The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-12-07
Ed SNOW TO STAY
He VIII Not Give Up the State
Printership
Until the Supreme Court
Decides
WHATTHELAWMEANS.
1t Seems to Provide That a
Majority
OF Flcm House Must Concur
Instead Of Both Houses.
Before a State Printer Can Be
Elected.

The half dozen Republican candidates
for state printer, have been brought face
W face with the uneA pected aud they are
not just sure whether the coming iegis-
lature viii elect a state printer TO a good
JOB or not
In has been generally supposed that all
that is necessary for the election of
state printer, is that he should receive
majority OF the votes cast by the legisla-
ture in Joint session, but State Printer
Shows friends have sprung new inter
pretation Of the law on that subject, or
rather they are calling attention to the
letter Of the law.
The law in regard TO the election of
state printer given in the general
statutes ia section 61l4 is as follows.
IA state printer shall be elected by the
legislature every second year. as pro
vided in the constitution For the pur-
poses Of such election, the legislature
shall meet It'll joint session on the third
Tuesday ia January, aud shall continue
in session from day 10 day until some
person is elected state printer by the con
currence Of majority of the mem bera
elected 10 each house. immediately
after such election, tie president Of the
senate and the speaker of the house of
Representatives shall furnish to the state
printer elect a certificate of his election"
The law prescri bing the term Of the
state printer in the next section Of the
statutes reads.
'lhe term Of office Of the state printer
shall begin on the first day Of July next
after his election. aud shall continue for
two years and until his successor IS
elected and qualified
It is understood in state house circles
that state Printer snow does not intend
10 give mp his present Office until some
man is elected by a clear majority Of the
membera of each house Of the legisla-
ture.
This means that be will contend that
unless the new state printer receives at
least 53 votes from The mem bers of the
house and at least 23 votes from the
mem bers of the senate, he viii not rec
ognize him as his duly elected successor,
although he himself was not elected IN
that manner.
State Printer Snow simply had ma
tority Of all the members Of the legisla-
ture, Including both the senate and the
house
It was the first time in the history Of
the state that both houses had not been
controlled by one political party, and the
old custom Of issuing the certificate to
the man VINO received a majority on
joint ballot was followed without any
question.
The Republicans will at the coming
session of the legislature have a large
nited States senator as provided by the
constitution. but the Populists have a
majority Of the members of the senate,
and If State Printer SHOWS Interpret
tiOn Of the law ~ correct. new state
printer can not be elected without Popu-
list assistance
State Printer Snow when seen by
STATE JOuRNAL reporter today. said. ..It
was about two years ago that I discOv-
cred this loop in the law, and very natur-
ell If-sI B. e.-j
since W hat | Will do about it. Is smother
thing ! never cross bridge until 1 come
20 it. 10 seems to mi that the law is verv
plain that the state printer must be
elected not by mi jority Of the mem
hers of the Legislature in Joint session.
but by q majority Of the members of
each house in joint session.
-As for my own case l am de factO
state printer. no matter " hat the law NAV
say On the subject was given a Ger
uhcafe ot election duly signed by Andy
eli as president or the senate and the
speaker of the house aud the Office was
turned over to me On the presentation Of
that certifcate
Mr. Baker IS out Of Office and he has
nothing 10 Der with the case. this point in
the law caS affect the past but II is
the future which may be interested in
ill., workings
"Clh Baker discovered this point in
January. 1898. and figuratively speaking
he has been kicking himself ever since
kor turning the office over to me He
said AZ thar time that if he had known
what be does now at the proper time l
never would have had the Office
This matter will no doubt have to be
passed on by the supreme court before it
viii be settled, now that the point has
Leen raised 1t cant be finally tested
until next July when the man elected at
tne coming session demands his office,
which will be refused him.
George w Crane. one of the Republi-
can candidates far state printer, saws he
has known about this point for several
years and now that it il raised the man
who is elected at the coming session Of
the legislature viii have to fight his way
into office.
State Senator Morgan who is in the
city today says there will be no trouble
about the man elected at the coming ses-
aion getting his Office as the election Of
state Printer snow four years ago will
re hela A. a precedent for the present
situation.
Mr. and Alrs. II. n. Devendorf will
spend the winter in Mexico.