Kansas City daily journal., 1897-02-12
KANSAS SENATE INDoRsEs INITIA-
TIVE AND REFERENDTM.
PARTY LINES STRICTLY DRAWN
ALL POPS WHIPPED INTO SUPPORT
OF THE MEASURE.
Debnte on the Resolution Bordered
ON the sensatIonaI-RepubI
FIIibusterinE PrOvOISes the
Pops to WrathfuL
Threats.

T.-Iska. Kas Feb. u.-(Special) The
senate wrestled for two hours to-day with
the initiative and referendum resolution
and then, by strict party vote, adopted
it. The debate bordered on the sensational
senator Young the author of the reso-
luton. in speaking in favor Of its auop-l
ton. said that. all things governmental
were now too hidebound, and that the Ten
dency of power and wealth to concentrate
was too great. He made the usual Gopu-
list buncombe. speech, declaring that the
people should rule. He predicted IL the
initiative and referendum We're adopted II
would mark a new era in Kansas. II
would tend to diminish the power OIL the
politicians and increase the power Oh lhe
people. He declared il would eitectuahg
stop corruption and abolish the lobby.
Senator Lamb made strong speech
aCainst the resolution. He spoke OIL lhe
foundation upon which this government
rested; declared that it was the best en-
earth and ridiculed the ideas set forth In
the initiative scheme. He declared that
not one person in ten in the Populist party
knew what il meant. Just because tie
idea had couple of long words hung to
il. the Populists thought it was all right
and '1et hes go at that" He asserted that
IL meant a complete revolution in legisla-
lion and If adopted there would no longer
be any permGnency Of government. The
people would be swayed by the power and
magnetism of orators. He said he was not
willing to confess that this government
was a failure. He branded the. statements
made bv Young that legislators. were cor
ruDt as a public slander.
Members of the legislature were Just as
honest as the men who sent mem there'
n dishonest member had a dishonest con-
s,tituency The adoption of this system
would be a step backward.
lHr.rV A7LFF IN
resolution. declaring that il would correct
the errors of legislation and bring BACK the
government to the people lie got on that la.
old gag about this being government py
injunction. where the big fish eat up the
a vote was then ordered and during the
roll cslI several members explained their
votes Hessin. Republican, from Riley,
sci the Populists wild be DECLARING that
the senate had been given a sample OF an
itiative and referendum this afternoon
when the PopulisE senator's were driven
into caucus like sheep by the initiator and
port a measure which many OF them had
publicly denounced He declared that 1t
was an outrage on the people for the Pop
lIlists 10 drive their senators and repre-
sentatives into the support Of obnoxious
legislation by party caucus. HIS remarks
were very. stinging and seemed to MT the
PoDulists in a tender spot.
Householder, Crossen, Jumper King
Young and Ryan spoke in favor of the
measure in explaining their votes Mat
tbevrs smoke against IT, He said that it
was a scheme. pure and simple, Tor getting
a resubmission of the prohibftory law, and
that when he voted against IL he believed
he voiced the sentiments of all true pro-
hibitions and church people OF the state.
Ryan made a ridiculous mistake in his
address. which caused much laughter.
After describing what this would do he said
Ahat IL would hlot out such partisan poll
kics as were witnessed last fallA when that
fnatchless man. Bryan. that friend Of the
doWntrodden people. Teller. and that stur-
dy young Southerner Fom Watson, went
arm in arm through the campaign After
he had been given the equine ha ma, he
discovered his mistake and changed the
name Of Watson to Butler.
The roll call then proceeded. and at its
conclusion the clerk announced % for and
70 against the resolution. johnson, Repub-
ncan. of jefferson. was absent.
The Populists are making the claim to-
night that they will muster up enough
votes in the house 10 carry through the
initiative and referendum resolution. While
few of their number will oppose it, they
claim TO have secured a sufficient number
of resubmission Republicans to give it the
required two-thirds majority.
Little Annie Diggs Is highly elated over
the success Of the measure in the senate
and the outlook for its adoption in the
house. Tonight sine said:
.'The machinery of state has been seized
by the few and operated for their own
ACKNOWLEDGMENT and enrichment Under
the provisions of the initiative and refer
endum popular will and popular voice may
be restored and the cherished ideal of d
government by the people may become d
reality. bringing with it a restoration OF
patriotic devotion to a government in
which all qualified voters are potent fac,
tors"
The initiative and referendum resolution
provides that no public act shall take er
feet or be in force until the end of siJ
months from the close OF the session of tn,
legislature ut which II was passed. unles
otherwise directed by vote of two-third
of the members of each house thereof; tina
no act shall take effect or be in force a
the end of six months If Is per cent of tn
electors of the state shall petition the sec
refary of state. within the said six months
for the submission of Che same to the elect
ors for their approval or rejection. Upon re
ceiving such petition, the secretary of stat
shall submit such act to the electors. an
whenever any such acts shall be approve
by a majority of the electors of the stat
voting upon the same, II shall become vail
and operative from the official canvass an
declaration of such vote.
When Is per cent Of the electors OF tn
state shall present hill or proposition {
the secretary of state, he shall submit sue
bill or proposition to the electors for aI
proval or rejection at the next ensuIn
general election.