The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-01-08
COST t OF SESSION
Ten Days Expense Of the Com
ing Legislature.
After That Will Amount to
$3.50 Per Day.
VACANCIES IN HOUSE.
Two Members Who Have Died
Since Last Session.
Governor Hoch's Formal Fore
cast of His Message.
VACANCIES IN HOUSE.

II the special session of the legfSla-
ture called for January 16 lasts ten
days 1t will cost the state between $15,-
600 and $4,000. Each day additional
over ten days will mean an additional
expense of about $3.50.
1t is possible to figure pretty close
on the cost of special session, though
the item of printing and supplies is
doubtful, and the expense for employees
depends entirely upon the legislature
itself. 1t would no doubt be quite pos
s1ble for both house and senate to get
along with ten or dozen employees in
each branch. But in this estimate an
allowance for 25 in each branch is
made. The mileage for the members
is of course the same as for a regular
session. The following is an estimate
on the immediate expenses of a ten day
session:
Mileage for 1855 members. 1854
Per diem of members 1850
Per diem for 30 employees. $500
Total .........., SIS, IA
These items may all vary slightly.
For example. several members of the
house have died since the last session,
and there will be no mileage or per
diem for them, because it will be i'm
possible to fill their places between now
and January It,
There may be less than so employees,
but 1t would seem that % for each body
Is a very conservative estimate In view
of the fact that the two bodies had
about $50 employees at the regular ses-
sion.
The cost of stationery and supplies
will in all probability be several hun
dred dollars. The expense of printing
bills, dockets and other publications at
the state printing plant will be large.
There will also be the bills for publish
ing laws in the official state paper, and
then the publication of the laws enact
ed in book form and the publication of
the house and senate journals The
cost of all this printing may not fail far
short of $1,000. -
Two members of the house of repre-
sentatives have died since the last ses-
sion and their places are still vacant.
No special election has been called to
fill the vacancies, and none can be call
ed now because it is too late. The only
way the vacancies can be filled is by
special election.
The vacancies are occasioned by the
death of G. H. McKinnie, Democratic
member from Mitchell county, and J..
H. Sticher, Republican member from
Woodson county,
wv. Creech of Dickinson and S. H.
Brandon of Butler are both sick, and
may not be able to attend the session.
There will doubtless be others who will
fail to show up for the session from
various causes.
So far as known all of the members
of the state senate will be on hand for
the special session. Senator Geo. P.
Hayden has moved away from Nemaha
county, but will still be entitled to rep
resent that county, and the same is
true of J. S. Simmons, speaker of the
house of representatives.
Governor Hoch will at once go to
work on the preparation of his message
to the legislature. 1t will be read at
the opening session on Thursday after
noon at o'clock.
This message will urge the enact
ment of certain laws; the primary cleo
ton law, the guaranty deposit law the
amendment to the tax law, and certain
additions to the prohibtory law.
1t will distinctly discourage any tink-
nor thinks that the railroad commission
is the proper body to attend to that
business.
The contents of the governors mes
sage are probably pretty well fore
casted in the statement which the
governor gave out for publication late
Tuesday afternoon. The statement
follows:
"The decision to reconvene the leg
islature in extraordinary session has
been reached after very careful con-
sideration of the subject 1 have been
averse to this action because my pre-
elections have always been against
special sessions, but the exigencies OF
this case seem to constitute a reason
able exception and render this action
almost imperative The demand fol
a special session has come from ev-
cry part of the state in an avalanche
of letters and kilograms and persona
solicitation. Three specific things
have been chiefly dwelt upon by these
petitioners, namely, the enactment OF
a primary election law, bank depos-
itors' guarantee law, and some seem
ing1y necessary amendments to the
new tax law.
"The demand for a statewide pri-
mary election law seems to grow tr
volume, and with this demand I an
and have always been in hearty sym
pathy. While there may be no de
mand for this in it's application tt
| state candidates this year except fol
governor on the dominant party tick
| ct (the denomination of the present
| incumbents being universally conced
| ed,) this law, it must be remembered
| is not a partisan measure, but affects
| all parties alike, and will be particu.
larry needed in the nomination of can
didates for governor by the respective
! parties. Impressed as I am by exper-
| fence in this office with the impor-
! lance of the executive branch of gov
eminent, I think the widest possible
| popular opportunity ought to be Civ.
en- to the people in selecting their mex
governor. Whether Kansas shall bt