The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-02-02
HAS POOR CHANCE
Initiative and Referendum a
Tattered Rag.
Senate Rips 1t From One End
to Another.
THREE ROLL CALLS.
Administration Forces Make a
Gallant Fight.
May Support Minority Measure
in Retaliation.


In the senate today the initiative
and referendum resolution prepared by
the administration forces, is being at
tackled from every side and the threa
roll calls permitted under the new
rules of the upper house were disposed
of without result to the men who had
hoped to place the regulars on record
on all important measures. Several in
surgent members have declared they
will support the minority measure in
case the reform bill is defeated
The debate on the amendments is
lively and spirited. Time and time
again the regulars have been charged
with infidelity. to party pledges AMI
they have retaHated with the as
sertions that the platform is machine
made Under special order, the resolu-
ton was called up at 1920 this morn
ing. Cambern, of Neosho, was called
to the chair and every word of his
parliamentary knowledge is required
in Keeping the motions on the right
track.
No sooner had the order of the ses-
sion been announced, than Robertson
opened a fight for the substitution Of
the minority measure. He was unable
to find sufficient votes and the admin
lstrat1on document was given the first
inning.
Myers wanted his document amend
ed to require a two-thirds vote of mem
berS of the two houses on emergency
propositions. Travis started the fear
in the 1nsurgent hearts by demanding
a roll call. Myers withdrew his reso-
luton. Then Carey amended the en-
acting clause by adding the words .be
1t. Travis wanted a roll call. Here
the regulars showed that they controIl-
ed enough votes to control. the situa-
ton and humiliate the trainers of the
Stannard resolution which allows three
roll calls on any pending bill on the
| motion of one-third of the members
present. The Democrats voted with the
| insurgents and the regulars collected
| 13 votes on the demand of a roll call
AS the amendment really helped the
measure, the administration crowd vo-
| ted for the measure which carried 90 to
| 10.
Then a general attack was made on
] the per cent OF voters required to sub
| NIT proposition. Bender wanted the
| per cent placed at 35 and Stewart said
40 per cent was none too small The
| original measure fixed the number at
! per cent. Stillings, of Leavenworth
| said everyone was too high and that
| 3 per cent would please his constitu-
| ents. Glenn told the members to get
busy. Stewart took exception to the
remarks made earlier by Carey and
said he wanted the matter fought out
smothered in the committee. Here My
| erS came to the rescue of his resolution
and said that a high percentage as was
suggested by Bender and Stewart would
require nearly the entire vote of the
would exclude all minority parties ano
Republican party and would be ineffec.
tive. He declared a move of this kind
they would be unable to Initiate am
measure.
Hodges said Myers would make Il
n c. TO 1T Is
ton and hold prize fights in the state
and that such efforts were not only fool.
ish but entirely out of place.
stavely came back at stillings re
garding the low per cent required t.
submit propositions and declared tina
the people of Kansas would not stant
for such things as are proposed.
81 want to read to you from a mai
who once talked different than today,
said Stavely. 'I want to read to yol
from that article written by William
Allen White in his What's the Matte
With Kansas in which he said tha
Kansas did not need wealth and tha
| what the state wanted was more hel
and to let the corn grow to weeds.
"This reminds me of Saul who wa
prosecuted on the battle field and
regret that this man William Allel
, years ago and who built that famou
Republican platform of 1870"
Stavely made a hit in his speecl
and he brought out the first glad han,
of the morning session.
Clad Hamilton said the senate wa
looking at the matter in the wron
light and that the people did not wan
their measures pushed down by tina
third house which he declared was tn
legislative lobby. Hamilton said tha
a man who ran on a platform befor
> election should stand on that platform
after election.
:: "If we don't get this measur
through declared Hamilton, then
will support the minority reso~..<r
I am for the very best we can get i
accordance with our policies and tn
{ high percentage desired is RADICAL
: wrong. We have a duty to perforr
5 and this is not the place to forsak
that duty
The senate was making slow prog
Y ress and Quincy asked that forme
motions be laid the table and ths
a minimum percentage be fixed.
roll call was demanded and this tim
the minority voted for the call. Th
q call occurred on the Stewart motto
for a 40 per cent initiative whic
r. Chairman Cambern declared too
preference over the Quincy motion
The Stewart motion lost rs to IA.
Senator Glenn declared that he fs
vored the 1. and r., but said he di
not feel that the platform was bindin
5 on him. He said the platform we
. prepared by hVe men the night befol
8 the party council was held.
.sNot a man in this senate was pre-.
g ent at that meeting said Glenn
S Quincy said he attended the meetir
o and that more than five men attende
r Glenn then declared that the Salir
: senator attended the meeting aft,
i which the platform was prepared
ST belong to the conservative wir
of the party" declared Brewster, ear
4 I was in the party council. I want
8 call your attention to the fact that
10 that council none of US had a chan
2 to say anything about what went in
N that document and amendments we