The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-01-24
POLITICAL GOSSIP
CRATER Bills Already Appear
ing in Legislature.
How These Measures Get on the
Journals.
CASE OF MR.. MILLER.
Lincoln County Man Surprised
Many Candidates.
Curtis Friends Say They Paid
His Election Expenses.
CASE OF MR.. MILLER.

The hold-uD or grafters bills have be-
gun to appear in the legislature-at least
some have been introduced which bear
ali the earmarks of a graft
The usual number of old-timers have
not yet appeared but there is stil
plenty of time and they viii show up
within the next ten days. The anti
cigarette bin is still reposing peacefully
in some members pocket; the usual al
tack on the telegraph companies has not
materialized. and only one measure d.
rected against the express companies
has appeared, and that is a bona fide
one.
A hold-up bill is generally very inno-
cent appearing on its face Often its
purpose seems to be the height of be
nev0lence and in the interest of NOR
ality For instance. there is the anti
cigarette bill. 1t cannot be denied that
a measure which would stop the sale
OF cigarettes to minors, at any rate,
would be am extremely good thing, but
measures of this character have been in
troduced so often purely for nold-uo
purposes, and others have been passed
so fun Of holes as to be ineneotual. thar
this hOary old chestnut is looked upon
as joke and it would require good
deal of temerity on the part of an old
member to introduce it.
Often the man who introduces a hold
up bill does so innocently and in good
faith. ignorant Of its real purpose. For
instance. there are doubtless a dozen
new members in The lower house. men
of the utmost integrity, who could be
lnquced TO lntroduce an anu-clgaretle
bin and would do so with the idea that
they were doing an extremely good deed.
IL IS very easily worked The CRATER
prepares his bin and picks out the vic
I'm Wnom ne selects to introduce IT, He
aDproacnes MT Member and eXplalfi~
tlta1 Sle '2veiS.y Lot tle 9up uppLessloh y
the LsaulE Slsarelte is DehlnQ the
5-ll1ll i, ~1ileH "7 sises 20 MI. mem
i. oi 5He SloNihs sHlis ~ 'll
tl3s sse+{.43. l- ,,.g---.l, IlolS
c++ r---.s,t, . 'i 1
5aet f4 .i-s ~, 5r.,i, ~ 'ii1 H. 5fr
49, tI, ne, s,l ~ 49,, l l1'si - LlS > -
fba bnf fTe GO II ,.etlI ~ - 4i
rner7rar fo r,,ieb ff ze,,7tt y, t,5tr,,5,,,s Il
If Rfr NferoLar bse 49, res-S ~,
history of former cigarette llfI1s he is
quite likely to introduce it. But If b,.
Is Onto the Rones and is honest Ia.
will PROMPTLY turn if down put if he Is
a CRATER himself he Win ael- hr,. 7,5,5r,,
Gwag there is likely TO be i'm il ami
made When an agreement is reached
the bill is introduced ana it brings tine
tobacco trust lobby to Topeka The
mead OF the lobby sizes up the situa-
tlons the CRATER has conference with
him, and the bill is Withdrawn for COR
rection" after which a division of spoils
is made. If the CRATER asks too much
tle LOBBYIST has conference with the
chairman OFT some influential member 81
the committee to which the bin has been
feIerred. with the result that the bin Is
lost and is never reported to the
mouse use
9glhe tilnes Mr.. CRATER himself is bad
ly fooled. A few years ago a member
VINO was himselfa CRATER introduced the
usual cigarette bill 1t was reported
that the head of the cigarette lobbv ba5
tn Kansas. Missouri and Nebraska. ana
the grating member was hungrv far