The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-02-20

in that bill. Now. I was opposed to
the resolution generally. l have been
classed as an insurgent. But that's
wrong. 1 belong to that Objectionable
wing which the administration would
cast in utter darkness. But that's
neither here nor there. / would have
supported the resolution and given
the people a chance to express their
opinion had the bill been fair.
Now. the very thing the regulars
did, continued the Erie banker, was
to inject an innocent looking little
amendment should receive a majority
of all votes cast. They might just as
we'll have made the bill read that the
people of Kansas can make guess on
the proposition and when the election
is over some one will determine how
many votes the bill needed in order to
secure the constitutional majority
There was absolutely no basis on
which to figure the returns and such j
proposition never went to the voters of
the state. The bill did not say the bill
should receive a majority of the votes
cast for governor, secretary of state or
attorney general. Only once in the
history of the state was an amendment
required to receive a majority of the
votes cast for secretary of state. Of
course it was hopelessly beaten. Take
for instance the 1910 election, where
crease of pay for members of the leg
islature. The measure required but
majority of the votes cast on the
amendment There were 1854 votes
cast for governor. The amendment re-
ceived 1884 votes and 1880 votes
were cast against it. More than $4,000
people did not vote on the amendment
and but q per cent of the total vote
was cast for it. With this as a basis,
it is very easy to figure the progress
which the initiative and referendum
would have made in the 1912 election
The house worked all of Saturday
afternoon on bills on third reading
and passed a batch of nineteen of
them. Many of the members went
home over Sunday, but the majority
staid to work on routine matters IN
order to save just so much time for
important work this week.
There are still few platform
pledges remaining under special or
ders to be disposed of, and it is likely
that they will all be given an inning ing
the first of this week. The campaign
publicity measure and the amendment
to the primary law regarding the cleo
ton of United States senators are still
to be considered. Also the resolution
by Davis of Kiowa providing for the
four year term for state officers.
The 1911 session of the legislature
NAV adjourn Saturday of next week,
which is to say, March. 4. The fifty
dav session ends Thursday March 2,
but the legislators will surely stay
until Saturday night to finish and tie
up the loose ends. and may have to
stay over into the next week if the
conference committees of the two
houses can not agree.
Thomas of Wyandotte had a bill in the
house Friday night relating to cities of
the first class that he was anxious to
have passed. He also had an engagement
with Kelley of Shawnee, FEEDER of Bar
ton and Frey of Geary and several other
friends to attend social gathering of
some kind. The Thomas bill came up
late and the party wanted to go to keep
their engagement. but Thomas persuaded
them to stay and help him with his bill
They stad, and they helped-by voting
nav on every section and on recon-
mendation for passage. They voted so
loud that they drowed out the yea vote.
but the chairman was hep" to the deal
his friends We're handing out to Thomas
and he declared the bill passed anyway.
Thomas will work on his bills without
help the rest of the session.