The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-02-09
Senator Glenn's Re-appOrtiOn-
ment Bill Has Bad Half Hour.
Senate Brutality Assassinates the
Enacting Clause.
THEN is RE-INSTATED.
Given a Place ON Calendar by
Chairman's Ruling.
Travis Bill Concerning Members
of Legislature Recommended.


Senator ". NJ. Glenn's senatorial re-
apportionment bill struck a snag in
the senate Wednesday afternoon and
the enacting clause was killed in. mucn
less time than it took the stenog-
raphers to COPY the measure. This
hasty action on the part of the COM
mittee of the whole, made wroth the
Greeley county member who had Ia
bored for months in an endeavor 20
straighten out the senatorial districts
to conform with the 1910 census
enumeration.
Two hour after the Glenn bill had
gone to the scrap pile and the editor
statesman had applied ointment to his
wounded feelings. Travis moved to re-
consider the hasty action and placed
the ill back on the calendar. TINS
motion aroused a collection of lndlVld-
l1al expressions from the eastern mem
bers, who favor few statesmen. from
the short grass country.
Stewart, of Sedgwick, was in the
chair when the motion was made and
he oVerruled the lola senator. Rob-
ertson, who represents IS western KAN
sas counties ana $4,000 constituents,
appealed from the decision and Rich
ard J.. Hopkins, president of the SEN
ate, was called in hasty consultation.
Then the members cited paragraphs
the chair was not giving him fa'r
deal in the consideration of the bill.
Glenn and Robertson complained most
bitterly of the big western districts,
which placed the members at disad-
vantage over the members who repre-
scented one or two counties. Attention.
Y as called to the fact that the sena-
torial districts had not been reappor-
toned since 1881 and that western
Kansas had grown from desert to an
aggressive community that was willing
to fight for its rights These speeches
and the favorable ruling of President
Hopkins swung several votes and the
Glenn bill went back to the calendar
under general orders
The fierce opposition to the bill came
as a surprise to its trainers. Stewart
attacked the measure on the floor of the
senate and other members declared
that western Kansas was already We'll
represented in the legislature and
should not complain.
Senator Glenn has spent several
weeks in the preparation of his bill
1t is considered unusually Well bal
anced in regards the division of popu-
lation. One of the main objections
raised to the document Wa5 the fact
that twenty changes were made in tire
forty districts and that these changes
would place the countless affected
among strange constituents and a GER
tain wrangle would ensue in 1912 as to
which counties SHOULD name senatorial
candidates.
1t is hardly probable that Glenn will
try to call up his bill until some of the
apparent difficulties can be adjusted.
At the present time the bills chances
are about 80 per cent below par, and i.
will require no small amount of argu-
ment to change the convictions of the
eastern Kansas members, who object
to the changes.
Senator Frank L. Travis bill prohib-
iting members of the legislature from
holding state appointments, passed the
committee of the whole after the Allen
county man had been subject to ridi-
Guile at the hands of the administration
forces. This attack was led by Stan
nard. of Lyon, who said that the stand
pat members had already furnished suf-
hcient amusement at the hands of the
governor and his friends in the 1eglS-
lature. Stannard urged that there was
no reason why a. good legislator should
not become a good appointee under the
state administration. But Travis was
obdurate. He pointed to the assertion.
which he formerly made, that the state
appointees came to the legislature with
well defined purposes and that those
purposes were to, inject laws that would
benefit the particular job they repre-
scented. He declared that these ap-
pointees spent undue time in this work
and that the habit of giving double
jointed state jobs should not be en-
eouraged. The Travis bill will affect
w. L. Watson of Allen county, an as
sistant bank examiner. and Joe Mercer
of Chase county, state live stock in
spector.
The senate voted Wednesday after
noon to sidetrack the consideration of
the constitutional amendment provid-
ing for three-fourths jury verdict in
civil cases. This action followed the
passage of the equal suffrage bill. and
the administration mem bers pointed to
the list of platform measures which
should be considered they declared in
advance of other matters. Price and
Robertson wanted the jury verdict
amendment settled at once. They de-
clared it was needed and Stavely read
the governors message urging its adop-
ton. This did not change the sentiment
in the platform camp and the bill went
to the discard until the I. and r. and
recall measures are put away.
Senator Brady's bill enabling trust
companies to organize in cities of the
second-class with $4,000 capitalize ton
was decorated with amendments BY the
banker members until the Lawrence
newspaper man was unable to recog-
uizc his dOr1Ircanf His efforts. /, .,x-a,.