The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-03-06
PARTY PLEDGES.
Part of Them Have Been Re-
deemed by Legislature.
Others Have Been Slighted or
Disregarded.
KEPT DOWN EMPLOYEES
Both Houses Well Within the
Minimum.
Unusual Economy inEApprOpria-
KEPT DOWN EMPLOYEES
Unusual Economy inE nEApprOpria-
tiOns Not Observed.

legislature adjourned until this after
noon, four of the planks in the Re-
publican platform had been ire
deemed two had been partially re-
deemed, and five were still up in the
air, some of them with very slim
hope of ever coming back to earth.
The following planks have been re-
deemed or partially redeemed:
Plank 6. Improvement in the ex-
listing railroad laws. This bill has
| been passed, but is not yet signed by
the governor.
Plank Z. Providing for a system of
public repositories for state money.
This has been passed, but not signed.
1t is a compromise measure, and does
not go into effect until July.
Plank 8. New oil and gas legisla-
ton. Half a dozen very important
laws on this subject have been passed.
Plank 10. Cutting off useless en-
ployes about the legislature. The
house has kept it's list down to a very
low mark. There has been consider
able grating in the senate. But the
/ general record is very good, the total
expense of the session beng less than
! $4,000.
The two planl1s which have been
partially redeemed are these:
Plank 8. Civil service in state inSti-
I tutions- Kirtland's bill providing for
| civil service is dead. An amendment
! was injected into the board of control
bill providing for partial civil service,
but it does not prevent the removal of
! employees for political reasons.
Plank IL Good roads legislation
The house passed a very short good
roads bill, the senate tore it to pieces,
and the patched up bill has been con-
CURED in. 1t is not regarded as a
/ law of much Importance.
The planks of the platform which
n n Tra9f fTcfa ~ 17,T
Plank 1. Unusual economy in ap-
propriations The appropriation bills
are not all passed yet, but the indica-
tions are that they viii run about the
same as two years ago.
Plank 2. New assessment and tax
alton laws The senate has passed one
bin, the house has passed an entirely
different one, and there is not much
/ chance of a compromise.
Plank 3. Primary election law. The
house has passed a bill which is gem
orally regarded as of little real import
ance. The senate is not likely to accept
it,
Plank 4 Congressional reapportion-
ment. This proposition is tied up in a
hard knot in conference committee.
Plank 5. Multiplying offices for po-
! liticaI purposes. While it can not be
said that the legislature has multi
plied'' offices, it has undertaken, through
! the board of control bill, to throw over
board certain parties for political rea-
sons, and build up a. strong political
machine in the control of the state in
stitutions. This is exactly what the
party pledged itself to avoid.
There have been a number of import
ant bills passed by the legislature which
have assumed the dignity of admins
tration'' measures, though they are not
mentioned in the platform.
Two bills relating to the erection of
a state printing plant and the Great
ing of a commission to look after the
in hPpn
both have been signed by the governor.
The office of state accountant has
been created on permanent basis, and
$4,000 has been appropriated for spec
| ial investigation of the state depart
ments by a firm of expert accountants
bill for the protection of the state
schol fund and keep the school fund
commissioners from investing 1t. in
Comanche county bonds and similar
securities has been passed. but is not
| yet signed
In the few remaining days of the ses-
sion the leaders will concentrate their
attention on four propositions; the ap
propriations, the taxation bill, the ap-
portionment bill and the primary cleo
ton bill.
Another Conference Committee.
1t is expected that the third con-
ference committee on the Brandon
reapportionment bill will make its re-
port this afternoon. The committee
was appointed Saturday with inStruc-
tions to report at 3 o'clock Saturday
afternoon, but as the house adjourned
at noon, the committee did not meet.
The second conference committee to
Wrestle with the proposition failed to
agree, and made its report Saturday
recommending the appointment of
new committee. Senator Fitzpatrick,
the arch enemy of the Brandon bill,
was on the committee on behalf of
the senate.
Mr.. Brandon very mad when the sec
ond conference had fzzled- He said:
Are we going to be run over by
one man over there in the senate, that
pewee from Peru? A poll of the
senate shows that every man over
there. with the exception of this one
Beekman of Cowley declared that
the one man was a pretty good sized
pewee if he could hold 35 men in
line. He said the legislature should
reapportionment bill of some sort.
He was of the opinion that the house
would be held responsible for the de-
feat of the bill.
cyrus Leland said that the house
had no right to put Cowley county
Cowley county wanted to go You
can put me anywhere you please
said Leland, land I won't kick, but I
speak in behalf of Cowley county,
c. o. Nelson, of Neosho. declared
that the Brandon bill is all right, and
that the house should not allow itself
to be led around hv one member of
the senate.
Bill Hackney moved that the
port of the conference committee pc
laid on the table The motion was
Adams of sedgwick moved that a
new conference committee be ap-
pointed, with Instructions to make a