The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-01-24
HAVE LIVELY Time
House Passes Bills in mittee
of Whole.
Exciting Exchanges Accompany
the Discussions.
MERCER AND KELLEY.
Shawnee Member and Stubs
Leader Clash.
WatsOn'S Bank Restriction Bill
Goes Through.
MERCER AND KELLEY.

The house ground along all day in
committee of the whole on general or
ders and threshed out and recon-
mended for passage a half dozen bills.
The administration bill providing for
| the consolidation of the state charit-
able and penal institutions under the
state board of control was among
those recommended, but there was a
| sharp debate on some of the amend
ments suggested and one of these
! amendments with a singer attached
was passed. This provided that no
person holding an elective or appoint
i've office shall be eligible as a mem
Der of the board thus created and ap-
| pointed by the governor. Brown of
Kingman led the fight for the amend
ment.
| Kelley of Shawnee and Mercer of
Chase, had a clash over this amend
ment. The minority members were
| strong for the amendment, and Mer
Ger, an administration man opposed it.
1t was claimed by Kelley that this
amendment would prevent the COVER
nor from winning a vote or influence
in the legislature by promising place
on this board to some member. as he
said was done last session. Mercer
bitterly resented the inference: He
| thought that the governor should not
for a place nor that a member of the
legislature who happened to be chosen
for an appointment should thus lay
himself liable to criticism and in
suit.
Mercer got back at Kelley during
the afternoon when the Matson bill
providing for two divisions of the dis
trict court of Shawnee and Sedgwick
counties was being read for passage.
Kelley. who is a Topeka man, was
speaking in defense of the bill. Mer-
GER prepared an amendment that pro-
vided that no member of the legisla-
ture should be eligible to appointment
as judge of the second division of the
courts thus created. The laugh was
on Kelley, though he is not lawyer.
The Mercer amendment, however. was
voted down.
Watson of Allen county. who is also
assistant bank commissioner, had his
banking bill recommended for passage
by the house Monday afternoon in
committee of the whole. The bill pro-
vides for greater restrictions to be
thrown about the organization and
arrangements of the state banks. and
especially defines new duties for the
board of directors and places restrlc-
tions upon their qualifications for Of
flee. Here is a sample of one OF the
provisions of the Watson bill mo
bank shall employ its moneys directly
or indirectly, in trade or commerce,
by buying and selling goods, chattels
wares and merchandise,Ia nd shall not
invest any of it's funds in the stock
of any other bank or corporation nor
make any loans or discounts on the Sc
curity of the shares of it's own capital
stock, nor the shares of the capital
stock of any other bank"
1t is the generally accepted belief,
according to the gossip in legislative
circles that public utilities bill viii
be pa ssed this session. The measure
may be amended in a manner not to
suit the ideas of the governor in all
particulars. but a real bill with teeth
in it will likely be passed. regular
senator who has influence has declar-
ed himself for the measure in its adj
mir1istration form, and one of the lead
ers of the house regulars has stated
that he is satisfied with the admins
tration bill as introduced in the house
by Judge Buckman, the speaker
The initiative and referendum will have
hard shedding in both houses. The suf-
fragettes and the prohibitionists and
the conservatives are after its goat and
they have a chance to hit William Al
len Whites pet measure body blow
Still the I. and r. is a party platform
promise and will have the support of
the administration men. There are some
dandy fights ahead and the I. and r.
fight will not be the least of these, nor
the anti-Sunday baseball and equal
suffrage contests.
After having been deluged during the
early days of the session with petit
tions for the anti-Sunday baseball BILL
the house and senate are DOW under
going a second flood of petitions against
the bill. 1t is doubtful if the bill will
pass.
Capt. S. S Longley of Washington
county. al old-time member of the leg
islature. visited his friend, J. ]. Veatch,
present member from Washington, thi
week.
In the Matson bill recommended for
passage by the house in committee of
the whole Monday afternoon. two di-
visions of the district court are created
in counties of over $4,000 population.
This will include Shawnee and Sedg-
wick only. The present district court
in these counties will comprise the first
division. while the governor is empow-
deputy to serve as bailiff of the second
division and the sheriff can appoint q
deputy to serve as baliff of the second
division. In all things the second di-
vision of the court will have the same
powers and follow the same rules and
regulations that any district court fol-
lows in its natural course. The plan is
simply to divide the work of a congesl-
ed court docket.