The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-02-16
IT'S GOING SLOWLY
Redemption of Platform Pledges
Dragging in House.
Twenty-Five Still on Calendar
Under Special Orders.
ALLEN BILL PASSES.
ALLEN BILL PASSES.
After Three Hours DebateLabOr
Measure Adopted.
Members Enjoy Vacation and
Applaud QuindarO Singers.

Platform pledge day. has been con-
tinued to today. The house spent all
of Wednesday on the pledges, killing
one, passing two and did not finish
discussion of the fourth, the initiative
and referendum. The Wednesday night
session was devoted to the third read
ing of bills and further discussion of
the I. and R. postponed to today.
There is more opposition in the house
to the 1. and r. than to any other ad-
ministration measure. There are q
platform pledge bills still on the calen-
dar under special order for today.
The labor union bill by Allen of
Wyandotte, defining the liability Of
employers of labor in case of injury or
| death to their employees, was passed
bv the house Wednesday afternoon
| after three hours of debate. The
measure is regarded as a platform
| pledge to labor 1t was opposed by
some of the country members who had
bers from the larger towns fought for
| the bill like troopers. The bill is of
| great interest to all workingmen- 1t
defines and fixes liability as follows:
| That every corporation and person
and association owning or operating
| any mine or factory, workshop, pack
| ing house, Or engaged in the erection
or repair of buildings or bridges shall
/ be liable to damages to any person sur
fering injury while such person is en-
ployed by or working for such per-
sons or corporations, Or in case of
death of such employee resulting in
whole or in part from the negligence
! of the employer or its officers, agents
or servants or other employees, or by
reason of any defect or insufflclency IN
| the ways, works, machinery or othe;'
equipment of said employer. such cause
| of action may be maintained in the
manner by this law provided"
Then the bill goes on to provide
clear and exact means by which sucn
an action can be begun and carried
through successfully in the courts pro
vided the cause is Just.
Aside from the spectacular speech
in favor of the bill by Mr. Allen. its
author, the sether features We're the
Veatch of Washington. However, there
was but little opposition in the hnaI
vote on the measure.
Hyer. who has little factory en-
ploying SO men, declared that the Dill
would put him out of business and ne
declared that the measure was nothing
more nor less than a scheme on the
part of "a few two-by-four lawyers
and the casualty companies who We're
looking for business and the prohts
that accrue therefrom."
Orr of Atchison sprung a supreme
court decision on the house to show
i that a law exempting factories where
less than fifteen men were employed
was unconstitutional, according to the
Idecision of the supreme court. Stone
of Shawnee took issue with the at
torney from Atchison and cited other
cases to show that this decision did not
apply generally. Two different mo-
tions were made to strike out the en-
acting clause of this bill, and they had
many supporters, but they were both
withdrawn without vote being taken
on the matter.
| Miller of Ford county, the youngest
member of the house, was in the chair
during the discussion of these bills,
and he did exceedingly well in this
place.
The house started next on the much
talked about initiative and. referen-
dunn resolution, having two to consider
at the same time-one by Cassin, Dem
ocrat. and the other by Don Carlos,
Republican-the last named being the
administration measure Cassin took
the floor first, moving that his bill
be substituted for the administration
} to support his contention, in which he
declared that Governor Stubbs and
William Allen White, authors of the
J administration measure, were just
born to the 1. and r. faith. while I
am a veteran in that cause" He said
that Stubs was elected by Democratic
votes, and he said further that his
party was not divided on the l. and r.
as was the Republican party, and
therefore the Democratic measure was
more entitled to consideration by the
house.
After Cassin had finished his old
time speech, Stone Of Shawnee, moved
that Frederick King of New York, an
authority on the I. and R., be asked
to address the house on the resolu-
ton, but the motion was defeated SIS
to 81. The house did not want to hear
Mr. King, but preferred to settle the
matter among themselves.
hear the Quindaro GIee club and Choir
al singers. The initiative and refer
endum resolution was under discussion
at the time, but the tired, hard work
ing members turned with a sigh of
relief from the splitting Of legal hairs
to hear the melody of the old plan
tation songs sung by trained voices.
; For nearly two hours these young ne
groes sang for the legislators, the pro-
! gram ranging from campmeetfng songs
: to the selections from the great operas.
, | It is doubtful if there has been a mu-
, sical program given in Topeka this
winter that was enjoyed so much by
: the audience generally as that given
by the singers from the Western uni
versity.
The negro as a rule has a rich and
: melodious voice, but these singers had
! been trained for years by Prof. r. G.
, | Jackson, the musical director of the
/ college, and he has turned out the fin
t ished product. The chorus sang
' plantation melodies, plaintive airs
gospel hymns and national airs. There
j. was solo by Miss Grant. a slender
: young girl. who has a wonderful
: voice. Old Black Joe was sung by re-
f quest, and James Sanders, whose
home is at Oswego. carried the air ir
a deem baritone The tenorS In fhf