legislative session as a recognition of the prevalent demand for economy.

THOMAS A. OSBORN.

Mr. Elder introduced House concurrent resolution No. 3, directing the Secretary of State to deliver all stationery and other material for the use of the House and Senate to the Sergeant-at-Arms, and only on the order of the respective houses. Laid over under the rule.

Mr. Taylor introduced House concurrent resolution No. 4, directing that six thousand copies of the Governor's Message be printed in the English language, twenty-five hundred copies in the German language, and twelve hundred copies in the Swedish language.

Mr. Stevenson offered the following amendment as a substitute for the original resolution: That two thousand copies of the Governor's Message be printed in the English language.

Resolution and substitute laid over under the rule.
On motion, the House adjourned until 2 o'clock P. M.

AFTERNOON SESSION.

TOPEKA, January 13, 1875,
2 o'clock P. M.

House called to order; Speaker in the chair.

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Roll called. The following gentlemen were present, and answered to their names:

Messrs. Aldrich, Allen, Angell, Bates, Barnes, Baldwin, Bell, Benedict, Blair, Bradford, Briggs, Brinkman, C. J. Brown, G. W. Brown (Crawford), Burgess, Carter, Codding, Cowan, Cox, Doud, Edmonds, Fain, Farwell, Ferguson, F. R. Foster, J. N. Foster, Fitzwilliam, Gibson, Goff, Haff, Hooton, Hubbs, Hulett, Huston, Johnston, Kinsbury, Landon, Lockwood, Loy, Mann, Martin, Marvell, Mackay, Meredith, Merriweather, Mobley, C. Moore, Morse, Motter, Palmer, Pickett, Pilkenton, Raney, Rep

pert, Robinson, Root, A. W. Smith, T. E. Smith, W. C. Smith, Spurlock, Squires, Stauber, Stevenson, Sutton, Tabor, Taylor, Tomlinson, Tuttle, Walker, Wells, Williams, Willis, Wirt, Wood, Woods, R. W. Wright, and Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Stevenson introduced the following resolution, and moved its adoption:

Resolved, That a committee of three be appointed to refer the Governor's Message and accompanying documents to the proper committees.

Which was adopted; and the Speaker appointed the following gentlemen as said committee: Messrs. Stevenson, Elder and Thacher.

Mr. Legate, by unanimous consent, called up House concurrent resolution No. 2, and offered the following as a substitute: Resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring, That a committee of five on the part of the House, and three on the part of the Senate, be appointed to investigate and report to the Legislature the condition of that portion of the people of the State where the grasshoppers and drouth destroyed the crops, and report what legislation, if any, is necessary for their relief. Mr. Buchan offered the following as an amendment to the substitute offered by Mr. Legate:

That the Governor be requested to furnish the House such information as he may have in relation to the destitution and needs of such counties as have suffered by the grasshoppers during the past year.

Which amendment was lost.

Mr. Elder offered the following amendment to the substitute offered by Mr. Legate:

WHEREAS, A widespread devastation and an uncommon calamity has befallen many of the people of this State, caused by the ravages of insects, demanding the immediate attention of the Legislature: therefore,

Resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring therein, That there be a special committee of seven on the part of the House and five on the part of the Senate, whose duty it shall be to consider the subject of destitution and relief, and that they report by bill or otherwise at their earliest convenience.

The resolution as amended by Mr. Elder was then adopted.

INTRODUCTION OF BILLS.

By unanimous consent, the following bills were introduced:

By Mr. R. W. WRIGHT:

House bill No. 38, An act to vacate the office of county superintendent.

Also, House bill No. 39, An act to vacate the office of county attorney.

By Mr. GOUCHER:

House bill No. 40, An act to repeal an act entitled "An act to provide for the sale of public lands to aid in the construction of certain railroads," approved February 23, 1866.

By Mr. C. J. BROWN:

House bill No. 41, An act to provide for the construction and maintenance of chutes or fish-ways over all dams built across the rivers and streams of this State.

By Mr. ALDRICH:

House bill No. 42, An act supplemental to section 6 of chapter 65 of the General Statutes of 1868, entitled "An act relating to mills and millers."

By Mr. MOBLEY:

House bill No. 43, An act in relation to the collection of fees in justices' courts.

By Mr. KINGSBURY:

House bill No. 44, An act for the relief of Rock Creek township, Coffey county.

By Mr. FERGUSON;

House bill No. 45, An act to amend "An act to regulate the terms of the district courts of the Fifth and Thirteenth Judicial Districts," approved March 7, 1874.

By Mr. BENEDICT:

House bill No. 46, An act to enable Lafayette Ross and others to exercise the rights of majority.

By Mr. DOUD:

House bill No. 47, An act to authorize school district No. 78, Linn county, to issue additional bonds to pay the indebtedness of said district.

Mr. Miller moved that the House do now adjourn, which motion prevailed.

HENRY BOOTH, Chief Clerk.

House called to order; Mr. Benedict, Speaker pro tem., in the chair.

Roll called; quorum present. The following gentlemen answered to their names:

Messrs. Aldrich, Allen, Angell, Babcock, Bates, Barnes, Baldwin, Beegle, Bell, Benedict, Blair, Briggs, C. J. Brown, G. W. Brown (Nemaha), G. W. Brown (Crawford), Burgess, Campbell, Carter, Codding, Conrad, Cowan, Cox, Donnelly, Doud, Duncan, Edmonds, Elder, Fain, Farwell, Ferguson, F. R. Foster, J. N. Foster, Fitzwilliam, Goff, Goucher, Haskell, Haff, Hooton, Hubbs, Hulett, Jaquins, Johnston, Kingsbury, Landon, Legate, Lockwood, Loy, Mann, Marvell, Mackay, Meredith, Merriweather, Miller, Mitchell, Mobley, C. Moore, Morse, Motter, Palmer, Pickett, Pilkenton, Raney, Reppert, Robinson, Root, Scott, A. W. Smith, T. E. Smith, W. C. Smith, Spurlock, Squires, Stauber, Sutton, Tabor, Taylor, Thacher, Tomlinson, Tuttle, Vaughan, Walker, Wells, Williams, Willis, Wirt, Wood, Woods, R. W. Wright, and Mr. Speaker.

Prayer by Rev. Mr. A. A. Sellers.

Journal of yesterday read and approved.

PRESENTATION OF PETITIONS.

By Mr. MOTTER:

Petition of the citizens of Palermo, asking that the town site be vacated.

By Mr. ELDER:

Petition of A. M. Peck and fifty-two others, citizens of Franklin county, Kansas, praying for a change in the law fixing the width of public highways.

MOTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS.

Mr. Palmer introduced the following resolution:

Resolved, That each member of the House be allowed to subscribe for such number of daily or weekly papers containing the