their acts valid,' approved March 3, 1870," was read the first time. House bill No. 383, "An act to authorize Kansas City, Kansas, to make certain improvements therein named," was read the first time. House bill No. 120, "An act to legalize the official acts of the city council of the city of DeSoto, a city of the third class, in Johnson county, Kansas," was read the first time. House bill No. 276, "An act providing for the change of name of Carrie E. L. Engle," was read the first time. House amendments to Senate bill No. 3, "An act authorizing minor Albert A. Brown to exercise the right of majority," were taken up for consideration, and the question being, Shall the amendments be concurred in? the roll was called with the following result: Yeas, 17; nays, 0. Gentlemen voting in the affirmative were: Messrs. Blair, Brandley, Butler, Barker, Ely, Grimes, Judd, Martindale, McFarland, Morrill, Murdock, O'Neil, Simons, St. John, Wilson, J. C., Wilson, V. P., and Winter. Gentlemen absent or not voting were: Messrs. Crichton, Edwards, Guerin, Johnson, Martin, Matheny, McWirt, Moonlight, Palmer, Price, Rogers, Schmidt, Simpson, Topping, Walker, and York. And so, a constitutional majority having voted in the affirmative the amendments were concurred in. Ordered that the Secretary inform the House thereof. Mr. Morrill, chairman of the committee on finance and taxation, by consent made the following reports: MR. PRESIDENT: Your committee on finance and taxation, to whom was referred House bill No. 242, "An act authorizing an enumeration of persons of school age in Jewell and Smith counties, Kansas," have had the same under consideration, and I am directed to report the said bill to the Senate with the recommendation that it be passed. E. N. MORRILL, Chairman. MR. PRESIDENT: Your committee on finance and taxation, to whom was referred House bill No. 316, "An act for the relief of Mission township, in Neosho county," have had the same under consideration, and I am directed to report the said bill to the Senate with the recommendation that it be passed. E. N. MORRILL, Chairman. MR. PRESIDENT: Your committee on finance and taxation, to whom was referred House bill No. 270, "An act for the relief of the tax-payers of school district No. 9, Ottawa county, State of Kansas," have had the same under consideration, and I am directed to report the said bill to the Senate with the recommendation that it be passed. E. N. MORRILL, Chairman. Substitute for House bill No. 39, "An act to amend an act entitled 'An act to incorporate cities of the second class, and to repeal former acts,"" approved February 28, 1872, was read the third time. Mr. Murdock moved that the further consideration of the bill be postponed until 3 o'clock P. M. Mr. Blair moved, as an amendment, that the bill be referred to a special committee composed of Senators representing cities of the second class, upon which a vote was had and the motion did not prevail. The question being upon the motion to postpone, a vote was had and the motion prevailed. Mr. Ely, by consent, offered the following resolution, which was laid upon the table: Resolved, That the committee appointed to investigate the affairs of state officers be instructed to report their action in the premises on the 28th day of February, 1873. Mr. McFarland asked and by unanimous consent obtained leave to introduce Senate bill No. 156, "An act to amend an act entitled 'An act to provide for the assessment and collection of taxes,"" approved February 27, 1868, which was read the first time. Mr. McFarland moved that the rules be suspended, and that the bill just introduced be read a second time and referred now, which motion prevailed, and Senate bill No. 156, "An act to amend an act entitled 'An act to provide for the assessment and collection of taxes,' approved February 27, 1868," was read the second time, and referred to the committee on finance and taxa The President appointed as special committee on Senate bills Nos. 125 and 127, Messrs. St. John, McFarland and Grimes. Mr. Wilson moved that House bill No. 96 be referred to the committee on printing, which motion prevailed. On motion, the Senate adjourned. GEO. C. CROWTHER, Secretary. AFTERNOON SESSION. SENATE CHAMBER, TOPEKA, KANSAS, } The Senate met pursuant to adjournment; President in the chair. Roll called. The following gentlemen were present and answered to their names: Messrs. Blair, Brandley, Butler, Barker, Crichton, Edwards, Ely, Grimes, Judd, Martindale, McFarland, McWirt, Moonlight, Morrill, Murdock, O'Neil, Palmer, Price, Rogers, Schmidt, Simons, St. John, Topping, Wilson, J. C., Wilson, V. P., and Winter. Quorum present. Mr. Morrill asked and obtained leave of absence for Mr. Rogers until to-morrow. Mr. Martindale, chairman of the committee on agriculture, by consent made the following report: