The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-03-08
VETOED!
But the Senators Decide to In
vestigate Anyway.

the appropriation bill providing for the
extra session of the senate to investi-
! gate the Stuart-FaIloon election
Governor Stanley explained his action
by the following message:
| To the House of Representatives:
The attempts to secure the appropria-
| ton provided for in this act have been
| characterized either by an advantage
! or evasion, which can not be COM
| mended.
| 1t first appeared as a $4,000 item in
! senate bill No. 45S, which passed the
| senate March 6, and in this it was
plainly designated as AN appropriation
| to pay the per diern and mileage of
| members of the senate, lieutenant gov
| ernor, and per diem of officers, clerks,
messengers, and other employees of the
| senate, and mileage and fees for wit
! nesses in the judicial contest case of
| Falloon v. Stuart, and such other ex-
| penSeS connected Herewith as may be
| authorized by the senate"
| This bill was recalled by the senate
| after it had been meSSaged to the house
! and the same item was attached as a
rider" to house bill No. S24, providing
| for the usual executive and judicial ap-
preparations, and the threat was openly
| made by many, if not a majority of the
| members of the senate, that unless the
| executive and judicial appropriation bill
| passed with the rider" attached, it
! could not pass at all, and the several
| courts and state officers would be left
] without the means of carrying on these
| several institutions and departments of
| the state government.
| The fact that the act making the ap-
preparation was first Incorporated in
| the miscellaneous appropriation bill
| and next attached a rider to the
executive and judicial appropriation
| bill, coupled with the threat above men
| toned, is of itself conclusive evidence
| that its friends had no confidence in
| it's merits.
This attempt to coerce the house into
| passing and the executive into approx
] ing the executive and judicial appro-
| priation bill with this rider attached
| was an effort to destroy the independ-
| ence of coordinate authority and a
menace to free government.
| After deadlock of two days between
! the senate and the house-during which
! time much feeling had been manifested
"a compromise has been effected, re-
| Sulting in the act now under discussion
This act is both a compromise and an
| evasion; the amount is reduced to ten
| thousand dollars. and the act is en-
/ titled:
| AN act making an appropriation for
| per diem and mileage of senate and the
| lieutenant governor and all other ex-
| penseS of the senate when lawfully in
| session for the trial of election contest
! cases."
EMISSIONS or conditions in the title do
| not change the real purpose of the act.
| 1t simply means an appropriation of ten
| thousand dollars to pay the expenses CD
| of the senate to try the FallOOn-Stuart
| contest, and this brings us to a consid-
| Grafton of both the wisdom and neces-
| sity for a special session of the senate
| to try this contest.
| On the 21st day of December last the
| legislature met in extra session and did
| not adjourn until about the time of
| the converting of the legislature in reg
| ular session, January 10. Since said
| last date, the legislature has been in
| q fret do of he
| session there was so little business be-
| fore the legislature that the senate fire.
| quently adjourned for two days at a
| time (the full constitutional limit for
| lack of something to do.
| The first act-making an appropria-
| ton for legislative purposes-came to
| me for approval January goth. The
| next-a local bill-was presented Janu-
| airy 25th. Between the 10th day of jan
uary and the 10th day of February, six
| bills were passed, all of a local nature
except the appropriation act above re-
| ferred to, which was unusually liberal.
| At this last date.the time for the legis-
| lative session had more than half ex-
| pired, and yet aside from making pro-
vision for payment of it's own expenses,
the legislature had done nothing worthy
of mention.
If any Investigations were to be made
or contests to be tried by the 1egisla-
ture, or either branch thereof, this
month spent in comparative idIeness
should have been used for that pur-
pose.
The talk about there being any neces-
sity for an extra session of the senate
now, to try a contest which might have
been tried during the month spent in
senatorial lettering, is idle.
1t does not meet the objection to say
that the contest is meritorious and
should be heard. Two opportunities
have already been given-one at the
special, and one at the regular session
and if an appropriation is made to en-
able the senate to make amends for it's
own negligence, it must be done with
out my approval
Neither does it suffice to say that the
amount of this appropriation is small
and that the state will not feel the bur-
den. The principle of such expenditures
is viciOus-and the vice is just the same,
whether the appropriation be ten thou
sand or one hundred thousand dollars.
isSa1re or efher Branch fheTeof may
sometimes be necessary, but in my judg-
are ng and Gn so1d eveP be
encouraged. Certainly they should be dis
such Special session is that which could
readily have been done at the REGULAR ses-
possible ptSs isie excuse IS attempted. ''- ~
The expense of carrying on the state
futions is growing. The APPROPRIATIONS
made at the present session are very
pense of a special session of the senate is
to be added to the large amounts noun already
without my approval, but over my objec-
/ have, therefore. the following objec-
tons to the passage of said house bill No.
First-The special session of the senate
is unnecessary, except that it has been
second-The expense of $4,000 for such
ThirdErhe bin itself is a compromise
and an evasion.
give the said bill my approval and
turn 1t without my N sig IuTe. c,