The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-02-18
N..NE DAYS LEFT.
Legislative Session Time EX-
pires on March 2.
House Has Passed One Hundred
Twenty-Five Bills.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
Democratic Measure Is Recon-
mended in the House.
Machinery Is Now in Good Work
ing Order.
RECALLGOESTHROUGH


for the 1911 session March 2. Only
nine more working days. therefore.
are left of the regular session. 1t is
claimed on the one hand that this
session is behind all others in amount
of business actually finished up to this
period of the term, and the small
numbers, twenty bills, that have
reached the governors Office for sig
nature are pointed to for proof OF this
assertion. But on the other hand, 1T
is contended that the house is ahead
of it's record of past sessions for this
period of the term. The house hao
1,035 bills introduced up to date, and
of this number 409 have been killed
and 129 passed There are 290 under
general orders and the balance rest in
committee.
The house has passed a lot of i'm
portant bills, including appropriations
educational measures and adnlnlSlra-
ton bills. The house tackled the plat
form promises, twenty-five in number
this week and has made quite a hole
in the pile of them. 1t has passed
the utilities bill, the 1. and r. and two
liability bills relating to certain classes
of workmen, and the much discussed
compensation act, spending all OF day
on this measure and the recall
There vet remains on the house cal
endar the United States senator and
national convention delegate primary
nomination bills, the physical valua-
ton of railroad property measure, the
mortgage registration and campaign
publicity bills. These are sure to- pass
next week in some form or other,
cleaning the calendar of platform
pledge bills.
IT is reported that a resolution to
adjourn March has been prepared
and will be presented soon, but no one
can be found who has such a resolu-
ton in his possession. Among the
members there is little talk of ad-
journment before March at the ear
liest.
The Democrats, after spending the
week voting for the redemption OF cam
naien promises in the shape OF blllS IN
troduced by Republican members, mao
the satisfaction Friday afternoon OF
seeing the recall bill recommended for
massage lust as it was introduced by
one of their party members, ana the
additional satisfaction of defeating all
efforts of the majority party to amend
the measure.
Davis, of Bourbon, Democrat, and dean
of the house 1t provides for the recall
of any elective officer who shall neg
lect his duties or fail to keep his oatn
of office or serve his constituents satls-
factorily. 1t requires petition OF at
least 25 per cent of the voters at the
last previous general election.
The fight over the measure occurred
over the efforts of the majority party
to saddle it with the judiciary commit
tee amendment providing that at least
three-fifths of the voters signing the
recall petition shall have voted for the
officer against whom the recall IS dl-
rected. The Democrats opposed TINS
amendment solidly and had eight OF ten
Renuiblicans to help them, and they Vo-
ted down the three efforts to amend
the bill. All Of these were made by
Matson of Sedgwick, who led the fight
for their adoption. The first provided
for the three-fifths clause, the second
for two-fifths and the third for one
fifth The same vote was cast on eacn
motion, 62 to 81.
Brown of Kingman, Davis of Bour-
bon. Kelley of Shawnee and Wester-
man of Ellsworth spoke against any
amendment and Matson of Sedgwick
and Keene of Bourbon urged their
adoption. The debate developed the
fact that the Republicans feared that
political enemies of an officer would
be likely to petition his recall, Whlle
Dem ocrats. having no officers in high
n1aces. had no such fear. But it must
he admitted that the minority had the
logic of the case on their side in the
debate. for the amendment proposed
was impractical, to say the least
Manv of the new members are be-
Ginning to develop as men of weight
and influence in the councils and de-
bate of the house. Besides Keene of
Bourbon and Don Carlos OF douglas
and Carney of Cloud and Kelley of
Shawnee and Orr of Atchison, who
made an early entrance within the
lin eight. now comes Moore of Harper
To the front with all the earmarks of
a GOOD debater Moore defended the
township high school bill to such good
effect in committee of the whole the
L. hrn oh for
passage with the odds against him
Besides the debaters developed are
manv good men who shine in commit
tee work but are not so easily located
by the men at the press desk. Wester-
man of Ellsworth WettaCk and Kerr
Carnahan of Clay, Block of Hamilton,
Napier of Harvey, all new members,
have won a place in the house for in
huence and capacity.
The house is progressive: Of that
there is no doubt. All bills pertain
| ing TO progressive legislation and all
! administration a bills and platform
pledges so far presented to the house
have been passed. Some have been
amended, but they have been given
friendly consideration always. The
Democrats of the house are progress
siye and will vote for a Republican
measure after they have tried in vain
to have a measure of the same sort
| bv one of their number considered.
The debate over platform promises in
| the house has developed the fact that
| the state platforms of the two parties
are as near alike as peas in a pod.
| and r. it was developed that Hines OF
| Scott, the only Independent party
member in the house. was training
with the Democrats. Don Carlos ac-