The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-04-13
Will Resubmissfon BE War Cry
Of Next Campaign.
Politicians Don't Understand
the Situation In Topeka.
MR.. OVERMYER'S PLAN.
Wants to Make a Resubmission
Canvass of the State.
Weir City Authorized by Legis-
lature to Issue Money.

VIII the Republican party take up I e
81 omission as an issue IN the next state
canspaign2 And If they do sail into the
fight on a re-su omission plank WhaL VIII
the straighr-out temperance people doE
WIZ there be straightforward PreLl-
bition tieSet2 These questions are more
OF less in the air these days The pol't-
tcaf leaders are not saying mucn aoNut
It but the rank and file talk IL more than
anything else The legislature last winter
showed considerable reSubInlsS,On 1e sl-
ing IN the ranks Of the Republicans Ine
recent city elections showed some more
Of it over the state Whether EOpekaA VIII
admit it or not politicians say IL IS some
thing funny that a normal RepuDlcAn
majority should be completely reduced
from ? 500 to nothing, right on Top OF
Mrs Nations crusade and a seeth1nsly
aroused temperance sentiment AhSS
overlook the unpopularlty or the Repup-
II knew Jim Lawrence of Sumner
and Dooley of Montgomery had a crowd
at their heels last winter in the leSiSla-
fure that bolted the Republicans pet
prohibitory law, but I was surprised
thar Secretary OF State George clark
should come out with them. remarsr-d
a professional politician today This
mar looks for an early Eepu 1llcan con-
vention and q declaration for resubmls-
siOn ahead Of other parties next year
Chances are that nothing of the kind
Will happen.
There are two things on the other side
of the political house to show that. if the
house is now divided against itself IN
account Of the anti-fuSion law, both Will
be against the prohibiIory law David
OVermyer has declared that he VIII It1n
for governor on a straightout resEbnis-
sior issue. The P0pullsts have declared
for direct legislation as the issue upon
which they viii make their fight a-d
that would mean the resubmfsslon or
the prohibitory law the frss thing he
cause 1t would be but a short while TIL
o Der cent OF the people asked Tor
H.. ft.r rrsr-n~
and that's the way the initiative and
referendum works The main thing to
be taken into consideration in the fore
cast of what viii happen. however, is
that it is a year on and the present agl-
tation win have subsided when the time
really arrives for the making of issues
and platforms. The Republicans know
they are more likely to make a mistake
by taking up resubmisSion than by let
ting it alone and the simple law of ay-
erages viii decide.
The St Louis fair commission law pro-
vides that the governor shall appoint the
commissioners in the month of Septem-
Der. Many think they cannot wait 50
long and the governor is kept busy put
ting applicants Oft every day. Senator
John c. Carpenter Of eSeOsho IS conceded
the craftsmanship. Senator SinOns has
been offered q place, il IS said, and
George W. Wheatley of the Third dis
trict is one Of the most recent to want
in
The state Of Kansas didn't mean to
authorize Weir City to go into the money
making business, or to direct it. in other
words, to make counterfeit money to the
extent OF $50 000 but the last legislature
did It. OF course Weir City viii not go
TO issuing the money, 50 that the legis-
lature viii not be an accessory to any
crime It hasn't thought very much
about it perhaps for the permission was
given only through an error of very bad
grammar, and the City of Weir wouldn't
take advantage of so common a blunder
made by q hurried legislature 1t could
only make hundred-dOnar and five hun
dred-dOllar bills and three-a and-a-half-
hundred dollar bills. or anything between
one hundred and four hundred, if it did
take advantage and not many citizens
carry those denominations around loose
in their pockets anywhere. 1t vas this
way. The legislature passed a local bill
which was intended to allow Weir City
10 issue bonds to the amount stated to
purchase, own and operate city water
works and electric light plant. In the
fifth section, intended to define how the
bonds shall be issued. the reading is as
follows: The money realized from the
sale Of the bonds shall be used only for
the purpose mentioned in this act. and
snail be issued IN denominations OF not
less than one hundred dollars (S10O.00)
nor more than five hundred dollars
(S5o000-)" An ordinary Kansas pupil
the verb shall be issued" and he
couldn't do anything else and adhere
strictly to his grammar. Aside from
the humDr Of the situation it is probable
that the error will inyandate the bill If
1t should ever come to q test Weir City
cannot very we'll issue bonds when it is
only authorized to issue money and if
1t goes to issuing money it viii get into
trouble with Marshal Sterne. District
Attorney Lambert and Uncle Sam. Weir
City IS 10 be commiserated for its unfOr-
tunate dilemma.
A little crowd of lawyers the other day
IN curbstOne convention brought to
light rather an interesting series OF de-
veiopments touching the new biennial
election law It seems that the sheriffs OF
the state employed Judge Valentine to
give MS opinion as to the legality or
constltutlonallty Of a law which would
provide for biennial elections. After ex-
haustiVe examination, he gave it as his
opinion that the law would be constftr-
tiOnal and would pass the scrutiny of
the courts He prepared the bin which
was introduced at the request OF the
county officers; this was afterwards
submitted to the attorney generals office
and declared ALL right by the attorney
general. When considered in the las-
islature, some interested party conceived
that il would be a good idea to include
the judges Of the district court and so
amended the law, thereby creating the
query just now puzzling the LAWYERS
and upon which, principally, Judge car
Yer bases his judgment on the laws un-
cOnstitutionality- In spite Of the possi-
bic defect and the possibility Of conflict
between the body OF the law in the title
which might render the law tuncOnstitu-
tlonaI. Judge Valentine still believes the
law is all right. Judge West. Of the
attorney generals Office. has given the
proposition further examination and he
gives 1t as his opinion. without eQuivoca-
tion. mental reservation. or legal evas-
ion that the law is good There the mat
disagrees. ft is a good idea for the laity
e take to tall timber but the opinion