The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-02-13
Utilities Bill Will Have Hard
Shedding in Senate.
Objection Made to the Manner of
Naming Commission.
LIMIT STUBBS' POWER.
Would Prevent Appointment by
the Governor.
Reed Says He Will Force Vote
on Appropriation Election.

Oh Appropriation GIoCCAOns
One of the big fights of the session
may come this week. if the Stubs
patriots succeed in advancing the pub
lie utilities bill to a special order. 1t
is believed that the bill will be swung
to the front for next Thursday. The
bulky document represents weeks of
hard work and two or three days will
probably be spent in consideration of
the bill.
The present bill is not altogether
satisfactory. The anti-Stubbs wing
does not favor the appointment of a
utilities board by the governor. They
prefer rather to remove all possible
power of the chief executive, and on
the manner of naming the board will
perhaps hinge the big fight on the
bill. The insurgents argue that the
governor is more able to pick compe
tent men for the jobs than the gen
eral public, but they do not want
their measure converted into a crazy
quilt by unfriendly hands.
At the present time the standpat
members declare they favor a utilities
bill with certain provisions they
want to name the provisions. Just
how much of the bill will meet the ia
vor of these 16 members is uncertain.
There are the usual constitutional
questions which the Clark county SEN
ator never overlooks and the general
repairs for the public safety to which
the Wichita member attends, while the
members from Troy and Smith may
be expected to recommend anything
from minor repairs to removing the
enacting clause.
Should the usual six or seven insur-
mic q o6 IF hoo ~ =
vote with the reactionists, the Stubs
element will find the route of their new
machine strewn with sharp, ugly
tacks.
This has been a bad year for the
Emporia State Normal school and Bill
White and his 10000 fellow citizens are
having a hard time holding their own
without landing an increased budget.
Not less than five towns are clanoring
for Independent normal schools; have
offered new buildings and want a little
chunk from the state treasury to boost
things along. Senator Porter's bill to
divorce the Pittsburg training school
from the normal, gave Empory the
nightmare; and has caused the Gazette
to view with alarm:
In no uncertain language, the En-
poria editor-author declares that the
independent normal proposition is the
reward of the unfaithful servants who
trod on the sacred platform and push
ed the party pledges in the ditch. Tho
Gazette has called OH the tried and
true of the party to call the rebellious
members to time and save the policies
from rack and ruin.
The Independent normals, however,
have not yet received a healthy start.
The bills are still locked in the desk of
the committee room and it may be sew
eraI days before Emporia will find It
necessary to call out the militia to
preserve the peace.
Tuesday afternoon the senate will
consider the Reed resolution for a spe-
cial appropriation election. The Smith
Center man claims he will force roll
call on his bill and will test the sim
certify of the administration on the I.
and r. In the original reform bill. the
appropriations were left out. Reed &C.
clares he wants to test the wisdom of
the public and wants the 1911 budget
for educational institutions passed
upon at a special election to be called
by the governor. The insurgents have
taken the Reed measure as joke and
have refused to give it serious consid-
Grafton.
The Stavely bill for a three-fourths
jury verdict in civil cases, has been adj
vanced to special orders for WedneS-
day morning and will probably be one
of the very few administration meas
ures passed at this session.
Kansas City. Kan. will send bunch
Of boosters to Topeka tomorrow to root
for the proposed Kansas university
hospital In the last few weeks consid-
cradle opposition has developed to the
location of the new hospital in Kansas
City, and the men from the mouth of
the Kaw will try to remove this
prejudice from the minds of members
of the ways and means committee,
which has the bill under consideration.
More than the usual number of sena
tors spent Sunday in Topeka. Several
members stayed for the Saturday ses
sions in order that they might watch
the progress of the Glenn senatorial
reapportionment bill. There was a
general belief that this bill was to be
called up Saturday morning. but the
Greeley county editor asked to pass
the bill, when it was reached.
Senator Myers judicial reapportion-
ment bill is having a hard time this
session 1t has been in the hands of
the committee almost a month and
there is no indication that it Will be
reported at this session; notwithstand
ing the governors message for the
adoption Of the measure.