The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-02-11
Senate Has Handled a Great
Many Bills.
Killed Initiative and Referen
dunn and Recall.
SUFFRAGEWAS PASSED
Glenn ReappOrti0nment Meas
ure Put on Side Track.
College Fraternity Men Aroused
by Brady Bill.

This has been a busy week in the
senate and the members of tn. u?pel
, house have PASSED many important
bills. put TO sleep the two champion
offerings of the admin ,tl alton, and
gave the state q surprise party by pass
ing the suffrage amendment. Beginning
; next week the upper house will enter
On long distance sessions and may
start the every night grid.
The passage of the suffrage amend
nent almost strarsgIed the snti-crowd.
In the house the measure was railroad
ed with an ingrown certainty that the
senate would break up the lobby by
killing the bill. 1t was Frank Travis
vote that turned the trick In senate.
Travis name is the last on the roll
call. With 81 votes necessary to win,
the score stood 26 to II, when the
reading clerk yelled Travis" For a
second the bald headed insurance wrl-
ter from the gus belt hesirateG. 1fen
in tone that smotaered the fog horn
voice OF the reading clerk he bawled
yes" The game was over. The lobby
of suffragettes bought flowers for the
senators and celebrated the victory.
But things have not gone this way
all week. With the 1. and r. and the
recall on final reading. the senate has
abused the administration crowd and
pointed TO their alleged gag rule pol
oies. Then, with quick move the reg
rlars secured a toe hold and began the
steady grinding process that forced the
administration to the mat with 80 per
cent of it's following clamoring for pro-
lection in the opposition camp.
The Glenn senatorial reapportionment
bill has been sidetracked, the Avery
real estate mortgage tax bill was pass
ed, the Travis theory to prohibit legis-
lators from holding appointment, was
slranglod, the Hutchinson fair bill
scored from first base, a bunch Of freak
bank legislation was patched UP to mt
the occasion and score of bills of
minor Importance have passed without
opposition.
Next Tuesday has been set for the
hearing of local measures. Some 40 or
80 of these bills are on the calendar.
They will be disposed of by pot shots
and the senate will then devote the
remainder of the session to the big
trouble raisers. Not least among these
is the utilities bill, workmen's compen-
sation act, four year terms for county
officials, repairs on the inheritance tax
bill, Massachusetts ballot law, and a
provision for the election of United
States senators by direct vote. These
bills will furnish the gallery visitors
-ome entertainment equally as inter-
esting as the three big fights this week.
q
bill providing for an expert account
ant in each county to examine the
books of the several officials. This
bill was in the house a few weeks ago
and was slaughtered before it received
a fair start.
The judiciary committee performed
its customary function Friday and
swatted some twenty bills that did not
conform with the prescribed require
ments of the Kansas constitution or
were altogether too absurd to permit
public discussion. This particular
committee has earned it's salary more
from the fact that it has saved time of
discussion of fool measures than from
the fact that it has recommended pet
documents for passage. 1t has been
the judicious use of the club in the
hands of this committee that has won
more comment than the merits of the
bills recommended.
Friday was the last day for the in
PRODUCTION of bills and the senate
clerks were flooded with measures,
good, bad and Indifferent. Since the
session opened 64S bills were intro
duced in the upper house. but many
of them never got by the committees.
Senator Carey came across in good
shape Friday, when he produced a
barrel of apples and 100 carnations
for the members, clerks and general
employees of the senate in expression
of his gratitude of the generous vote
accorded the Hutchinson state fair
proposition.
Despite the fact that there aremore
than fifteen fraternity and sorority
houses in the state, and that Doug