MR. PRESIDENT: Your committee on agriculture, to whom was referred House bill No. 113, "An act to amend sections 5, 13, 14, 29 and 30, of chapter 105, in relation to strays," have had the same under consideration, and I am directed to report the said bill to the Senate with the recommendation that it pass with the following amendment: Amend section 1, by striking out all after the word "provided," in the fifth line of said section. WM. MARTINDALE, Chairman. The President of the Senate laid before that body the following communication from the farmers' convention, which was referred to the committee on finance and taxation: WHEREAS, The present law for the payment of taxes on the 10th day of January in each year operates to the detriment of the farming interest, as it compels the farmer to market his produce at a season of the year when there is no market for it, and at a great sacrifice of the value of his produce: therefore, be it Resolved, That our present legislature be requested to so amend the tax laws that one-half of the annual tax shall fall due on the 10th day of January and one-half on the 10th day of July in each year. Resolved, That the secretary of this meeting be requested to furnish a copy of this resolution to the Secretary of the State Senate, and to the Clerk of the House, with a request that it be read to each of those bodies when convened for business. The foregoing resolutions were passed by the farmers' convention held in the city of Topeka on the 23d day of February, 1873. J. M. HARVEY, Secretary. Mr. Ely moved that the Senate do now resolve itself into committee of the whole for the consideration of bills on the calendar. Mr. Martindale moved to amend by adding House bill No. 232, Senate bill No. 153, and bills on the calendar, which amendment was adopted. The question being upon the original motion as amended, a vote was had and the motion prevailed. Mr. Winter in the chair. After some time spent therein, the committee arose and through their chairman made the following report: MR. PRESIDENT: Your committee of the whole Senate have had under consideration Senate bill No. 153, "An act for the protection of prairies from incursions by fire, and I am directed to report the said bill to the Senate with the recommendation that it be passed. JACOB WINTER, Chairman. On motion, the report of the committee of the whole Senate was agreed to. Mr. Edwards, chairman of the committee on ways and means, by unanimous consent made the following report: MR. PRESIDENT: Your committee on ways and means, to whom was referred House bill No. 289, "An act making appropriations to certain persons therein named," have had the same under consideration, and I am directed to report the said bill to the Senate with the recommendation that it be passed with the following amendment: D. M. Adams, $150, be reduced to $100. JOHN H. EDWARDS, Chairman. Substitute for House bill No. 39, "An act to amend an act entitled 'An act to incorporate cities of the second class, and to repeal former acts,' approved February 28, 1872," was read the third time. Mr. Murdock moved that the further consideration of the bill be postponed until 11 o'clock A. M. to-morrow, which motion prevailed. Mr. Murdock moved that the Senate resolve itself into committee of the whole for the consideration of House bill No. 232, and bills upon the calendar, which motion prevailed. Mr. St. John in the chair. After some time spent therein the committee arose, its chairman made the following report: and through MR. PRESIDENT: Your committee of the whole Senate have had under consideration House bill No. 232, "An act to authorize school district No. 4, in Greenwood county, to issue bonds," and I am directed to report the said bill to the Senate with the recommendation that it be passed. Senate bill No. 98, "An act to fix the salaries of certain county officers in counties having over ten thousand inhabitants," and recommend that it be passed, subject to amendment on third reading. J. P. ST. JOHN, Chairman. On motion, the report of the committee of the whole Senate was agreed to. Mr. Brandley, chairman of the committee on engrossed bills, asked and by unanimous consent obtained leave to make the following report: MR. PRESIDENT: Your committee on enrolled bills have examined Senate bill No. 3, "An act authorizing minor Albert A. Brown, and others, to exercise the rights of majority," find the same correctly enrolled, and have presented the same to the Governor for his signature. H. BRANDLEY, Chairman. Mr. Brandley, chairman pro tem. of the committee on engrossed bills, asked and by unanimous consent obtained leave to make the following reports: MR. PRESIDENT: Your committee on engrossed bills, to whom was referred Senate bill No. 151, "An act relating to the construction of a mill dam across the Smoky Hill river," have had the |