The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-03-04
GIVEN A BUMP.
Senate Rejects Conference Re-
port on Utilities Bill.
Stavely Makes Bitter Speech
Assailing Stubbs.
CHARGED TO POLITICS
Says the Governor COnspired to
Cripple the Measure.
Vote to Defeat the Compromise
One Sided.
CHARGED TO POLITICS

War broke loose this morning when
the senate by . vote of 81 to 13 turned
down the conference report on the
public utilities bill and appointed a
new committee. In the course of the
heated debate Senator Stavely, OF
Usage county, charged that the gov
ernor had fostered the Gripping of the
bill to further political ambitions.
Long hours before the report of the
conference report was read, the admin
1stration members organized to upset
the amended bill. They were Joined by
the five Democratic members. Every
member apparently knew just what
part he was to perform in the proceed
ings and the reform crowd swept over
the report by a one sided vote.
1t was Senator Cambern who led the
fight on the report. He moved to nom
concur and stated that the concessions
made by the committee had crippled
the bill Cambern stated that a new
committee could probably fix these al
legged defects.
To these remarks, Stavely went over
the history of the bill He told of the
four utilities bills introduced in the
senate-one by himself. Then he told
Of appointment of subcommittee, of
which he was chairman This COM
mittee, he said, had spent long, tedious
hours whipping into shape bill thar
would meet the needs of the state and
yet be just and equitable to the utili-
ties and common carriers. He said that
the conference committee had i'm
proved the house bill and that the
measure as reported back to the SEN
ate was a worthy document
But there was no need for debate.
The wheels of the administration were
in good running order and they rolled
over that report with due hilarity. Net
a mistake was made. Not a vote was
/ Do, Of he inc
gents and Overfield and Stillings, of
the regulars, were out of town.
1t was when the vote was announced
that the gray haired little lawyer from
Usage county turned loose on the ad-
ministration and gave it one of the
most severe drubbings of the session.
Stavelys wrath was at a high pitch
and he made no. effort to. conceal his
personal feelings. He had worked
through long weeks to whip into shape
this particular bill. Now, at the very
close of the session, the senate swept
away the results of long hours of la
bor Stavely placed the blame where
it may be easily located. He carried
the burden right to the office of
Walter Roscoe Stubbs. There he
emptied the sack with a sickening
thud. Neither did the Usage City man
forget to pay his respects to the in
surgent wing of the legislature.
s'I want to say to this senate" de-
clared Stavely. whose voice choked
with emotion as he talked. that con-
slider this action nothing short OF per
sonal insult There is but one place
to put that blame. This plan was
fostered in the office of the governor
of this state. It was done for a po-
litical purpose and the political pup
pets who attended that conference
followed his dictates and are placing
this bill just where he wants 1t.
There was a conference in the gov
ernor'S office" continued StaVely, at
which the governor expressed his
wishes in this matter and those wishes
have been put into force on the floor
of the senate. 1 was told by Governor
Stubbs not to make a single concession
in this matter-to give to the board
the most absolute control. The pur-
pose of such action can be for but
one purpose. That purpose is to make
political buncombe for the coming
campaign
When Stavely yielded the floor there
we're a half dozen insurgent senators
the salve. They wanted the Usage
county member to know that their ac-
ton was born of a conviction and not
a personal slap because he refused to
But it didn't take. Stavely refused
Ito be comforted. He did not speak
again. but the regulars took up the
fight and hammered back at the in
surgents who had driven the steam
roller on most important mission.
Cambern then offered to make the
victory even more decisive. He named
Senators Quincy, Hodges, Brewster
and Harris to redraft the bill.
Carey of Reno declared the motion
was out of order and the matter
should be settled by the committee on
conferees. Brewster rose to point
of order, declaring that a two-third
vote was necessary to change the
present rules. Then President Hop
kins dropped a brick on the heads of
the standpats by referring them to the
Brewster appeal when a majority
voted for change in the rules and
he, Hopkins, declared that two-third
vote was needed. He overruled
Brewster and the committee was
named as suggested by the Erie
banker.
Explain Their Votes.
On a roll call on the conference re-
port, Potter and Quincy explained their
votes. They declared that they could
not swallow section rs, which compell-
ed the utilities commission to allow a
stock or bond issue upon proper show
ing. Senator Price then told the in
surgents about war He declared that
the section in question was fair Just
and proper. He congratulated the Dem
| ocratic-insurgent coalition and said he
was proud to know that the minority
could change front at any and all times
WITH d cIedI AO0i - ~ oAAN ehdI IL Tie
new conference committee did not pre-
serve the section as written by the old
committee, that it would not be show
ing friendly attitude toward the bill
ssThis section to which so much ex-
ception has been taken said Price
WAS suggested and written by Robert
stone an insurgent. a member of the
house and man in whom every ad-
ministration friend should have the ut
most confidence. When he offered thai
amendment, Mr.. Stone explained to the
committee that 1t was endorsed and rec
commended by the board of railroad
commissioners.
Nvo+bi,,e seenaad to change tba ori0i.