The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-02-04
SPRING A Mine.
Regulars in the Senate to Be
Treated to Surprise.
Senator Avery Finds Unknown
Provision in Law.
GIVE HOPKINS POWER.
Permits Lieutenant Governor to
Name One Committee.
His Friends Hope That It May
GIVE HOPKINS POWER.
His Friends Hope That 1t May
Prove Entering Wedge.

When the senate conveneS Monday
afternoon Senator Avery will spring
an issue on the work of the committee
on committees which may result in
the undoing of the work of the senate
committee on claims and accounts and
cause the regular wing of the Repub-
lican party to regret their hasty ac-
ton in dehorning Richard j. Hop
kins, president of the senate. Avery
this afternoon dug into the mysteries
of the Kansas statutes and found
therein a paragraph which provides
that the president of the senate shall
name the committee on claims and ac-
counts.
When the 1911 session was organ
lied, the standpat members started
movement to remove the power OF the
president by appointing a committee
to name the committees By vote
of 81 to IS, this plan was put through
the upper house. The minority mem
bers Joined with the regulars in what
they claimed was reform policy ana
the IS insurgent members were trod-
den underfoot. Two days later that
committee on committees reported. 1t
not only named a full list, but created
four new committees and distributed
the patronage in accordance with their
individual desires. A committee on
claims and accounts was named, COM
Avery and Hodges-tWo regulars, one
insIlrgent and one Democrat.
now Avery. a member of the committee
in question steps into the breach WITH
TO- of legal literature which may cause
the regulars to back up and reconsider.
If his claim is sustained. there seems out
little for the senate to do, but allow Hop
kins to appoint at least this one commit
tee 1t then seems probable that all of the
work of the present session may be re-
viewed and recommended favorably by
,rrafff hnT -
once It down, the reorganization may pro-
coed even further. The senate may de-
eide to allow Hopkins to name all of the
committees and the singing rebuke OF
ear hours may be turned into
victory to which the administration
crowd can point with considerable pride
and glory.
After the first slap at the presiding Off
Ger, the job looked SO easy that it was
tried on various occasions. A rules COM
mittee was named and that committee
recommended things which have caused
sleepless nights in the reform camp
Brewster, who is at the head of the COM
mittee in question, is branded as a radi-
cal regular. The insurgent brethren
would give much for his political scalp.
1t was the gentleman from Troy who has
twice carried an appeal over the head of
the presiding officer. 1t was Brewster
who helped with the original plans to
humble the much talked of Stannard roll
call 1t was Brewster who all but in
jected a suffrage plank in the Initiative
and referendum and made Potter and
Hamilton walk backward. 1t was Brews-
ter who wrote the recall measure and beat
the administration at its own game. It
is this towseled headed, fighting Brewster
who win suffer because of the Avery dis
covery.
The claims and accounts committee is
an important cog in the legislative
wheels. 1t is that committee which audits
the miscellaneous claims against the
state when they reach the legislative hall
and the administration is not keen that
they be abused. Therefore when the
comni tee was announced, at least two
standpat members were at the helm to
See that this business was transacted in
the proper manner. That the Avery res
olution will create excitement, there is
no doubt. That the resolution will result
in replacing Dick Hopkins in the official
saddle, is yet another question.