The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-01-25
AREGETTINC TIRED
Stubs Collar Rests Heavily on
House Members.
May Refuse to Follow Him
Further on Primary Bill.
LIKE SPLITTING HAIRS
Little Difference Between House
and Senate Bills.
Disposition of Members Is to
Agree on a Measure.

"There isn't two cents worth of
difference between the Stubs primary
bill and the split primary BILL
This is the opinion expressed today
by one of the members of the house of
representatives, and it seems to express
what seems to be growing sentiment
in that body.
The legislature, in fact, Is getting
tired of wrestling with the primary,
and is anxious to settle the fight and
have it off their minds. The faction
which stood loyalty by Mr.. Stubs
through the last session and defeated
the Fitzpatrick primary bill, is inclined
to WAIVER when asked by their leader to
make another stand on the single re-
manning issue of whether the United
States senator shall be nominated in
November or in May.
The conference committee on the
primary bill, which was named Friday
afternoon, made no report today. and
will make none until Monday. 1t Is
understood however. that the commit
tee will combine the split primary end
of the senate bill with the Stubs bill
of the house. will adopt the Haskins-
Edwards amendment providing for a
secret ballot on United States senator,
and will retain the Stubs party eau
Gus" instead of the convention.
The Haskins- Edwards amendne nt
merely provides that the party candi-
dates for United States senator shall
be printed at the bottom of each party
ticket at the general election, and the
voter can vote on any ticket he pleases
Init Cd fof W.
restriction is that he can't "cross fire."
that is. he can't vote for Republican
candidates for the legislature and
Democratic candidate for the United
States senate. He must be consistent,
or lose his vote on senator.
The conference committee which is
working on the primary bill was select
ed for the purpose of making a compro-
mise-and Mr.. Stubs was opposed to
the plan of compromise. Mr.. Stubs
wanted to be named on the house con-
ferees, with the distinct understanding
that he would insist upon the adoption
of his own bill. without the split
primary feature. Speaker Simmons
wouldn't do that. He said it would be
wasting time. He determined to name
committee of neutrals who would be
willing to give and take and possibly
reach mutually satisfactory agree
ment. The house conferees, Haskins,
Ryan and W. A. Morgan, are all in
favor of compromise. Of the senate
conferees, Senator Fitzpatrick has con-
coded practically everything except the
split primary, and therefore occupies
almost identically the same position
with Senator Smith, the other senate
conferee.
w. R. Stubs, however, insists that
he will not abide by any compromise
which this committee may make. Mr..
Stubs seems to be preparing to
make a stand" against a split primary
as he did at the last session against
the Fitzpatrick bill Late Friday
night, Mr.. Stubs gave out signed
statement confirming the interview
which appeared in Fridays State
Journal. This signed statement is as
follows:
81 have made no agreement what
ever with any person or persons to
support a split primary, and had no
intimation whatever who the confer
ence committee in the house would
be before it was appointed. All re-
ports to the contrary are false. The
split primary interferes with our Aus
tralian ballot law by nominating our
United States Senator at the regu-
lar November election. Under the
guise of trying to elect the state and
congressional ticket the corporations
and politicians can become a powerful
influence in the nomination of a
United States senator with the split
primary.
mo political party would dare to
nominate a candidate for United
States senator at the May primaries
who was identified with the corpora
tions and railroad interests of the
country, for the reason that repre-
sentatives and senators instructed for
such a man would meet certain de-
feat at the polls; while on the other
hand the corporations and politicians
could with perfect safety trade
everything on the ticket, and use
every means in their power to nomi-
nate a man who would serve their
interests at the November election,
an the voters would have no pos
sible redress, for the legislature would
be elected on the same day, and the
election of their United States SEN
ator thereby assured.
'.w. R. STUBS"
It is believed by many that the real
purpose of Mr.. Stubs refusal to abide
by the result of the conference is to
give the state senate another chance
to vote upon the primary proposition. in
the hopes that some of the members
will come over to his side if they get
another chance. The fact that the SEN
ate organization now depends for it's
grip on two Democratic senators gives
Stubs added siren 9Th in his position
It is also said that Mr.. Stubs purpose
is to defeat the primary bill for the
purpose or giving hlmSelf campaign
material
Is Cy Leland Responsible?
Cyrus Leland's name is being mem
toned frequently as the real inspiration
of Mr.. Stubs determination to oppose
the report of the conference commit
tee A prominent member of the house.
and one who, it is fair to state, is not
in the Stubs camp. said today:
Thursday afternoon Mr.. Stubs was
tust about ready to make an agreement
with us by which he would yield the