The Topeka state journal., 1909-02-17
WAR ON The SCALE.
Prof. s. j. Hunters Address to
Senators Bears Fruit.
Appropriation ofS5, ,OOOPerYear
to Fight the Pest.
TAX LAW is FIXED.
Senator Hamilton Wins Fight
for School Levy.
Barnes High Schools Will Be
Made Legal.

! ing address delivered by Prof s. J.
Hunter of the Kansas university at the
night session of the senate.
The senate was considering in COM
nittee of the whole, house bill No. 10,
| by Matson, which provides for the
eradication Of the San Jose scale in
Kansas. Prof. Hunter spoke relative to
the pest at the invitation of the SEN
ate.
| He mentioned that the insect thrives
principally on peach. Ben Davis apple
trees and Bartlett pear trees. Other
deciduous trees are also affected by the
scale, but not so seriously as the trees
referred to
At present, according to Prof. Hunt
er. there are only a few counties in
the state which are party infested with
San Jose scale These counties are
| Wyandotte, Shawnee, Douglas, Sedg-
wick, Reno. Pratt. Pawnee, and Ford
this time is small. yet the parasite is
grave matter, because unless eKter-
minated it will rapidly extend to 9TH
er sections. In order to wipe out the
as soon as possible before the scale
spreads to other counties and cause
unlimited damage to fruit and shade
trees. In reply to questions he stated
that the cost of treating a tree for San
Jose scale is 10 cents.
| At the conclusion of Prof. Hunters
address the senate proceeded to pass
the bill Under this act owners of land
! in which infested trees or plants are
discovered are required to treat the
trees and in the event of the owners
neglect or refusal to do this, the state
entomologist or his deputies are auth
lorized to treat the trees, the expense
| to be taxed against the land owner.
For carrying out the purposes of the
act and to pay expenses OF the scien-
| lists the sum of 5000 is appropriated
for the 1909 1910 and
1911.
The original amount provided in the
bill was 600 for each year. Senators
Stewart and Carey urged the senate to
duction to 5000 a year was made by
the ways and means committee and
the senate acted upon the recommended
tions of the committee.
The Barnes high school law came in
to the discussion ofsthe senators last
night during the consideration of Rep
resentative MftchelPS bill legaHzing the
action Of the counties which establish
ed high schools under the Barnes law
There were 43 high schools established
under the law.
| Senator Travis offered an amendment
providing that in counties which adopt
| ed the Barnes law by less than a ma
| iority of all the votes cast at the cleo
/ ton and established high schools, the
county commissioners shall call a spec
iial election to determine whether the
high school so established shall be con
| tfnued. Before such election is called.
| however 1t must be dena anded by
petition signed by 20 per cent of the
| legal voters. If the majority Of the
electors vote for the school 1t shall De
Icoutfnued and If the majority vote
against the proposition it shall be dis
continued after the end of the school
The friends of the Barnes law and its
opponents then got busy.
tor T-rl
county the people are praying for re-
| lief from the Barnes law and he want
ed to give the dissatisfied citizens
chance to get out from under" the
Senator Brady thought a great in
\ jury would be done the school system
Of the state by knocking out the hign
| school law. The time has come. he
said. when the pupils in the country
districts need and demand to be edu-
Gated higher than the eighth grade.
| Senators Stewart and Robertson Op-
| posed the Travis amendment The
| former declared the people in Sedg-
| wick county are in favor of the Barnes
law and that there is no ciamor to
The Travis amendment was support
| ed by Senator Ganse, who declared
that in his county there has been much
protest against the Barnes law.
| Senator Leidy thought that the peo-
pie who paid the taxes for the high
| school should have something to say
|
| the matter to the people of the coun-
| ties which have adopted the Barnes
| law, but he offered an amendment re-
| curing so per cent of the voters to
| sign a petition calling for a special
| election on the high school question
| Senator Leidy's amendment was
voted down and the amendment offer
| ed by Senator Travis was treated in
| similar manner.
The committee then recommended
/ the bill for passage
! Other bills recommended for pass
age by the committee OF the whole last
! night was as follows:
s B. No. s5s- By Hunter-Re1ating
| TO erection of interlocking or auto
matte signals at common grade cross
ings by common carriers
S. B. No I76. BY Chapman-Fixing
the powers of qualified voters at school
n B, No. s1s By Mitche1I-con-
corning high schools
H B. No 4T6- By Rhodes-Provid-
ling for the payment and distribution
The Committee of the whole arose
| at 1905 o. m and the senate adjourn
! ed to meet at p m Wednesday
Fixing the Tax Law
The bill amending the existing as
sessnent and taxation laws was con-
] sfdered in committee of the whole with
Senator Bradv in the chair. State Tax
| Commissioner Howe was invited on
the floor to answer questions Of the
/ senators relative to the Dill.
| Senator Porter offered a substitute
for section II, which raised the maxi
1 mum rate of levy as proposed in the
| bill in cities Of 10000 and less The
/ increases proposed by Senator Porter
| were as follows: For general fund.
| from , to 4 mills; from general i'm
/ provement from 1 2-10 to mills; for
| discharging legal obligations for water
| supplied to the city. from 1 to 31z
mills: for Judgment fund. from Il to
| Z mill