The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-02-10
CAN'T RESUBMIT.
Secret Caucus of House POpu-
lists Held Last Night
Stood A to 90 in Favor of the
ResubmissiOn Measure,
But This Does Not Give Them
the Victory.
CANT GET TWO-THIRDS
The Number of Members Nee
essary in Each House.
Leaders on Both Sides Say Re-
submission Will Not Garry.

The Populist members of the house
held a secret caucus last night and by
a vote of A to 20 agreed to support re-
submission when that subject comes
before the house for final disposition
The Populist prohibitionists in the
house today claim that the vote was
merely brought about to test the
strength of the two factions, and it is
in no sense binding upon the members.
In fact one of the POpulist resubmis-
sionists says it has been agreed that
the members shall be permitted to vote
as they please on the repeal of the met
ropolitan police law and resubmission,
but the caucus, he says, will vote as
unit for the initiative and referendum,
although we have amended it, requiring
petition from 30 per cent of the voters
necessary to secure the reSubmisSiOn of
any proposition instead of Is per cent Is
provided by Senator Youngs resolution
now before the house committee which
has been favorably recommended by
the senate committee"
The indications now are that resub-
mission will be defeated and that the
initiative and referendum will be
adopted.
1t requires a two-thirds majority of
both the house and senate to resubmit
the prOhibitory or any other cOnstitu-
tionaI amendment While the house
might contain majority of the mem
berS in favor of resubmisSiOn, that fac
ton can not, it is believed, muster the
necessary SO votes to insure resubmiS-
sion.
Barley of Elk, one of the most earn
est prohibition workers in the house,
said today:
Il do not believe that the resubmis-
sionists can come within 25 or 80 votes
of resubmitting this question. As far
as the canvass has been made, we are
satisfied that the indications are all in
our favor
Fairchild of Kingman. a resubnis-
siOnist, said;
- believe we have a majority on the
floor of the house which will stand for
resubmission, but I do not believe we
can secure the necessary two-thirds
vote"
Brown of Pratt: 81 am confident that
reSubmission will be defeated
Larimer Of Shawnee, Prohibition Re
publican: Il am confident that the
scheme to resubmit the amendment will
be defeated. l have made careful
canvass of the Republican members this
forenoon and "a of the 4S have assured
me that they will vote against the prop
osition There are some other mem bers
on that side whom 1 have not seen but
I am sure they will stand by US. Some
marshalled. That is impossible. The
measure will be defeated in the house
and 1 believe it will fail in the senate"
Senator Lewelling: Il believe that
reSubmissiOn will be defeated and Sem
ator Young's initiative and referendum
idea substituted therefor
Senator John E. Hessin, Prohibition
Republican: Il do not believe that it
would be possible to secure the passage
| of a resubmission resolution in this
| body. There may be a number of mem
bers of the senate who believe in that
| principle but 1 regard as an impossi-
bility the successful result Of an effort to
| secure tWo-thirds of the members who
would endorse it by their votes. Any
measure of that character, in my opin-
| ion, would be killed in the senate"
Others expressed similar ideas with
reference to the senate and house and
| the prOhibitiOniStS are confident that
| the prohibitory amendment will not be
resubmitted while in doubt as to the
metropolitan police law However, the
| Populist caucus agreed that the mem
! bers should vote as they pleased also on
| that proposition. This, the prohibition
| lists believe will leave the members in
exactly the same position they occupy
| on reSubmission.