The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-01-11
BATTLE is LOST.
Struggle to Unite Regulars and
Democrats Fails.
House Refuses to Take Power
From Speaker.
STONE TO THE RESCUE
Shawnee Representative Saves
Day for Insurgents.
Buckman May Name His Own
Committees.
STONE TO THE RESCUE

The feature of the house session to-
day was the fight started by the Demo-
Gratis, under the leadership of Orr of
Atchison, for the appointment of COM
mittees by the house, instead of by the
speaker as has been heretofore the
custom. But the features of the fight
itself were the stand taken by Stone
of Shawnee. defeated candidate for
speaker, against the Democratic fight
to shear Speaker Buckman of his pow
ers; the speech made by the eloquent
Atchison member for his resolution;
the maiden speech of a new member,
A NJ. Keene of Bourbon, against the
Orr resolution.
Robert Stone, of Shawnee, withdrew
the stinger from the Orr amendment
to the Allen resolution in the house
session this morning. The Stone amend
ment to the Orr amendment carried
by an almost strict party vote, 65 to 5S.
The Orr amendment provided that
the house should elect its own COM
mittees.
The Stone amendment provided that
the speaker should select all standing
committees and give the Democrats
fair representation thereon.
The big fight over committees, which
began at 10 o'clock this morning, was
ended at L o'clock this afternoon, and
the result is that Speaker Buckman
SHdl select the uOuSG COIllitlIlLSCo as
has been the custom of the Kansas
house procedure.
Republicans voted with the Demo-
Gratis against the Stone amendment
as follows: Wheeler of Seward, Wilson
of Greeley, Davis of Kiowa, Ellis of
Labette. The Independent member,
Hines of Scott, also voted no.
The house adjourned to meet at 3
o'clock p. m.
1t must be admitted that Stone saw
ed the day, or helped whole lot at
the rescue. It looked bad for the ad-
ministration forces Monday evening
when the house adjourned. 1t was
said that over twenty Republican
members had signed a resolution pro-
viding for a committee on commit
tees. Only ten were necessary to car
ry it through with the aid of the DEM
ocrats. But today when Stone him
self, the defeated candidate for speak
er, opposed a resolution by Orr, DEM
o,rat, to "dehorn" Speaker Buckman,
the fight developed into a party fight
and the Republicans hung together
for the most part.
Robert stones Speech.
Stone of Shawnee took the floor on
the Orr amendment as soon as it was
offered to the house. He said he want
ed to make his position clear to his
friends in the house. He said: 1.-The
governor did not sleep very we'll last
night" and called attention to the fact
reported that the governor had con-
ferred last night with members of the
house on the proposition to create a
committee on committees Mr.. Stone
resented the idea of the governor in
terfering with the affairs of the house.
Revenge is sweet" said Mr. Stone,
but there is a better thing than re-
venge."
Mr.. Stone said further that he sup
posed his friends would have opposed
the passage of the resolution lust as
Buckman's friends are now opposing
it.
Mr.. Stone at this point in his speech
offered an amendment to the Orr SUBJ
stitute resolution, which gives to the
speaker the right to appoint all stand
ing committees and that he give the
Democrats representation on commit
tees and chairmanships in proportion
to their membership in the house
AS soon as the Stone amendment
was offered Davis of Kiowa declared
that 1t was out of order. His conten-
tion was overruled by Speaker Buck
man and he appealed to the house
from the ruling of the chair. The
house on an aye and nay vote sus-
tanned the speaker.
Orr. of Atchison, Democrat. defend
ing his resolution. declared that the
1dea Tor committee on committees
was simply the carrying out of the
platform promises of the two parties as
adopted last summer. My resolution :"
he said, "embodies the very declara-
tions made by Governor Stubbs in the
sweat of his brow on the stump last
summer when he said, Let the peonis
rule"
The speaker based his arguments for
the taking away OF committee appoint
nents from the speaker on the cam
paign slogan of the last Republican
primary, which was down with Can
nonism." He wanted, he said, the mem
bers to rule the house affairs. lust as
the people of Kansas had so declared
last year when they retired the Can
non representatives and elected insl1r.
gent congressman in their places
Keene, Republican, of Bourbon.
speaking for the Stone amendment, de-
clared that there was nothing in the
Democratic state platform endorsing or
calling for the appointment of com
mittees by the house. Keene made the
point that the fight on Cannonism was
started because it was said that the
speaker of the national house opposed
legislation wanted and demanded by
the people, while in the case of the
Kansas house speaker. it was known
that he favored reform legislation de-
manded by the people.
W. L. Brown, of Kingman, Democrat
made a long and earnest speech for th =,
Orr resolution, in the course of which
he declared that the Democratic aud
Republican state platforms were ~
much alike that he did not know which
one he was standing on during the last
campaign. He exclaimed against the
atmosphere of Topeka which he said
hal changed the Republican members
from their stand taken while appealing
to the peocle from the stump last fai
for election.
J. w. Kelly, of Shawnee, Democrat
made his maiden speech this mornins
in support of the Orr amendment pro
viding for the appointment of house
committees by the house.
Fight Wakes Warm
The debate over the Orr amendment
TO give the house power to appoint it