The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-02-20
UP TO STANLEY.
Hurrel Prohibition Bill Passes
the House.
Designed to Make Joint COnvic-
ti0ns Easier.
VOTE WAS ONE SIDED.
Effort to Strike Out Enacting
Clause Lost.
Roll Call Resulted 80 For and
SO Against Motion.

Senator Hurrels temperance bill, after
being tossed back and forth, like a shut
tle-cock for several days in the house,
and rested upon it like a nightmare,
could not be got around any longer 50
the house tackled it and had a big fight
over it the greater part of the forenoon.
It was up for final passage and the first
speaker moved that the enacting clause
be stricken out.
It was Ed Weilep who opened the ball.
He said: AT home am accused Of be-
ing a prohibitionist. am, so far as I
prohibit myself" He proceeded to tear
big holes in the bill, technically He re-
asserted that he had had the bill sent
to the judiciary committee to have these
defects remedied, as he wanted to legis-
late correct laws. He recited how he
had known members in the past stag
gering on the floor, advocate prohibition
measures Ito save the rising generation,
when they know they just wanted an ex-
cuse for their own short comings-"
Weilep objected to destroying all pro-
perty found in a joint, as some such
things as tables could be turned to use
full purposes. These could be sold and
applied to defraying costs. His climatic
argument was that the bill making the
finding of paraphernalia ana LIQUOR pri-
ma facie evidence of criminal guilt. II
hope you VIII not change the whole OF
American jurisprudence-for this will
presume a person to be guilty and COM
pei him to prove his innocence"
Representative Dooley came squarely
to the front to say he was anti prohibi-
tionist He said "the prohibitionists
fight us at the polls and them come up
here and try to bulldoze us. - Dooley said
he didn't care whether he came back
next time or not.
Mason, of Finney, said this was the
only bill to strengthen the prohibition
law that would now have a chance to
come up before this legislature and
ought to be passed. He denied that the
Hurrel bill was open to Weilep's critic
isms- It is not required that defend
ant prove himself innocent, but 1t simp-
" makes moral evidence legal.
Lew Belts, of Butler, took shot at
Weilep, in his plea for an honest. chance
to enforce the law in the next two years.
while public sentiment is worked up to
enforce it, give US the law. The God
fearing, decent, respectable peOple of
Kansas are asking for it The man who
poses as the leader of the minority does
not lead US on this question and any one
who is not willing to lead on this isn't
capable to lead respectable people any
place"
Representative Cobun said his people
were in favor of resubmission He said
the senate had put up a job on the
house. After the higher body had killed
the country inquisition'' bill the sena-
tors went home and faced angry con-
sutuents- To square themselves and es-
Cd l1IGA punishment tnGV passed HIlr-
rePs bill and sent it to the house. III
just got onto that yesterday, ana it's
true
Dunham, Of Lincoln, went into partv
matters and scored Republicans for
Sinking. He said the governor was
elected on a prohibition platform or he
never would have been elected.
James Lawrence, Of Sedgwick, stated
natly ne was an anti" then argued that
prohibition was against the United
States constitution for infringing on
personal liberty and property rights. He
stated that the supreme court of kan
sas has held that even liquors are not
contraband but can be recovered when
seized, by replevin.
Grattan, of Mcpherson, took the on
poslte view as to restricting personal
nDerty, and said the Hurrel law was not
aimed at persons, but at places
Representative N. L. Bowman had a
very clear cut opinion. He said he
would vote for this bill to help enforce
law If possible He would also vote for
resubnission if the resolution was
brought up. Mr. Bowman holds that a
great number of people petitioning for
a right to vote on any governmental
proposition have a right to be permitted
te vote IT it is a minority or a ma
Jority the right to vote is not abridged
at any time-so much the worse if it
happen to be a majority Take anv law
you think good. pass it and enforce III
But If a majority say it can't be en-
forced. it won't be enforced Now Won
play politics with it voted early
When was young, and Il voted for pro-
hibition nearly 20 years ago / claim /
have right to change my mind at any
time, even after I've voted once 50
have all men, and that seems to be the
situation today. They ask to be given
a chance to vote, and SO they should
be- don't say how I will vote. / re-
tain the right to change my mind even
after I go in the booth, but I do say
those who want to vote should be al
lowed to vote"
When the debate finally died down and
the vote to kill the bill was taken, it
was found to fail by q vote OF so to go
There were many explanations of votes
when it came to passing the bill, which
was done by a vote OF Is to 2s.
Capt Seaton's was most interesting
He wanted to be. consistent as he said
cent a woman, Mrs. Maioy rounded
up the legislature 20 years ago All
this talk, as we have had it this morn
ing, comes back to me She had no
Ratchet though 1t appears that
hatchet is being used this year and by
woman, and by force the legislature
is being rounded up again"
The vote on final passage was:
Ayes = Adams of Butler. Ander-
SON. Bangs' Bean; Belts Of But
Bogenrlff, Bowen, Bowman Bucklin
Cave, Chandler, Coburn Davis of La
bette, Dunham, Fields Filson, Finley.
Francis. Cav, Giessler, Godshalk, Graf
Hawkins. Hayden, Heberling, Hebrew.
Hef1ey, Heron, Hill, Hoag, Hogue, Hon
nell, Hutcheson. johnson OF Decatur.
JoliifTes Jones, Law Lawrence, Lingard,
Mason, Mckee OF Clay, Mckee of Mar
SHALL McKeever, A1ustOe Nation OIL
sen. Owen, Pogue Rees. Reid, Rem
ingtons RhOades, Roughton, Sarbach.
Scott, SIMS Slawsons Snyder Stavely,