The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-02-21

trying to remove the backbone of the
bill. All sorts of objection was offered
to the Carey motion and Reed DEFEND
ed the steps of the Hutchinson man.
He said he wanted bill prepared that
he could vote for, but he declared that
he would stay in Topeka all summer
before he would support the alleged
lopsided and unconstitutional prov1-
sion the administration wanted to give
to the state.
Hamilton led the administration
members in the support of the bill.
He waded into heavy volumes OF law
and read court rulings. Regardless of
this barricade of court decisions,
Carev defended his motion. He stated
that the state needed more utilities
and DubIic service corporations and
that the bill would do more to keep
capitaI out of the state than all OF the
other laws now on the statute books.
With the argument at its height
Quincy moved the previous question.
A roll call was ordered and the mo-
ton to strike out the section was de-
feated by vote of 2s to 4. Loot
tendency to cut down the number of
amendments and the pages kept on the
run with proposed changes. The re-
formers were working in excellent
shane and were carrying one-half OF
the standpat members on the Iroht
seat of the band wagon. Any change
Hamilton, Brewster or Stavely sug-
eyasted hora the stamp of approval and
went through. Amendments by Carey,
Price or Reed were scrutinlzed care
fully and were kicked in the Stats.
Before the roll call on the bill Reed
attacked the bill generally. He declared
that the legislature had neglected It's
duty and delegated the power to use
a club in the hands OF a ut1Ilrles COM
mission. He said it was position OF
Temptation. The Smith Center man said
that every large and worthy bond is
sue brought before the commission
would be overrode and that the bill was
possessed of no real merit. When the
roll was called Reed said he voted
against the bill because he believed 1t
was unconstitutional and should not
90 tn the public in it's present form.
Many of the standpats voted for the
bill. believing that the supreme court
will kick the props from under the en- en-
tire act. The roll call was as fol-
For-Anderson, Avery, Bender, Brady,
Brewster. Brown, Cambern' Ca[ey'
Cooke, Denton, Fagerberg, FoWler'
Ganse. Glenn, Harris, Hamilton
Hodges aI1tiee Hostrup. Huffman, Hunter,
MilIigan, Milton, Murphy, Porter, Pot
fer, Price. Quincy, Smith, Stannaro'
Stavely. Stewart, Stillings. Total 81
Against-I,ower, Reed, Travis. To-
tai. s. 49,
field, Robertson. Total 4
Absent-Chapman.
The senate committee on committees
this morning took things in their own
hands and recommended that Senators
Stewart Reed and Milton compose
committee on conferees. 1t furthef
rrovided that Price, Brewster and hop-
ertson should form a committee on re-
vision of the calendar ana naneo
Stewart and Price as conferees on the
Sedgwick county court bill In Whlcn
the house refused to concur. Tne rec
onnmendation of the committee was
adopted without debate, and another
slice of the customary power OF the
presiding officer was removed In a
graceful manner.
The house resolutions on the ln1tla-
tive and referendum and recall are on
the calendar under special orders thls
afternoon. There is little hopes that
the administration can hold the strons
organization manifested this morning
in the passage of the utilities b1ll but
the reform wing of the senate Will
make q. game fight to push these meas
ures through On the other hand the
opposition members are just as certain
that they will fail.
The Avery live stock bill was passeu
on third reading this morning without
opposition. The bill creates live stock
registry board composed of the board
of regents of the State Agricultural
college and makes provision for the
breeding of thoroughbred animals