The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-11-12
THE PROPOSITION Is
To Take the State Institutions
Out of Politics
But Let the Republicans Fill
the Offices
So That Self Interest Can't Be
Alleged Against POpulists.

The probability and advisa bility of an
extra session Of the legislature is the
an-absorbing topic of discussion at the
state house today. Some of the party
leaders are radically in favor of it while
others are as bitterly opposed.
A majority of the state officers seem
to be inclined toward the opposition. a
consensus of the opinions is, THE peo-
pie have spoken. Let them have their
way
The Republicans claim that the prin-
cipal object for calling a special session
would be to head off some investiga-
tions which the Populists are afraid the
new legislature will inaugurate, espec-
tally an investigation of the state board
of charities. They say the fact that all
OF the members of the board are favor
able to the proposition is proof of this.
Another thing they allege is that Harry
Lands wants to hold his position as
warden of the penitentiary, and that
the legislature would be called upon in
special session to so amend the laws
that he could hang on for another two
years.
1t is feared among the Populists that
the legislature would not "be good
when it got together. It is alleged that
Senators Young, LewelIing, Armstrong.
Farrelly and one or two others would at
once begin fight for an adjournment
without doing anything and the result
would bring odium upon the party.
The principal object in view by those
who want the legislature called tOgeth-
er is the passage of a railroad law, but
there are others" also. One Populist
said it would serve the insurance COM
panies right, in view of the fact that
they were so anxious to see Webb Nc
Nall removed, to fix the law so that he
would be left undisturbed in the insur-
ance office for another two years. Mr.
McNan himself is in favor of abiding by
the will of the people. He doesn't want
to hold on.
Governor Leedy returned to his home
in Lawrence last night but before he
left he authorized the following state
ment:
Il have always been in favor of an
extra session of the legislature The
only hitch has been with the members
themselves. I have insisted on a. ma
jOrity of the members of the legislature
pledging themselves to vote for the OBJ
jects sought to be accomplished. With
any assurance that the mem bers will
pass the right kind of laws I will not
hesitate a moment to call a special ses-
sion.''
John w. Breidenthal who started the
discussion faVOrS the project cOndi-
tionally- IF the legislature will come
here and pass the measures set forth
in our platform I am radically in favor
of calling it together. I do not want it
called to pass any of my measures
the amendments to the banking law
and the placing of building and loan
associations under the control of bank
Observation-Disclosures those are non
partisan measures, and am confident
they will be passed by the Republicans,
so there is no need for an extra session
on that account, but it ought to pass
a railroad law, provide for calling a
constitutional convention, and do some
other things. One of the best things
that the Populist legislature could do
would be to place the state charitable
institutions under civil service rules,
but not to have them go into effect un-
til after the Republicans had taken con-
troll. The Republicans have won their
victory and they should be allowed to
enjoy the fruits of it. These scandals
in the insane asylums and the other
state institutions come up before every
election and the only way to stop them
is to put the institutions under civil
service rules Past experience has
won't be able to accomplish much in the
way of general legislation. Where one
house is controlled by one political par
ty and the other by the opposing party
the two houses are always at logger
heads and very little is accomplished" >"
superintendent Stryker is opposed to
the extra session. 4 held out for it be-
FORE he said, long after everybody
else had given up, and I still think it
ought to have been held, but it is pretty
late now. If the legislature would get
together and do its duty the people
would be greatly benefited. but the
danger is that they wouldn't do it"
Auditor Morris said: Z have no opin-
ion one way or the other I see it is
claimed that we are afraid of aninvesti-
CATION I am not afraid of one. I know
I did something I had no warrant of
the color of the mans hair who would
dare to say it wasn't the proper thing to
do. I had no legal right to pay the ex-
penses for recruiting the troops out Of