Kansas City daily journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1892-1897, 1897-02-04
KANSAS POPULISTS BUsLY ENGAGED
IN FRAMING 1T.
CAUCUS ORDERS BEING OBEYED.
STATE TEXT BOOK BOARD OF FIF-
TEEN PROVIDED FOR.
MaXImum Price for Rocks to BE Fixed
"A Lively Tilt in the Joint COM
miftee Meeting Yesterday
KANSAS Legislative
Nntters.

Topeka, Kas.. Feb. 3.-(Spccfal) The
ErCss insult offered by the POpulist caucus
Tuesday night did not cause the members
of the house educational committee to re
sign to-day. II takes more than an insult
10 do that. Populists were never known TO
resign anything. The committee took its
medicine, and will follow the dictates Of
the Populists Of the house in school book
legislation.
T'ndcr the instructions OF the caucus the
house committee met with the senate com
mitiee this afternoon for the purpose of
agreeing upon the text book bill. 1t was d
stormy session. Senator Titus was particu-
larly anxious to get after the trust, and he
wanted the PoPulists to get all the credit
for 1t. This caused 4 scrap, which came
near resulting in all the Republican mem
bers walking out.
Before the tilt occurred It was agreed by
the joint committee 20 introduce a bill in
each house providing for state uniformity,
OPTIONAL district ownership. and a maxi
mum price for books. a threat was also
hitchcd to the measure that, il the book
companies did not want to furnish books at
The prices fixed, the state would print Its
own books.
plan Of selecting state text book board 10
make contracts and select books. a mo-
tion was made that the board should be
composed of one Republican and one Pop
ulist from each congressional district, and
the state superintendent, who should be
chairman. This would give the Republic
ans seven and the Populists eight members.
This did not suit Titus. He wanted the
Populists to enlarge tie board SO that the
POpulistS would have two members from
each district and the Republicans one. SEN
ator Lamb said that the school book ques-
ton was one that should not be drawn into
politics. and that he WNs opposed TO Titus
suggestion. Titus insisted on making 1t q
party measure, and Lamb told him that, If
he did, he would find that there would be
M
Populists who would join the Republicans
70 defeat such q measure.
THE Republicans are in favor of reform
along this line ,,iiI and are wiling TO JOIN n
but we will not be buBdOzed," said Lamb
Il will leave the committee and fight the
thing out on the floor"
Lamb left the room. but Senator Hanna
followed MIN out, and, after u brief con-
sultation, the two returned.
The motion of Titus to give the POpulsts
two members from each congressional dis
trict and the Republicans one was put
and enough Popuists voted with the Re
publicans to defeat II. Then the motion
10 have the board composed OF seven Re
publicans and eight PopulIsts was carried.
The representatives>frOm the various dis
tricts will get together and select the mem
bers of the proposed board and their names
Will be included in the bill as the textbook
board. At the next general election. men,
bers will be elected to succeed them.
A subcommittee of three senator's and
two representatives was appointed TO draft
a bill, and another committee. consisting
of two senator's and three representatives,
WAS appointed to agree on the maximum
price of books. The subcommittee met
Tonight but neither one reached any def
mite conclusion.
Tho story printed in the Journal to-day
concerning the PopulistS' fear of the school
book trust lobby caused considerable stir
1t had a depressing effect on the lobby
and it's pernicious activity has ceased for
the time. -