The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-11-10
Problems Which Will Confront
Coming Legislature.
Guarantee Deposit Law Is the
Most Important.
AN ANINSURANCEBUREAU
One Is Likely to Be Created by
the State.
Women Will Make Another
Fight for Suffrage.


What are the big issues to be fought
| out before the coming session of the
legislature?
The legislative sessions of 1903 1905
and 1907, and the special session of
1908 were so full Of matters of the ut
most Importance to the state that the
1919 session may seem tame in COM
| parison. The state oil refinery battle,
anti-pass battle and primary election
battle will possibly not be equalled for
spectacular effects for many years. The
state has also cleaned up it's financial
methods, placed the control of its state
institutions on a more businessIike
basis, established civil service, passed
good assessment and taxation law.
put through some necessary amend
ments to the railroad law, and threshed
out the question of maximum freight
rates.
nevertheless, the indications are that
the 1909 session will not be lacking in
issues of great interest and Importance.
They may not be of the vital nature
of the primary election and anti-pass
laws, but they will be of sufficient i'm
portance to cause everybody to sit up
and take notice
terest will be the guaranty of state
bank deposits. 1t seems almost certain
that such law will be enacted 1t
was demanded by the platforms of both
parties.
The superintendent of insurance viii
probably ask the passage of a law Gre
ating state bureau to fix fire insur-
ance rates, and do the work now done
by the private rating bureaus.
Robert Stone, representative from
shawnee county, will start a fight for
state publication of school text books
This will be one of the Interesting CON
tests of the session.
The women will make the fight of
their lives this session for the right OF
suffrage. They believe that their
chances of success are better now than
ever, and they think they have victory
within their grasp.
1t is likely that an effort will be
made to pass a bill prohibiting sun
day baseball Such a bill will not be
at all popular with the more liberal
members of the legislature, and IL is
likely to be defeated. The passage Of
such law would mean the end OF
professional baseball in Kansas.
The state educational commission
and the state superintendent of
education have prepared a big grist of
school legislation which they will try
to have passed. This will practically
amount to complete revision of ex-
iSting school laws.
ash the fba atfogngy ogts1y generals office Office will
strengthen some of the laws for
prosecuting the trusts. The 1907
legislature was asked to make some
changes to strengthen the antitrust
laws, but the corporation attorneys
were able to block the passage of
most of these laws.
Governor Hoch and others are in
favor of the enactment of an anti
lobby bill, and a bill creating a
legislative reference department. This
is also one of Governor elect Stubbs'
pet ideas, and he tried to have IL
adopted at the last session. The plan
is to keep all paid lobbyists from
operating in the legislative halls, and
to create a department in connection
with the state library which will fur
nish members of the legislature the
corning proposed legislation, and
similar legislation in other states,
Such department will be of great
assistance to the legislative members
in getting up safe and conservative
bills, and in voting intelligently on
pending legislation.
There will probably be some impor-
tant amendments proposed to the pri-
mary election law and the taxation
law, to correct defects which have
been disclosed in the operation of
these laws.
Another important measure which
the legislature will have to discuss
will be the appropriation. of money to
erect a building for the purpose Of
housing the state historical society
and other kindred societies which now
have quarters in the state house.
These societies have grown so fast
that they have used every bit of avail
able room in the state house. and the
legislature will find itself very much
cramped for committee rooms The
state has a fund of $4,000 from the
government which can be used as a
starter for a building, and it will
probably be asked to appropriate a
hundred thousand more as a starter
for a large and imposing state mus
cum building. Some want to erect a
building to cost from $500, 600 to ST.
100000
The establishment of a state fair is
also a matter which will be discussed.
1t is very evident that there will be
plenty of important business for the
legislature to attend to.
W.R. Stubs has given it out straight
to some of his friends that he Will take
no part in the speakership fight. 1t has
been hinted that Stubs might throw
his active support to ]. N. Dolley. but
Mr.. Stubbs denies that such is his in
tention.
Governor Bailey precipitated a big
row in the party by counseling the
election of Pringle for speaker of the
house, and Stubs does not propose to
get tangled up in the. same net
1t is expected that Robert Stone Of
Topeka will make formal announce
ment of his candidacy soon. He is the
formidable antagonist of ]. N. DoTey
for this place. Dolley insists that he
will make no fight for the position.
w. H. L. Pepperell. secretary Of the
Democratic state committee, says that
the expense of the Democratic state
ar1off fda 0o a rrros or,