The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-02-25

or other equipment
When the senate mixes its adjec-
t1ves and stands on the center of the
trouble zone, it is always Senator
Fotrer, OF Marion, who spreads the
saiVe and invites the belligerent trou-
Die hunters into the fold. 1t is Potter
who seems to get a cue from the eye
OF the presiding officer and the grand
old man from Marion county tells the
senate that animosity and strife is a
bad thing and that fighting is hard on
the eyes. Several times this session
Potter has pleaded with his fellow
members to meet him on the bright
and shining shores, but those thought
less members forget their teachings,
wander from the fold and as often
are called to the mourner's bench.
1t was in the discussion of the Pitts
burg divorce bill that Senator Potter
made most pathetic appeal. When
MS seatmate Senator Porter wanted
the Pfttsburg training school divorced
from the Emporia state normal. Pot
ter opposed the measure. Finally he
secured recognition from the chair.
Then for ten minutes he was besieged
with questions, but he got away with
the speech and he told the warlike
place.
1T doesn't make any difference
what you Think said Potter, as he
adjusted his spectacles and prepared
TO give the senate a genuine lecture,
1T doesn't make a particle of diff
ference. Everywhere you look, you
see the camels nose. You see Carey'S
salt plant; and this thing must cease.
Here are half dozen bills to create
new schools, to loot the state treas
ury, to bring home a little bacon for
our constituents. 1t is wrong. All
this action. Some day you will give
an accounting. urge you to be hon
est, to be fair with the people and
with yourself"
Then the Peabody man hoped that
he would meet the 80 other members
on the shining shores and that when
good st. Peter called the roll that
each member would have ticket adj
uniting him to a good seat right up
front. 1t was good defense for the
state normal, but the drivers in the
bandwagon did not stop to listen and
when the clerk called the roll Sena-
tor Potter voted against the bill in a
voice that drowned the tones of the
other members
Senator Reed, as chairman of the
committee on confereeS, late Friday
afternoon announced the appointment
of a conference committee on the pub
lie utilities bill composed of Senators
Stavely, Stewart, Price and Carey.
mock senate Friday night and got by
with the job in great shape. They
spent an hour running the upper
house in manner that best suited
their individual ideas and they fur
nished fun for the regular members
of the senate and the visitors in the
galleries. Billy Badgers, the dean of
the senate pages, presided over the
session and the other employees put
through a bunch of bills on every sub
jeet from local tax on dog scalpS to
individual appropriations. The pages
sent the sergeant at arms after Prof.
L. L. Dyche, the fish and game war
den, with a notice to appear before
the bar of the senate. The fish ex-
pert entered the senate chamber with
a solemn expression and was led to
the speakers stand. Then Badger
commanded him to make a speech
on how to fry young skunk and civit
cat. Dyche saw the fun and respond
ed. AS he left the hall, President
Hopkins walked to the desk, seized
the gavel, pounded for order and the
pages disappeared.
The minority members succeeded In
fulfilling q party promise Friday night
when they enacted the bill providing
for an extension of work and a uni
form school term in all country dis
tricts. The bill passed the house sew
eral days ago and went through the
senate Friday night on third reading.
1t is now ready for the governors sig
nature. The bill, which provides for at
least seven months school terms in all
country districts, met with very little
opposition. An appropriation of $780,
600 is called for to aid the weaker dis
tricts; and 70 per cent of this amount
will be paid by the state. The remain
der will be paid by the counties. Two
years ago the plan was advocated in
the Republican platform. In 1910 it was
dropped, having failed to pass the 1909
session The Democrats took up the
plan, however, and succeeded in get
ting the bill through. The plan was
endorsed by E. T. Fairchild, state SUI
perintendent: and the bill was fathered
in the senate by Fred Robertson, floor
leader for the minority.
The Huffman bill providing for a
school of mines and metallurgy at
Weir and the Garden City state nor
| NAL school bills. were not passed Friday
night owing to the fact that several
of the members had returned to their
homes. The bill will not be called up
before next week.
The Stavely bill, amending the pres
ent inheritance tax law, has been made
special order for 1870 next Tuesday
morning and is expected to arouse a
| large amount of trouble when it IS
CONSIDERED IN the senate. LIE otdNSly
bill is somewhat different from the one
which found it's way through the
| house. 1t provides that widows shall
be exempted from taxation on sums of
| less than SIS, 900. reducing the amount
in the house bill by half The house
bill also sets a tax on inheritance by
children in sums of $4,000 or more.
The Stavely bill reduces the amount
| to 10000 Several of the members
have gone on record in opposition to
/ the inheritance tax law in its entirety,
while others believe that it is yet too
/ lax. 1t will require all of the ingenuity
of the Usage City lawyer to harmonic
these two factions when his measure Is
| discussed.
| Newspaper writers who are to par
ticipate in the mock senate next Tues
day night, will meet in the senate