The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-01-21
THEY MUST HURRY
Governor FrantZ of Oklahoma Is
Doubtful.
Fears constitutional Convention
Can't Complete Work.
TOOMANY POLITICIANS
They With County Line Fixers
Are i'm Ascendancy.
Here to Renew Contract for
Care of Prisoners.

| Governor Frank Frantz of Oklaho-
ma is in Topeka today, for a confer
ence with Governor Hoch and the d.
rectors of the Kansas penitentiary for
a renewal of the Kansas Oklahoma
contract for the care of Oklahoma
prisoners in the Kansas penitentiary.
Governor Frantz is a young man,
and looks a little like Parks Helmick,
the Republican representative from
Neosho county. He was modestly
dressed, and did not look much like
the governor of a state as he stood in
the Copeland lobby talking with the
numerous Kansas politicians who
were brought up to meet him.
'tOkla homa is desirous of renewing
the contract with Kansas for the care
of its prisoners on the same terms
which have prevailed for the past
year. The only change 1 have heard
suggested is by Warden Haskell of
the penitentiary, who thinks that
there should be four months notice OF
the cancellation of the contract given
instead of 60 days, and I believe that
is a good plan. and shall not oppose 1t.
lit is all a guess as to when Okla
homa will have prison of its own.
We can't tell until we see what this
constitutional convention does. They
are talking now as though they might
fix the places for the location of state
vention, and if they do this it would
probably be only year or so until we
would be ready to take care of our
own prisoners.
''The constitutional convention has
only more days to remain in session
and draw pay, and the general opin-
ion is that they can't possibly finish
their work for so or 40 days. They
haven't vet commenced on the con-
stitution itself. They have been fix
ing county lines and county seats.
THE convention is composed largo
ly of people who want to have county
lines fixed a certain way, and poll
ticians who want jobs. 1t is not diff
cult 10 ina gine what sort of a consti-
tuition such a convention will produce.
1t seems to be the sentiment that they
should provide for almost everything
in the constitution, and somebody has
remarked that if they put everything
in the constitution that they have un-
der considerat ton, we won't need any
legislature for fifteen years. This is
bad time to be making a state consti-
tuition. The atmosphere is not right.
There is too much excitement about
certain things. which may be of. a
passing nature.
''It seems to be the general idea that
be submitted to the people as a
separate proposition. The race ques-
tion ought not to enter into the fight,
because we have so few negroes in
OklahOma- Dut II seems TO De getlinR
into the fight for all that.
After the constitutional convention
finishes its work. the constitution must
be voted upon by the people, and if the
people approve, 1t must be sanctioned
by the president. If the constitution
is not approved, 1t will take another
ena bling act from congress before
anything further can be done. The
state officers will be voted upon at the
same time the constitution is sub
mitted."
Asked concerning the case of Ira n.
Terrill. who has recently started
damage suits for 100000 against
various state officers of Kansas and
Oklahoma for wrongful incarceration
in the Kansas penitentiary. Governor
Frantz said:
''I had a talk with Terrill not long
ago. and advised him to settle down
and go to work and quit raising
much disturbance He is not par
doned from the penitentiary; he is
only paroled, and he may get into
trouble if he is not careful