The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-02-15
Ways and Means Committee Be-
gins Its Task.
Requires Care to Make Both
Ends Meet.
HUNTERS AUTO BILL
License Tax of SIS Will Be Re-
ported Favorably.
State Text Book Measure Has
Little Chance.

The senate ways and means commit
tee, of which Senator Huffman is chair
man, this afternoon will begin the pre-
paration of the appropriation bills nee
essary for the support of the public ed
ucational institutions and for the vari-
Gus state departments. The preparation
of these bills-the state budget-re-
quires a great deal of care and the
COMMITTEES will probably be at work on
these measures for some time.
This committee will also take up the
question of how to avoid the difficulties
of deficit in state revenues which
were called to the attention of the leg
islature in a recent communication
from Auditor Nation, who declared that
by October the treasurer would be
stamping state warrants mot paid for
contingency, or to cover the deficit
threatened, 1t may be necessary to in
crease the levy of state taxes for the
general fund.
Today was pay day in the senate and
the lawmakers, officers and employees
were all wearing that. contented smile
denoting prosperity that comes nat
urally to the person who hears the
jingle of real money in his pocket. Last
Monday the expression on the faces of
the employees was one of anxiety, due
to the fact that there had been no pay
appropriation bill was tied up by the
disagreement of the house and senate
over the form of the bill. This diff
Guilty was patched up last week, how
ever, and today everybody appeared
happy and had money to pay board.
The senate committee on state affairs
has agreed on a favorable report on
Senator Hunters bill to tax all auto
mobiles in the state s5 each. The
money thus derived will be returned
bv the state to the counties in which
the automobiles are owned, and the
funds will be used for Improving coun-
ty roads.
AS was stated In the State Journal
last Saturday the bank guaranty law
has been definitely deeaaed upon by the
committee on banks and banking and
will be presented to the senate when
it convenes this afternoon! The feat
ures of the committee bill have been
previously outlined in this paper.
From present indications it appears
that there will be no state fair auth
orized at this session of the state leg
islature. The bill is reposing in a
pigeonhole in the ways and means
this time it has not been even consld-
cred by the committee and its
chance for being favorably reported
is regarded as decidedly long shot
A majority of the members of the
committee do not seem to approve of
the state fair bill and unless there is
a change in their attitude. there will
be no state fair legislation this ses-
sion.
The bill for state publication of
school text books. is in about the
same position in the senate committee
on education. This measure has not
been taken out of the pigeon hole as
vet. and the members of the com
mittee do not manifest any disposition
to consider it. From the casual COM
ments of members of the committee 1t
is believed the school text book bill
is not popular with them, and it is
likely to be killed in the committee.