The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-01-21
Democrats Regarded Action as
Slap in the Face.
THEN THEY DESERTED.
Refused to Longer Vote With
Stubs Faction.
He Loses Fight to
Prevent Adjournment.

house knocked sout the secret
ballot amendment proposed by
II. s. Thompson, the Demo-
cratic member of Reno. That
was the only important feature of the
bill discussed before the adjournment,
and because the Democrats held Stubbs
and the Stubs crowd responsible for
| the defeat of their pet amendment. they
refused to stand by him in his desire
| to keep the house in session and block
| the proposed Republican caucus. The
Democrats helped the anti-StubbS
/ crowd adjourn the session at $40 p. m.
| Mr.. ThompSon'S amendment prov1d-
ing for the secret ballot was introduced
when section 10 of the bill was reached,
| and Mr.. Thompson made strong plea
| for the Republicans to come IN ana
| help adopt the plan.
| The secret ballot amendment offered
| by Representative Thompson was the
! same as the Ham, amendment Whlcn
! the house adopted at the regular SEES
! sion last year. It provided that voter
going to the primary should receive a
| blanket ballot containing the tickets OF
| all the parties offering candidates. The
voter was allowed to vote any ticket ne
| pleased provided he voted exclusively
on one ticket. There was no way Tor
j anybody to find out whether he voted
| the Republican, Democratic, Popullst
| or any other ticket. The arrangement
was such that Democrats might vote
| the Republican primary ticket or wee
versa without any objection.
! The open ballot, on the other hand,
requires a voter to announce to the
| election judges what party ticket he
| wants. He is then given the ticket OF
| that party only, and can vote Tor no
| other persons besides those on this
party ticket. - -
| Mr.. Morgan made "a speech in favor
I,ie dino ant To cal
cording to the constitution that every
man shall vote and worship according
| to the dictates of his conscience We
| have a secret ballot in the election;
why not in a primary
| Speaker ]. S. Simmons said he came
| back here expecting to vote for the
| kind of a primary which the house
stood for at the last session. That
| bill" said Mr.. Simmons, provided for
| a secret ballot Now there are some
Who seem to have changed their minds.
| I wish some of those people who were
so active in the support of that bill
would get up here and tell us what to
| do
/ ]. D. Flanagan Democrat from De-
catur county, urged the Republicans to
/ vote for the arne1fdrEents<e His speech
was received with enthusiasm by the
| J. l. johnson, Democrat from Miami
| county. declared that he is opposed to
/ anv kind of a primary. This is all a
hi g game Of politics" he said. land I
| wish this Democratic side of the house
| was out of it. e.
| ssConsent!" yelled L the anti-Stubbs
| crowd on the Republican side.
w. B. Ham of Rocks, VINO intro
| duced the secret ballot amendment at
the last session. said: Il stand Tor
| that amendment stronger tonight
] than have ever stood Tor 1t. IN
| troduced the amendment at the last
session as a matter of principle not
to eet the vote of the Democrats as
has been changed" Mr.. Ham in
/ sisted that the integrity of the party
can be maintained under secre'
ballot amendment.
W. L. Cunningham of Cowley
| spoke in reply to Mr.. Ham. He in
sisted that Democrats would not sac
rifce their friends by. voting the Re
| publican primary ticket, because thel1
friends will be nominated anyway
4 and their best service can be done
| by nominating weak Republicans.
r. S. Hendricks, "the gentleman
from Nebraska" late of Rawlins coun-
ty. made a hot speech roasting Mr.
Cunningham.
consider this Democratic amend
ment. It becomes from a good Re
nubUcan state. We've had some
Democratic amendments intro ducee
in the senate-one of them from Mis-
souri," Mr.. Stubs said that he be.
Iieved. however, that the bill could
| not he nassed with the Democratic
amendment, and he urged the Demo
; Gratis to give it UP as bad job.
The amendment was lost by a vote
. of 81 to 7S.
AS soon as that fight was disposet
, Of, Morgan of Reno moved that the
committee rise and report.
Mr.. Stubbs said that he was OPP
posed to that-that he thought the
house ought to work till midnight ane
| catch UP with the senate.
Another thing" he said, and tina
is. we don't care much !. about thai
: The motion to rise was carried BY
the decisive vote of ~ to 30. the
Democrats taking revenge on Stubs
by throwing their votes to the anti
Stubbs crowd.
Mr. Stubs then moved that the prt
mary bill be made special order fol
10 O'Clock Tuesday morning, and this
motion carried.
Monday Afternoon Session in House.
The most important feature of thu
; was the vote on the adjournment
: which vote, 1t is claimed. gives prett.
5 clear line up of the Stubs and anti
Stubs forces in the house. Stubs
| won by a vote of SO to 81.
5 The anti-Stubbs people wanted t.
t adjourn the house so that the mem
bers might participate in Republi
can primary caucus al p m Stubs
and his friends opposed this move. 4
motion was made to adjourn until
a. This was amended to adjourn
| till 1880. The vote on the amendment
was So to So. Speaker Simmons voted
against the amendment and it was lost
This was jolt for Stubs. On tn,
| Stubs demanded a roll call. and tn,
| roll call showed SO to 81 against tn.