The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-03-07

Senator Dolley moved that the reso-
luton be laid on the table, and this
was promptly done.
Senator Belts bill fixing the salaries
and fees of county officers was also
defeated by the senate on Wednesday
afternoon. This bill undoubtedly has
real merit, for it dispenses with the
present fee system. and substitutes
therefor a specific salary. But the bill
had been badly handled, and the SEN
ators did not understand its provisions.
They discovered that it was a general
the state. That sealed the fate of the
bill.
This bill was not examined care
fully in committee of the whole" said
we should take it up so late in the ses-
SION
IF we should pass this bill, would
be afraid to go home" remarked an
other senator.
IF the senator from Shawnee will
make this local bill, applying only to
Shawnee county, it will be all right"
said Senator Waggener.
Senator Belts made soma rather SEN
satiOnal statements in speaking for his
bill. He said:
THE county offices here in Shawnee
county are gold mines under the pres
ent system. except those offices which
are already on a straight salary basis.
The probate judge of this county makes
three or four times as much as the dis
trict judge. That isn't right The
sheriff of this county cleans up $40, 900
a year ii fees. 1t is an outrage that
certain officers should collect such i'm
mense income while officers like the
county attorney get only a small sal
any"
Senator Hodges thought there might
be some politics in the bill.
Don't you have a Democratic sher-
iff and county attorney in this county?"
he said.
I'VE have a Democratic county attor-
ney," replied Belts, land his salary is
one of those I want to raise
The senate seemed to think that the
bill was all right in its purpose, but
that there was not time to hammer it
into shape to fit the needs of the vari-
GUS counties of the state. The bill was
killed.
There will be no Kansas display at
the Seattle exposition, according to the
expression given Wednesday evening
by the senate on the bill allowing S10,-
OOO as nest egg for that purpose.
When The bill, which was introduced
by the ways and means committee
came up for passage. Senator Wag-
gener spoke against it. He said:
The $4,000 appropriated in this bill
will only be enough to pay the expen-
seS of n junketing expedition of the
three commissioners to be appointed
No display can be made for $4,000. If
we are going to make any display at
all, 1 move that we increase the ap-
preparation to $2O.O
The senator from Atchison evidently
don't under stand the purpose of this
appropriation said Senator Smith
This is simply to do the preliminary
work. The next Legislature will be
asked to make an additional approTri-
ation.''
-Waggener's amendment was defeat
ed. and then the bill was placed on
final vote. 16 voted for it, and IL
against The bill lacked five votes of
having constitutional majority, and
was therefore defeated 1t is likely
that an effort will be made to revive
the bill and bring it up through the
house of representatives.
Another bill which met its death
Wednesday night was the pure paint
bill. introduced by Senator Hodges
This bill is a copy of the North Da-
kota law, which the manufa cturers
OF adulterated paints hate and despise
Wednesday afternoon in committee of
the whole. the senate recommended
the pure paint bill for passage, but not
without a fight. In the senate last
night. the lobby against the bill got in
its work, and the bill was killed. 1t is
undoubtedly one of the most meritor-
iouS bills introduced at the present
session. The roll call on the bill fol-
lows:
For the bill: Benson. Baker, Car
yer, DoHey. Fulton, Getty, Hodges.
Quincy. Simons, Stannard, Stewart
YounG.-12.
Against the bill: Belts. Brewer, Bus
Hamme, Harrison, Hayden, Huffman,