The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-02-27
WILL HELP VIC.
Stewart Bill Opens Way to the
Congressman.
Permits Candidate for Congress
to Run for Senator.
THOUGHT 1T A JOKE.
Members at First Do Not Regard
1t Seriously.
Wake Up After 1t Goes Through
NN1,11o
THOUGHT 1T A JOKE.
Wake Up After 1t Goes Through
Committee of Whole.

If the Stewart bill permitting can
didate for congress to run for the
United States senate in the same pri-
mary should become a law, it will help
the vic Murdoch cause. Stewards bill
sailed through the committee of the
whole with the administration friends
throwing rocks at the windows, but
they did not damage the delicate IA
chinery.
When Senator Stewart came to To-
peka this session, he Immediately pre-
pared a bill to allow a candidate for
congress to run for the United States
senate in the same primary election
Stewart admitted that the bill was
slightly friendly to the red haired MEM
| Der from the Eighth congressional dis
trist. However, he urged that there was
no attempt tOfreeZe out other ambitious
statesmen and that ingrowing desires
to go to the national senate should be
cultivated. Stewart even admitted that
with a wider array of talent, the pub
lie would be very apt to give the In
dian the greater number of votes.
When the bill was read the reform
senators thought it was a joke. Ten
minutes later they learned it was the
real thing. Every insurgent member
then bombarded the bill and opened Il
fresh supply of oratory that for a time
threatened to ruin the acoustic prop
critics of g perfectly good senate cham
Der. The insurgents threw every avail
able member into the fight, but they
could not advance the ball. Quincy
argued loud and long to remove the
objectionable feature, but the stand
pat-Democratic coalition arranged u
fresh treaty and voted it down. Ham
ilton declared that the enacting clause
should be removed, but the roll call
argued different. Potter admitted that
he admired Wichita's red haired states
man, but couldn't swallow change in
the present law. Still no results. Then
Stannard said the bill had not received
due attention. He wanted it referred
back to the elections committee for
further federation. Still the organ
! ization refused to listen.
For an hour the administration
brethren attacked the bill from every
! conceivable point. The organization
| held. This encouraged Brewster He
then offered an amendment, which
would wipe the entire primary law off
| the map. Stannard was shocked and
| insulted. For ten minutes he flayed
| the regulars with a collection of choice
language from Webster's dictionary
The standpatters refused to bulge.
Then Stannard ordered a roll call on
the question. Brewster and his follow
ing laughed and when the clerk called
the roll, every member but Travis
voted to leave the law where it is
After the measure had been reported
for passage. Stannard renewed the
fight and moved to uonconcur, but the
senate voted him down.
| The Stewart amendment is q quite
modest statement under ordinary cir
cumstances. but in view of a red hot
fight in the 1912 primaries, it means
much Should the bill pass, it will di-
/ vide the insurgent vote in the state
and Charles Curtis stock would adj
| vance about IS per cent on the open
market. The Stewart amendment is
as follows:
when the same person is can
| didate for the nomination for Unit
ed States senator from the state OF
Kansas. and also a candidate for
| representative in congress from
I any district in said state and has
/ duly filed nomination papers for
| both of said offices, that the name
of such person shall be printed upon
/ the primary ballot as a candidate for
I both OF said offices under any party
/ ticket. and in event such person shall
| be nominated for both of said offices,
he shall file his declination of one or
Il the other nominations, as otherwise
i provided by law, and his name shall
the other Office
1t is believed that the bill will pass
the senate with a small majority.
Friends of the bill also feel safe in
cratic organization as in the senate
The vote to strike out the enacting
clause in the senate was as follows:
For: Avery, Brown. Cambern
Cooke, Denton, Fowler, Harris, Ham
ilton, Hostrup. Murphy, Myers, Pot
ter. Quincy, Smith, Stannard. Total
Is.
Against: Anderson, Brewster, Cald-
well, Carey. Fagerberg, Glenn. Huff
man, Lower, MiIligan, Porter, Price