The Topeka state journal., 1909-02-22

ing as far as am concerned" he said.
labout the school textbook bill which
IDS being smothered to death by the
committee to which it was intrusted
early in the session.
| Cheaper school books is my sole
hobby. and would like to see
the legislature take action on this bill.
Ii 1t does not 1t is only a question OF
a short time when the complexion of
the legislature will be different. Such
a law will then be passed and the Dem
ocrats will receive the credit. 1 was
a member of the house IL years ago
when the present text book bill was
passed
AT that time American School Book
lCo. money flowed like water and came
near preventing the passage Of this
measure which has saved the parents
of school children in Kansas hundreds
of thousands if not millions of dollars.
The passage of the present administra-
ton bill would save the taxpayers Of
the state 100000 annually and will not
necessitate the appropriation of a sim
gle dollar from the treasury of the
state.
| Bonds could be issued bearing per
cent interest and would be eagerly ac-
cepted by the bankers of the state and
| in this manner a fund established to
meet the expense of publishing the
books. A small per cent of profit could
i be added to the selling price of the
books and this would meet the interest
on the bonds issued. I understand that
the committee has promised to report
the bill back to the house about the LIST
! of March without a recommendation of
any kind. An effort will then be made
to have it advanced on the calendar
and perhaps it can be passed. In my
torious and most popular one that has
been advocated during the session.
Martin Courts Quiet Life.
i Henderson Martin. chairman of the
Democratic state central committee.
was among the first out of town
Democrats to arrive in Topeka today
for the purpose of attending the BAN
quet this evening. When pushed for
| an interview he said: "I have gained
1879 pounds since 1 returned to the
quiet life in Marion and in a few
months more I hope that will have
| recovered from my Topeka experience
during the recent campaign.
ct am pleased to know that the
Democratic minority in the legislature
| introduced a bank guaranty bill which
conformed with the provision of the
one advocated by the Democratic plat
\ form, even though the majority
slaughtered it. The fact that the
min ority amended the administration
bill so that it prevents bank officials
| from borrowing the funds of the bank
has not escaped the notice of the peo-
pie of the state. 1T is a well known
| fact that 80 per cent of the bank
failures are brought about by reason
or such loans being made
'"The Democrats of the country are
| in a fighting mood. That they are
| earnest and sincere in their motives is
attested by the fact that they have
supported every good measure which
| has been advocated in the legislature
| this winter. The few good measures
which have been passed have been
supported by the Democrats and in
several instances their support was
| necessary to pass them.
kansas Democracy was never in
better shape than at the present time
| nor has there ever been a time when
it was SO alive to the interests of the
state and party alike. The rank and
file of the party are proud of the
showing which has been made by the
members of the party who are in the
minority in the house and senate.
That they have not attempted to
hinder just and needed legislation by
hl1bustering has been source Of
pride to those who elevated them to
their present position"
Howe CritIclzes Stubbs.
]. w. Howe, one of the younger
Democrats of the state, was interview
ed on the hopes and prospects of the
party as we'll as topics of the time.
THE Stubbs idea of holding up po-
litical appointments until the end of
the legislature sand Mr.. Howe, isn't
making the governor very popular
over the state. In my section, it is the
general consensus of opinion that this
is being done to influence legislation
and incidentally build up a big ma
chine with Sir Walter Roscoe at the
head. So far he has made but one
appointment and he did that because
he needed a private secretary. All
the others, a vast number, are being
held up. These can easily be used to
whip the recalcitrants into line and
with these morsels of bait. Stubbs ex-
poets to drive his bandwagon up to
the door of the United States senate,
four years hence when Charles Curtis
steps down from his first term.
ST don't think very much of this
public utilities bill. which is dividing
the legislature at the present time.
There is no need for it in Kansas.
Ours is still a young state with a lot of
room for development When we get
such a bill all of the electric interur-
ban systems, which are now being
worked up, will be abandoned. When
we get all the public utilities which
the state will stand, such as New York
has, then may be we can adopt New
York's law.
Judging from the record of the
past four or five Republican state leg
islatures, 1t might not be a bad plan =
to pass a law calling the legislature !
together only about once every six
years, and then make it a duty to re-
peal about one hundred laws every
session"