The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-01-11
TOO MUCH TO DO.
Judge Clark, Speaker Pro Tenn,
Would Relieve Legislature.
Proposes to Have Minor Business
Done In Counties.
MANY LOCAL BILLS.
These Might Be Disposed Of by
County Commissioners.
Gossip Heard in the Kansas
Legislative Halls.

Judge A. R. Clark of Lyons, Rice
county, the newly elected speaker pro
tenn of the house, will present to the
legislature an important bill caIcu-
lated to relieve that body of the vast
amount of minor matters which now
clogs the wheels, and interferes with
the transaction of business of i'm
portance to the whole state.
Judge Clark proposes to give to the
board of county commissioners of the
various counties. or to some local
court, the right to vacate additions,
change peoples names. and do the
dozens of minor things which now,
under the law, must come before the
legislature for action. 1t is one of the
most important measures for the
whole state which will come before
the present session. The fact that
Judge Clark occupies such a promi-
nent position in the house will give
the bill an extra good chance for
passage.
Every member of the legislature
comes up to the session with his
pockets full of local bills: bills which
do not in the least concern any part
of the state except his own county or
his own Immediate vicinity. 1t is this
rush of local bills which makes it so
difficult for the legislature to get down
to the really important measures
which should occupy the attention of
the body. None of these bills get any
serious attention; if they pass at all,
it is purely on the recommendation
of the local member, and Judge Clark
believes that such matters should be
so arranged that they can be settled
at home. He says:
"I have been studying over this
DFf to IL
to some of the members about it.
propose to draft a bill which will
cover the points involved I am in
favor of having some sort OF local
tribunal authorized to take up such
local matters, and dispose of them.
don't know exactly how the matter
will be arranged, but it seems to me
the county commissioners can handle
most of these things better than the
legislature.
IT believe if we can arrange some
way to get rid of the local bills, we
can expect better results from the ses-
sfons of the legislature"
Fred Knapp, who won such an
easy victory for the chief clerkshtp in
the house on Tuesday, came to Kan
sas in 1873 from Michigan. The fam
lily settled in Harper county, and lived
there until 1885 when they moved to
Leoti, in Wichita county. Fred at
tended school at the Southwest Kan
saS college for two years, and at Kan
sas Wesleyan, Salina, for two years. 1t
was while at Kansas Wesleyan that
he won distinguished honors for
scholarship. The college offered four
prizes in each county to those making
the highest grade in the county ex-
aminatiOns. The first prize was a life
scholarship at Kansas Wesleyan.
Knapp won the prize in Leoti county.
He then entered a competition ex-
animation at Salina against the win
ners from other counties of the state,
and again won first prize, which was
a scholarship at Kansas. Wesleyan
with all expenses paid while attend
ing school there.
After finishing his school work, he
taught school at Coronado for a while,
three years. He was appointed Office
deputy by United States Marshal Lit
Crum, and was retained in his place
by United States Marshal Mackey.
He is thoroughly qualified to fill the
position of chief clerk to the house
e. E. wyant, editor of the Cedar
vale Commercial, will probably get
the job of document or Journal clerk
of the house. Mr.. Wyant is a State
Normal graduate, and in addition to
teaching school for six years, he has
worked as reporter on the Emporia
Gazette and has run the Cedarvale !
Commercial.
AS announced in The State Journal
a few days ago, the Kansas National
Guard officers have organized an as
sociatfon, the chief business of which
seems to be to present some K. n. G.
legislation to the present legislature.
The officers have selected the follow
ing steering committee: General J.
w. F. Hughes, General H. B. Free
man, General S. H. Kelsey, Colonel P.
NJ. Foisington, Colonel Wilder S. Met
calf, Colonel c. J. Carver, Colonel
Samuel F. Woolard and Lieutenant L.
p. Stover- The present laws are re-
garded as defective in many ways and
n #
hciency. Tt is proposed that each man
shall receive 25 cents for attendance
at drill one night of each week. At
present the men receive nothing
Rev. J. NJ Whitehead lives at s1s
West Tenth street, Topeka He is a
retired Baptist minister. For the past
Is years he has been a resident of To-
peka- Prior to that he lived in Shaw
nee county for two years. He was for
IA years a general missionary for the
Baptist church, supplying pulpits at
various points in the state. He is 80
years of age. and served as chaplain
through the Civil war. At the battle
of Stone River he went out on the
battle field where the ambulances
were not allowed to go, and rescued
eight soldiers who were wounded and
unable to get back to cover For this
heroic act he was awarded a medal
Whitehead is a six-footer, and though
he is now enfeebled by age. he was in
his youth a giant in strength.
Clyde Allphin, the reading clerk
of the last house, viii probably serve |
as reading clerk of the present house.
He was called upon by Speaker
Stubbs to read part of the governor
message. He said today: IF I can
arrange things so that can go home
for few days at the last Of the week,
and settle up some cases which are
pending in the court out there wiUl