CHAPTER XXXI. THE LEGISLATURE AND CHRONICLES OF 1891. 334. Installation and Organization.—The State Government for the biennial period, beginning January 12, 1891, was installed without any special ceremonies, and even the inaugural ball was dispensed with. In these matters, Kansas hardly ever deviates into pomp, and there is a constantly recurring tendency to simplicity. The House was organized by the choice of P. P. Elder, of Franklin county, as Speaker, and Benjamin Rich, of Trego county, as Chief Clerk. The House differed in political sentiment from the Senate and from the State administration. 335. Retirement of John J. Ingalls. On the 28th of January, 1891, Wm. A. Peffer received 101 votes for United States Senator, and was declared elected. Senator Ingalls retired from a service of eighteen years in the United States Senate, over which he was for four years the presiding officer, and had been a prominent figure in the eye of the nation. 336. William Alfred Peffer.-William Alfred Peffer, who succeeded Mr. Ingalls, was, at the time of his election, sixty years of age. He was born of a family of German descent, in Cumberland county, Pa. He enjoyed limited common school advantages and then extended them to others, as a teacher, when still a boy. Lived in California Enlisted as a Union soldier, serving over twó two years. years in the Eighty-Third Illinois Volunteers, and attaining the rank of second lieutenant. He was admitted to the bar, came to Kansas, combined law and journalism, with a preference for the latter; became an advocate of the principles of the Farmers' Alliance, and was chosen to the Senate as their representative and exponent. The Legislature elected E. H. Snow, State Printer. 337. The Legislature.—The Legislature began its regular biennial session on January 13th, and adjourned on March 13th. As the adherents of the new People's, or Farmers' Alliance, Party were in control of the lower House, and of both Houses on joint ballot, the proceedings of the session were watched by the public with great interest. 338. Irrigation.-An important act of the session provided a system of law for the promotion of irrigation. It declared that all natural waters whether standing or running, and whether surface or subterranean, in that portion of the State west of the ninety-ninth meridian, shall be devoted, first, to purposes of irrigation in aid of agriculture subject to ordinary domestic uses, and second, to other industrial purposes, and may be diverted from its natural beds, basins, or channels for such purposes and uses, provided that existing vested rights in such waters shall not be affected without due legal condemnation and compensation. Provision is made for the creation of irrigation districts, which are authorized to construct ditches and works, to borrow money and issue bonds, and to levy taxes to pay for such works. The charges for water supplied by any person or corporation to another for irrigation, shall be fixed in each county by the county commissioners, and the rights and duties of such persons and corporations, as well as of public irrigation districts, are defined at length. The sinking of artesian wells and the rights of owners thereof are also regulated. 339. Grain Laws.-By another act the business of public warehousemen is carefully defined and restricted. The maximum rates for storage and handling of grain, including cost of receiving and delivering, are fixed at one cent a bushel for the first fifteen days, or parts thereof, onehalf cent a bushel for each fifteen days, or part thereof, after the first fifteen, but not over four cents a bushel in the aggregate for continuous storage from November 15th to May 15th following. Any board of trade issuing licenses hereunder shall appoint a State weighmaster and such assistants as shall be needed for the transaction of business in its locality. There shall also be a State inspector of grain appointed by the Govornor, who shall appoint deputy inspectors upon the nomination of local boards of trade. The inspectors shall determine the grade of grain offered to public warehouses, but an appeal may be taken from their decision. 340. Appropriation. The sum of $60,000 was appropriated to purchase seed grain for those farmers who lost their crop by reason of the drought of 1890. The railroad commissioners were authorized to purchase such grain, and county commissioners of each county to distribute it, taking the note of each beneficiary for the cost of the grain supplied to him. 341. Eight-Hour Day.-Eight hours were declared to constitute a day's work for all laborers, workmen, mechanics, or other persons employed by or in behalf of the State, or by or in behalf of any county, city, township, or other municipality of the State. Declaring the first Monday in September of each year a legal holiday to be known as "Labor Day." To protect associations and unions of workingmen in their labels, trade marks, and form of advertising. 342. Provision for a Convention.-Provision was made for submitting to the people, at the November election in 1892, the question whether a convention should be called to revise, amend, or change the State Constitution. 343. Office of State Bank Commissioner.-Created the office of State Bank Commissioner, with salary of $2,500, and empowered him to close any bank that did not comply with the law. 344. Alien Ownership of Land.-An act to prevent ownership of land by non-resident aliens, provides that every non-resident alien, firm of aliens, or corporations, incorporated under the laws of any foreign country, shall be incapable of acquiring title to or taking or holding any land or real estate in this State, by descent, devise, purchase, or otherwise, except that the heirs of aliens who have heretofore acquired lands in this State under the laws thereof, and the heirs of aliens who may acquire lands under the provisions of the act, may take such lands by devise or descent, and hold them for the space of three years and no longer, if such alien at the time of so acquiring such lands is of the age of twenty-one years, and if not twenty-one years of age, then for the term of five years from the time of so acquiring such lands. 345. Alien Residents.-Corporations or associations in which more than twenty per cent. of the stock is owned by others than citizens of the United States, are prohibited from holding real estate in the State. But alien residents of the United States who have declared their intention to become citizens may acquire and hold real estate for six years, when it shall escheat to the State if they have not become full citizens. Minor alien residents of the United States may acquire and hold real estate for six years after they might have declared their intention of becoming citizens under the Naturalization laws, subject to escheat if they have not become full citizens in that time. 346. Improvement of State Buildings.-Sixty thousand dollars was appropriated to continue the construction of the main and central wings of the State House; the further sum of $60,000 for building and equipping a cottage and for other improvements at the Osawatomie Insane Asylum, and the sum of $9,000 for an industrial building at the Deaf and Dumb Institution at Olathe. 347. Other Acts of the Session.-Changing the bounty on sugar manufactured in the State from beets, cane, or other plant grown in the State, to three-fourths of one cent a pound. Appropriating $3,500 to establish an experiment station at the State University to propagate the contagion or infection supposed to be destructive to chinch bugs, and to furnish it to farmers free of charge. Prohibiting combinations to prevent competition among persons engaged in buying and selling live stock. Accepting the provisions of an Act of Congress granting aid to State or Territorial homes for disabled soldiers and sailors. Accepting the Act of Congress granting aid for the endowment and support of colleges of agriculture and the mechanic arts. 348. Discovery of Alfalfa.-One of the discoveries of agricultural Kansas for the year 1891, was that of alfalfa. In the spring of that year the Secretary of the State Board |