The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1876-03-03
LETTER FROM THE CAPITAL.
TOPEKA, KANsAs.(
EAhrnaru 18th 1916

- 4
February 18th, 1916. :
The appropriation bill for the
payment Of the bills of the news
paper publishers, for advertising
the constitutional amendments, be-
came law, and during last week a
considerable portion of the $500
and upwards was drawn out of the
treasury. The amount paid each
newspaper is $3.50. This appro-
priation is one item IN the expense
of changing from annual to bi-en-
nial sessions of the Legislature.
When the State gets settled in the
business of holding Legislative ses-
sions but once in two years the saw
ing will abundantly compensate for
ali the expense and trouble in max
ing the change.
On Saturday the Senate passed |
high school bill. The bill was pre-
pared by a committee appointed for
the purpose, and it embraces all the
school laws now in force, with some
changes aud amendments suggested
by the committee. If the bill be-
comes a law it will be published in
pamphlet form and furnished to all
the school districts of the State.
The committee which prepared this
bill is composed of Mr.. kinney of
the Senate, and Messrs. Hoyt and
Green of the House.
The new Centennial bill has pass
ed the House. and will undoubtedly
go through the Senate. 1t appro-
PIRATES $4,000 to be expended in
the erection of q building and max
ing q complete exhibition.
A general tax bill has passed the
House; the bill referred to by your
correspondent IN q former letter.
1t passed just as reported by the
committee. The Senate has had it
under confederation, and made some
amendments. 1t is very long bill,
and may yet fail for want of agree
ment between the two Houses upon
some of its leading provisions.
Mr.. Clicks bird bill has become
a law. 1t prohibits the shooting,
trapping, or netting of all game
birds and harmless birds, except
that it allows the shooting of prairie
chickens from August 18th to jan
uary 1st, and quails during Novem-
Der and December. 1t is q radical
measure In the interest of agricul.
ture and horticulture.
But the leading feature of last
weeks work was the slaughterine
of the Normal schools. One aftel
another the bills making appropria'
tons for the support of those insti
tutions were taken up in the HOUSE
and defeated. First, the Concordi.
bill went under. It was first alleged
against it that it had no legal exist
ence; that it had been established
by fraud and next it was charged
that it was a mere local school, ant
that the expenditure of the none,
of the State in its support only wen
to benefit the little children of tn
people of ConcoTdia; or in mali
part, at least, for that object alone
This school was organized in 1874
under the act of 1870, and a yea
i ago received its first appropriation
frem the State. The law of 1876
in terms, in its. first section, state
= that there shall be one Norms
l. school established north of the Kan
: sas river. Then it goes on and ex
r plains the conditions under whicl
q Normal schools can be established
? as if it were intended that sewers
i such schools might be set up. Un
der the law the Leavenworth Nor
NAL school was established. Unde
i it's congruous provisions the Con
a cordia school was organized. Tn
fact about the bungling law is, tina
in framing it, bill was introduce,
providing for the organization G
district. The bill was rushed througl
. on the last days OF the session will
= change declaring for one Norms
:, school north of the Kansas rivel
but leaving the other parts of th
law as if it applied to the organizs
u ton of many Normal schools.
But the action of the House i
u reference to the other Normal schot
l. appropriation bill, showed that til
q crookedness in the organization {
= the Concordis school was not th
d only objectionable sin in The eye
o of that body. The committee {
the whole House reconSidered th
rejection of the Leavenworth bill
rs and indefinitely postponed Il
t, Emporia bill. This was NJ
Re- done without earnest wrestling o
I'd the part of the friends of those il
to stituiions. They fought long Al
&c valiantly in their behalf.
Now the Normal school issue
IN fairly made up before the peopl
u The Legislature has acted witho
n the sanction of the people, for Il
al question of Normal schools was N
n- in the canvass in last falls electio
To Members have presumed much
% striking . death blow at these inst
ae tutiOns without instructions. Y
81 the action of the House may I
q. taken az significant of the distru
W of 9 large portion of the people
II the State as to the usefulness of q
to Normal schools. One or more
=; them will doubtless be restore
Ire And it is to be hoped under circuI
no stances and conditions such as "
~ enable them to, in no great periA