The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-03-01
GOOD ONE OR NONE
House Takes Stand for Real
Primary Bill.
Resolution Placing Members on
Record Is Adopted.
END OF LONG DEBATE.
Mr.. Stubbs Takes Leading Part
in Controversy.
Mr.. Policy Compares Author or
Bill to Caesar.
END OF LONG DEBATE.


With the adoption of the resolution
introduced by Stubbs Thursday the
house went on record as being opposed
to direct primary election law provid-
ing for the election of only portion of
the ticket The house conference COM
mittee consisting of w. r. Stubbs. R.
S. Hendricks and Park Helmick report
ed that they had been unable to reach
an agreement with the conference COM
mittee from the senate and Stubbs pre-
sented the following resolution and
moved it's adoption:
Resolved, That it is the sense of the
house that we favor a direct primary
election for the nomination of every
officer from United States senator to
township officers without the conven-
ton and delegate combination"
"As member of your conference COM
mittee 1 ask that this resolution be
adopted so that we will be sure that we
understand the sense of this house."
said Mr.. Stubbs. There is a possibility
that we could reach an understanding
with the conference committee from the
senate but to do this we would be COM
PEELED to sacrifice nearly all the good
that there is in the bill, and l for one
am not in favor of this.
1--WE could probably get a primary
election law passed providing for the
election of township and county officers
and senators and representatives where
their districts are composed of one
county or less. In my mind this would
be worse than no law at all and If the
house will adopt this resolution 1t will
give US something on which to work
and by refusing to concur in their
amendments we will feel secure in our
stand that we are doing the will of the
house."
The report of the conference commit
tee never reached the house but the
resolution introduced by Stubbs was
adopted in it's place after wrangle
lasting for over two hours. Those who
talked and voted for the resolution
seemed to feel that the adoption of the
report sounded the death knell to the
primary election law as proposed by the
house but the sentiment seemed TO be
that an election law providing for the
election of a portion of the officers by
the primary election law plan and the
remainder by convention could pc Sc
cured but would only serve 10 confuse
the voters and possibly prevent the pas
sage of a direct primary law at another
session of the legislature.
'sI want to say just one thing more
said Stubbs. "in support of my position
1--WE have reached a point OF vital
irnportance and not q time for horse
play and 1 will say that If there IS
any horse-play as suggested by one
speaker that it is not from the con-
ference committee.
II think" said w. Y. Morgan, that
the conference committee should try
and get together without presenting
resolution of this kind to this BODY:
want to see matters go our way and 1
want the committee to decide If they
can If they cannot reach a decision
then they can come to the house with
their resolution. According to the sem
ate amendments the man who gets a
m n iority in a county would secure the
nomination, and the man in the state
or district who received the majority
would receive the nomination. L think
the law as amended Dy them Is pelteT
than no law at all
.I do not want it to go to the senate
that our comn1 ttee VIII not be apie
to meet them half way and that is
what they will do if we adopt this
Helmick, Neosho:
This house asked for conference
and they found two distinct ideas IN
the minds of the authors of the bllls.
If YOU send this committee back with
this resolution you send us back Win
out possibility OF agreemenSs I'm ane as
il is. If you do this it seems to me
that there was little use of appointing
this committee. 80.
resolution it wipes out all chances of
a urinary election law for at least two
years more. This committee mas
right to come back and report they
anpoint another committee who can
agree but they should not come back
with a resolution like this and ask us
to adopt it," ar
E. A. Enright, Wyandotte:
want to see the author of this bill on
a conference committee which snail
give us primary election bill There
are other matters pending between the
two branches of the legislature and
think the adoption of this resolution
would be a declaration of war be-
tween the two bodies
ct move as a substitute that it is
the sense of this house that the con-
ference committee is doing fine and
that it is it's desire that the conference
be continued
This. resolution was lost in the bed
lam which prevailed and no action
was taken on it.
CYRUS Leland: 'I think we ought
to send the committee back and try it
again for 1 feel we will pass primary
election bill of some kind. Perhaps
not what we want but bill better
than the present law"
Policy of Republic said: "If should
come before this house day after day
and demand that you vote on PROPOSE
tons as I say, you would laugh at me-
why do we grant this privilege to the
member from Douglas? Upon what
meat doth this our Caesar ceed that he
mas grown SO great?"
White of Ottawa: "By our bill we
ask that our officers from township to
United States senator be elected by a
election law This Is a good
The conference committee go back to
he like committee from the senate
and try and reach some kind of an ur-
1erstanding."
ingalls, OF Atchison: There is no
middle ground and I think the bill
offered to US by the senate is only n
cumbersome affair to further encum-
Der our present election laws I do