The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-02-25
ALL IN A TANCLE.
Ballot Bill Creates Much Ex.
citement in House.
Blanket Ballot Again the Point
of Contention.
STONE BILL REPORTED
Provides for Nomination of SEN
tors by Primary.
Tennis Clears Himself of the
Lobbyist Charge.
STONE BILL REPORTED

Ihe hight this morning in the mouse
| over the Shearer bill providing for a
blanket ballot for primary elections
was the worst this session since the
morning of the Mercer-Orr contro-
Versy, and there were no names called
either. The house had killed the
Massachusetts ballot law providing for
Independent voting at primaries, and
the Thompson bill breaking down
party lines at primaries, and now for
the third time faced a bill that
reached the same goal by a still diff
ferent route. The result was that the
members who stood for party lines at
primaries were somewhat peevish over
these persistent efforts to advance the
secret ballot.
Seven amendments were offered at
once and fourteen good men and true
clamored for recognition from the
chair in chorus. Kyle of Marion, the
chairman, called in vain upon these
wild-eyed legislators to remember that
| they lived in a civilized community
and were in legislative chamber, not
a fort in state of siege.
The bill covered less than a page,
while the amendments offered in f1f-
teen minutes would have filled a
book.
The house adjourned at noon with
out reaching an agreement in regard
to this bill.
The Stone bill providing for the
placing Of the names of candidates for
U. S. senator on the general ballot was
recomm ended for passage in the house
today. This bill is a companion piece
to the bill passed the other day adopt
ing the Oregon plan of nomination of
U. S. senators at primary elections.
This is party pledge.
The Stone bill providing for the
nomination and election of delegates
to national conventions was laid over
to next week.
Just before the noon hour the house
settled down to a fight over the
Shearer bill providing an official ballot
shall be printed and provided for use
at each voting precinct in the form
herein and annexed hereto. The names
of all candidates of each political party
for whom the nomination papers pre-
scribed shall have been duly filed. shall
be printed upon the ticket thus pro-
vided, under their separate and appro-
pirate emblems and names.
Davis of Bourbon started a row on
the floor of the house today with his
resolution to enforce that house rule
keeping all persons from occupying
seats in the body of the house and also
the rule clearing the house of lobby
lists and others before the opening of
each session. The resolution was de-
feated.
1t was held by some of the members
that the resolution might include
newspaper men. Then Speaker Buck
man, speaking on the proposition that
the newspapers ought to be regulated,
said: Gentlemen, if you undertake
to regulate the newspapers you have
a large contract ahead"
Kyle of Marion presided over the
house in committee of the whole to-
day while the war over the amend
ments to the primary was ragged on the
floor of the house. Kyle met the situ-
ations with firnness and fairness.
Regarding the charge made against
E. A. Tennis, of the Garden City &
Gulf railway. acting as a lobbyist
without having observed the formality
of registering, the house judiciary
| committee exonerate him as follows:
LAS members Of the house committee
on Judiciary, we wish to state that it
was upon invitation and with the un-
derstanding of the full committee that
E. A. Tennis of Garden City, Kan, vice
president and general manager of the
Garden City. Gulf & Northern railroad,
| appeared before the committee to ex-
plain certain features connected with
! the bill house S68, and to make a
| statement to the committee.
| VERY respectfully yours,
tCliff Matson, chairman; George R..
Allen, J. o. Emerson, John Maloy, c..
w. Reeder, ]. w. Davis, Karl Miller,
J. Will Kelley, A. NJ. Keene, C. H.
Davis.
John S. Dawson, attorney general,
| Kansas"