The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-02-24
House Decides to Hold Up Anti
Discrimination Bill.
Haven't Given Up the Railroad
Legislation.
CHANGES ARE MADE.
Objections of the Wholesalers
Are Met.
Refuse to Concur in the Printer
Amendments.

It was decided BY the house this
morning to hold UP the anti-discrimi-
nation bill as "a club over the senate
Tor the purpose of forcing the passage
by the senate Of the house railroad
bill.
Ten o'clock this morning was the
hour set for the consideration of the
anti-discrimination bill in committee
of the whole. When the hour arrived.
a motion was made to declare off the
special order. This motion carried by
an almost unanimous vote.
c. s. Beekman of Cowley spoke
against the motion to declare off the
special order.
The house judiciary committee.
which has had the discrimination
bril- under consideration, has reported
several important amendments to the
bill, which viii probably dispose of
most of the opposition which the bill
has had from the wholesale grocers of
the state. The most vital amendment
proposed is the insertion of the
words: Intentionally, for the purpose
of destroying competition in section
I, making that section read as fol-
lows:
ANY person, firm or corporation.
foreign or domestic. doing business in
the state OF Kansas. and engaged in
the production, manufacture or dis
frfbuuOn of any commodity in gem
eral use that shall Intentionally. for
the purpose of destroying competition.
discriminate between different Sec
tons, communities or cities of the
state, by selling such commodity at a
lower rate in one section than is
charged for such commodity in an
other section. after equalizing the dis
lance from the point of production,
shall be deemed guilty of unfair dis
elimination"
The judiciary committee also pro-
posed an amendment to section 2,
eliminating the power of the state
charter board to subpoena witnesses
and compel the production of books
and papers AS the bill is changed by
the proposed amendment it reads:
SO it shall be the duty of the
charter board to institute an inquiry as
to such discrimination. giving to the
party complained against notice and
reasonable opportunity to be heard"
1t is thought that with these amend d.
ments the bill viii pass the house. but
for the present the house takes the
position that since the senate has killed
anti-discrimination bill. The two
branches viii have to get together and
patch up a. compromise on the rail-
road bill before the anti-d discrimination
measure will become a law.
In the confusion of the closing days
of the session there is serious danger
that DOJh the railroad Dill and the
anti-discrimination bill will be defeat
ed. This is exactly what the railroa DIS
are anxious to bring about.
The house by a vote of 80 to Sc voted
to nonconcur in the senate amendments
to the state printer bill, and asked for
a conference.
The senate struck out the civil ser
vice provisions which the house inserted
in the bill.
W. B. Ham. chairman of the house
committee on printing, moved to concur
in the senate amendment.
w. 7. Morgan. ex-state printer,
moved to amend by nonconcuring in
the senate bill. and asked for confer
ence committee. He said the senate
had not fully understood and discussed
the proposed civil service proposition.
J. L. Brady said it would be danger
Gus to open UP the state printer contro-
versy so late in the session; that it
would endanger the whole proposition
He thought the senate amendment
should be allowed to stand.
Mr.. Ham said it would be better to
allow the bill to go through as original
" prepared without the civil service
amendment the doors of the state print