The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-02-10
House Now Has Its Last Round
With Inheritance Tax Law.
Stone Fathers Amendment Max
ing an Exemption.
ONE THAT Is FAVORED
Lets Out Husband or Wife and
Raises Limit on Others.
Party Lines Are Being Closely
Drawn on Measure.

The tax committee bill amending the
present inheritance tax law occupied
the house the greater part of the day
and party lines were pretty closely
! drawn in the votes on amendments Of
fered to this bill. The Democrats seek
to repeal the inheritance tax law en-
tirely. while the Republicans are de-
| Tending the law. 1t is true, that some
few of the dominant party members are
against the bill and that some Demo-
Gratis favor it. but in the main the
votes are drawn on party lines.
The Stone amendment to the COM
mittee bill was passed this morning in
committee of the whole and provides
for exemption on inheritances for hus-
dren up to $4,000, and for nephew,
nieces. brother or sister up to So, 900.
1t appears to be safe to forecast at
this time that this is to be the real
tax law that will be made by the legis-
iature.
Matson, Don Carlos, Davis of Kiowa
and other Republican leaders who are
defending the bill agree with Stone on
this amendment to the law.
Carney of Cloud county, who has
been presiding in committee of the
whole while the tax measures are un-
der consideration, is another Democrat
on the house roll who has class and
force as a legislator. Keene of Bour-
bon, a Republican and chairman of the
| committee on assessment and taxation,
has developed during the discussion of
the tax laws this week. His speeches
are unadorned by oratorical frills, but
they have logic to commend them.
The Goddard bill providing that the
Soldiers home vote shall be cast at
the home precincts of the inmates is
regarded he says as meritorious
measure in Leavenworth where the
home is located. In support of his
measure DR.. Goddard cites the fol-
lowing from the Leavenworth Post:
DIR. Goddard's bill in the legisla-
ture to regulate the old soldier vote IN
Leavenworth county, meets with the
approval of the people of Leaven-
worth. Petitions are being circulated
and signed in the city and county ask
| ing the legislature to pass the bill.
The people of Leavenworth city
| and county know how the Soldiers
| Home vote is manipulated by the poll
| ticians, and they want to put stop
| to this. The last election at the home
was disgrace and it was only a repe-
tition of the elections held before.
The passage of the Goddard bill would
protect the old veterans and also the
taxpayers of Leavenworth county and
| it should pass
Attorney General John s. Dawson
appeared before the railroad commit
| tee of the house this morning to con-
fer with the members and advise them
| in regard to the two-cent passenger
fare bill now before the committee. The
attorney general believed the bill ought
to be amended if it is passed at all.
He declared that if this bill is passed
| it ought to carry with it an appro-
priation of 100000 to be used to fight
the case through the courts and pro-
cure information for the state to show
that the railroads do not haul pas
sengers on the 2-cent basis at a loss.
| 1t will be remembered that the Kan
sas railroad board made an agreement
with the railroads some years ago that
/ Kansas shall enjoy the 2-cent fare for
such time as the cases involving this
law are before the courts in the neigh
boring state of Nebraska. The plan
has worked well thus far and Kansas
has had the two-cent fare up to this
time without a lawsuit.
The agreement has been in the ma
! ture of an armistice, but the passage
| of a two-cent fare law would likely
end the agreement and the state
would have to fight to maintain the
rate.
The last legislature defeated the
two-cent fare bill, preferring to let
well enough alone.
N. K. Herman of Chetopa, Labette
county, called on the governor today.
| Mr.. Herman has just returned from
Ell PaSo, Texas, which is just across
the line from the Mexican town of
Juarez pronounced Warez) and he is
of the opinion that the insurrectos
will capture the place and in the end
unseat the Diaz dynasty. He declares
that it is the general opinion down
along the border that the cause of the
rebels is good and that they will win
in the long run.
The house this morning granted the
| use of the hall of representative next
| Thursday night for the Quindaro Glee
club and a concert will be given the
members by this organization from z
o'oclock 10 o'clock. The Quindaro
| singers make fine music and the con-
cert will be well worth while.
The house passed the white slave
bill by Brown of Kingman. This bill
provides penitentiary sentence for
any person who shall entice young
women into a house of ill fame and
keep them there in a state of concu-
binage.
The resolution by Davis of Kiowa
providing for four year term for
state officers has been made a special
order in the house for tonight at 1890
This resolution, if passed, will be a
constitutional amendment.
The committee on roads and high
ways in the house has been preparing
and yesterday introduced one of the
principal road measures in this session
l. Z