The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-02-09
We ARE C0WARDS
Frank Admission of Represen-
tative James Lawrence.
Referred to the Question Of Re-
submission.
CONE UP TO TROUGH.
Mr.. Babb Invites Republicans
to Meet the Question.
Gentlemen From Sumner Ex-
plain Why They Don't.


was hauled out in committee Of the
whole house by force and jumped into
right and left Friday afternoon. This
measure carries with it the load Of the
one big fight that overshadows every
thing else in the legislature-the prohi-
biticn law For two weeks it has been
passed up every time it was reached on
a hot shot when it was about to be
passed over again
Come UP to the trough, gentlemen =
he said, "and quit lodging. 1t is bound
to come, and we are in good shape to
have a scrap this afternoon"
So the house settled itself for long
discussion, and had it.
James Lawrence OF Sumner, was the
last speaker. He opposed the bill, and
confessed to a very plain truth in con-
clusion as to why the proposition is not
resubmitted.
when you were in power he said.
addressing the minority, "you were
towards. Now we are in power, we are
the towards. 1t is certainly cowardice,
and it is on the part of both political
parties
The discussion was all threshing OF old
straw and devoid of interest Durham
of Lincoln, Johnson of Decatur, sup
ported Richardson, the author OF the bill.
contending against wiping out the bill
on the motion to strike out the enacting
clause made by Representative Mantey.
They took impersonal grounds and ar
Eueu law enforcement from pTlnClpAG.
Mason Of Finney reviewed the bill ju-
dicially. Griffin told one of his funny
stories and took the favorable side.
Dooley of Montgomery said the enforce
ment Of prohibition was not demanded
by the popular viii but the law wants to
sleep. Lawrence put the lack of en-
forcement squarely upon dilatOry county
attorneys. and argued that it was futile
to attempt to bolster up the law
The bill was recommended for pass
age finally. Two amendments were at
tached to the original draft, cutting out
the five dollar fee given the county at
torney for each prosecution, and re-
moving the provision to compel husband
or wife to testify against one another.
TODAY'S DISCUSSION.
From now on the prohibition question
sentatives.
There was soreness manifest among
the i-prohibitionists this morning
over the strength for law enforcement
on the county attorney inQuisitiOn bill.
The vote was 81 for to 80 against the
adoption Of the measure.
James Lawrence. of Sumner. created
a furry by introducing the bill that has
been hunting its way into the legislature
for several days, to legalize joint smash
ing. It defines defenses in certain Grim
inal actions, which means that the fact
that liquors are found being kept for
unlawful sale shall a good and sufficient
defense in an action for recovery or
Everybody was suspicious of the
measure when the title was read and
Lawrence went to rushing it by having
it placed on second and then on final
He was asked to explain what the law
was that was being dumped into a to-
boggan chute
"a bill to strengthen the prohibition
law he said. 1T provides that liquor
shall be destroyed when found and the
finding of it is sufficient defense civilly
and criminally."
The house refused to give it final read
ing and lend itself to railroading such
legislation, the rush being given it
arousing suspicious all over the hall.
Lawrence is sincere in his action. He
expects the prohibitionists themselves
to kill the bill as too radical. He believes
in local option as the real solution of
the liquor question, but since the house
has approved the 'inquisition" bill,
which, he says. the supreme court will
declare unconstitutional, he is for Civ
ing the prohibitionists every hatchet
that can be bought to carry out their
The bin was not advanced beyond sec
ond reading and viii have to take its
regular course
It was a surprise to the anti-prohibi-
tionists to have the inquisition bill 50
emphatically endorsed. When it was in
tr0duced by Chairman Richardson Of
the house temperance committee it was
regarded as a solely sentimental affair
and would die easily. But Mrs. Nation
came to Topeka and poured hot shot in
to the legislators themselves in their
own hall. besides arousing an enormous
revolution in the city of Topeka
APPLIES TO ALL LAWS
The bill providing that a county at
tOrney may compel witnesses to testify
before him prior to the swearing out Of
a warrant which has been introduced in
both houses, will benefit not only the
prohibiti0nists, but everybody desiring
that all laws be enforced; for the bill
was changed at the recommendation Of
Attorney General GODDARD to include not
only cases of violation Of the prohibitory
law, but all laws.
1T is a good measure" said Mr.. Cod
ard. "and will aid greatly in the en-
forcement of the law The grand jury
system is expensive and clumsy, but
under this law, If 1t is passed, the coun-
ty attorney can collect evidence in a
case and if it is not sufficient to make q
case the county will not be put to great
expense. He viii not have to wait until
some one makes a complaint, and that
is a great advantage"