The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-01-25
Equal Suffrage Amendment APP
pears Doomed in Senate.
Put in Discard as UnimpOrtant
Legislation.
HAVEN'T GIVEN UP.
Women Are Still Battling for
Recognition.
Initiative and Referendum Also
a Thing of Past. x

| The equal suffrage amendment is on
| the rack in the senate, but the lobby
| behind the movement refuses to give up
! the ship. Last night it was virtually
agreed that the resolution should go by
| the way and make room for legislation
| of a greater prominence in the public
| eyes.
The calendar is loaded to the guards
with resolutions both good, bad and ia
different and the administration leaders
| are shelving the second rate measures
to make room for articles in line with
| the 1910, platform. AS the Suffrage
| amendment was not a platform issue,
| the insurgent element has washed its
garments of all responsibility and the
| regulars are much too busy with other
matters to devote much attention TO
| the doctrine. There are not enough.
Democrats to adopt a concurrent reso-
| luton and the indications are that the
| suffragettes will lose though it is diff
| cult to understand why this is con-
| sidered unimportant legislation.
Even the enemies of the suffrage
| question are willing to give the wo-
| men due credit for game fight. The
| leaders have heaped upon the senate
great bundles of statistics and argu-
| ments. They have proven diligent and
earnest workers. Not an hour since
| Richard Hopkins seized the gavel and
assumed to rule the upper house have
| the women left the field of battle. Ev-
cry member has been seen time and
| time again. A dozen polls have been
taken of the prospective vote. But, to-
day, that slate is broken. Before the
week closes the dozen women who have
| haunted the legislative halls will learn
the reverse side of the political game
| as they have learned it before. Their
battle appears lost, but if it is not 1t
will not be the first time that the tide
of an apparently hopeless fight has
been turned into victory.
Late Yesterday afternoon the first
change of front came when an agree
ment was reached to fight for as many
progressive policies as might be saw
| ed from the burning. The general pub
| lie has not been furnished with list
of these policies the administration ex-
poets to enact. 1t is argued by the lead
| ers that statement would center the
| fire on these measures and public an
nouRcement would be against the un-
written rules of the game.
1t is rumored that the administra-
tion practically comedies defeat of the
initiative and referendum. 1t is even
possible that it may concede more be-
fore the week closes. The q votes nee
| essary to adopt an amendment In the
| senate are hard to find on paper. In
| that body are Is insurgent members II
regulars and five Democrats. There is
not a ghost of a chance for the admin
! istration amendments, according to that
| slate; and even the insurgents admit.
/ the travelling is rather rough, On the,
| other hand the minority-is not. holding,
advance ratification and -torchlight
PROFESSIONS The best it can figure
| and that is figuring everything-is q
| lone votes for its policies. That is SIX
votes short of the required number.
| Since the breach in the senate Mon
| day afternoon, the opportunities for
harmony meetings have been swept
| away. There is a hidden hostile feel1ns
which the individual members refuse TO
41f 1fc,oc
| last through session and it is predicts
ed by the wise men in the galleries that
| back behind the Ganse-Hodges row is
! the theory for the defeat of the suf-
| frage amendments and the erucifxion
of all administration policies.
For some reason the senate has
we'll formed plan to doctor the opera
| ton of the present business methods
of Kansas newspapers. Reed, of
| Smith county and Myers, of Jackson
county, have each introduced anti
campaign advertising measures. but
| the most sweeping measure of the
session was offered this morning by
F. L. Travis of lola, who would COM
| pei newspapers to label as advertis-
ing all matter for which they have re-
ceived pay.
The Travis bill is similar to the
| Massa chusettS advertising law and
prohibits any newspaper from accept
| ing money for the publication of any
article which Is not labelled as paid
ad. This bill not only relates to the
| labelling of display advertising. but
reading notices, editorials and news
items for which the publication re-
| ceives or is promised any consider
alton Under the terms of this meas
ure campaign literature which is fire.
quently run as news or editorial mat
| ter and is paid for by the candidate,
will be chalked up by a black face
slug which bears the word. "adver-
tiSement.
An effort will be made by the lola
| insurance man to have the Reed and
Myers measures sidetracked for the
new bill. The stab at the newspapers.
it il claimed came through the 1910
campaign policies of many Kansas
daily and weekly publications to sell
| advertising space to candidates Whlch
was run as pure reading matter, While
the literature of an opponent was
surrounded by statements. proclama-
lions and denunciations from the pub
fisher, who accepted the money from
both sides but gleefully wiped his
hands of all responsibility concerning
one-half of the statements Thls. 1t is
said, gave the general public wrong
impression of the policies of various
newspapers.
pers.'' declared Travis, although
some of tem certainly need fixing.
Ny desire is that every person who
spends his good hard earned cash
with a newspaper. should receive the
same courtesies and consideration of
any other person. For this reason ]
think all advertising matter should be
published in manner to avoid decep-
| ton
Very little comment on these meas
? ures have, been received from the
country press. In fact, the coun-
: | try press is said to be quite in
the clear on these matters and the re
form is aimed at the rabid partisan
sheets who. it is claimed, have distort-
ed public sentiment and created false
| Impressions.
Southwestern Lumbermen Meet.
Kansas City. Jan. 25.-The annual con-