The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-02-14
II IS BEATEN.
The Constitutional Convention
Resolution Dead.
It Was Killed III the House
Today.
IF WE WANT CHANGES
We Must Make Them by
Amendments
One at a Time-The Debate al
Interesting One.

A shower OF petltlonS Iell upon tAo
house this morning Most of them were
to give the state historical society more
room.
The others were requests for the es-
tablishment of a state normal school at
Wichita.
An act to prevent the adulteration of
vinegar was the title of bill introduced
by Mr.. Lambert of Lyon This is the
first vinegar that has been injected into
the proceedings of the house.
The railroad committees mission seems
to be a killing one. OF a batch of
seven or eight bills not one was favora-
blv- reported The last surviving bill
regulating the granting and receiving OF
passes went to its death this morning.
This is the final expression of the fact
that this house does not intend to make
any effort to correct the pass evil or even
give the matter hearing in the open
house. Three pass bills of more or
less severity have been introduced
in the house by Messrs. Simons, Garden
hire and Cox, but each has been quietly
and effectually strangled in the COM
mittee rooms. The Simons and Garden
hire bills were killed in the judiciary
committee. The railroad committee also
reported unfavorably the bill requiring
motors and street cars to be enclosed to
protect the motormen. Mr.. Hopkins
measure to regulate the price of berths
on palace sleeping cars, and the bill re-
quiring the gift of transportation to GER
tain shippers in certain cases.
Pension for d. w. Boutwell,.
The senate concurrent resolution re-
questing the general government to
grant a pension for distinguished brav-
erv and Service in the Union army dur
-, ho1 n
of Butler county, was adopted. He is
the man who, by carrying dispatches
to General Pleasanton, saved Kansas
from invasion by Prices army. He is
also the man who was dragged by the
heels through the Topeka Jail yard by
John Carter's police for refusing to ans
wer questions.
At 10 o'clock the senate joint resolution
recommending the calling of a conven-
ton to revise the constitution of the state
was placed on third reading and consid-
cred by the house.
Mr.. Trueblood opened the debate by
opposing the resolution. "There is a
sentiment abroad that the people of this
state do not know their own minds. 4
proposition is submitted to them; they
vote on it and straig ghtway it is said they
didn't understand what they were voting
on. This same question was voted on
two years ago and now it is proposed to
cram it down the throats of the people
again. The taxpayers of the state do not
want it, the entire prohibition element of
the state will be arrayed against it. We had
better endure the few mistakes which
exist in our present constitution than to
submit to the worry of a constitutions al
convention"
Mr.. Benefiel Says We Want Worry.
Mr. Benefiel spoke in favor of the res
olution. He said it was conceded by
many that the constitution was now toe
small for the great state of Kansas.
There is a sentiment in the state against
prohibition, there is growing feeling in
favor of woman suffrage. and if the peo-
pie want to wipe the prohibitorv Law
from the constitution 1 am in favor OF
letting them do it, and if they want tc
grant women the right to vote I will sub
NIT to it, though l am not personally in
favor of it.'
Mr. johnson of Anderson. chairman oi
the Judiciary committee, opposed the
resolution. when the people have re
jected this proposition SO recently as two
years ago it is time for us to let then
alone The gentleman from Montgom
cry speaks of a sentiment in favor of wo
man suffrage, but that question was de
cided no longer ago than November
" No'O AO AOdSOu 10 DSll6Y6 the
people would speak differently on tn,
questions now than then"
MT. Cole of Barton made speech il
favor of the bill. He said the constitn
ton was made when Kansas was an in
rant and was not suited to the needs O
the state now.
Speaker Lobdell, who was on the foo,
sad: Il had been told that the constitn
tion OF the state Of Kansas was piece
OF patchWork, and with my boyish pref
uolce against patched things / was in
clined to think it would he
good thing to change it Bu
when l came to consider What
meant when Hooked into the statemen
that 1t was made for a little countr
along the Missouri river, and remem
oered that the great federal constitutio
was made for few little states alon
the Atlantic, but is now big enough fo
the whole country, from the Atlantic I
the Facltc, concluded that Kanss
eoulo get along with her constitution"
Would Stir Up Strife.
Mr. Lobdell then pointed ont the ari+,
ton it would throw the state into m W
tote on the proposition, the election q
sne 9eIegates, and the expense. wbic
co@io not be less than $3.50. 900. were q
arguments against it The Question ,
resuomlssion has been spoken of and
Nc Maue 70 say that when even respect,
pie . minority n Of the voters of the stat
40 an' IL 80 ~ ! WIN De with you but let us n,
Lobdell said: "Considering +ba =.
times, l belle that Kansas csn naa aa
along very well with her baby constitI
uon-" His speech was greeted with y,
AE. Veale said he was in favor of