Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1911-02-24
WEEKLY LETTER.
The Seventh Week Of the Leg
os islature.


the sixth week of the legislative
session of 1911. 1t was the for
tieth day in a fifty day session.
The pay of the members Of the
Legislature will cease next Tues
day but there is little chance
that the session will end there.
1t appears likely now that the
session will extend at least ten
days beyond the fixed term. 1t
viii be impossible for the house
to complete its work within the
remaining ten days, although
the Senate might b. able to do
it. However, the Senate cannot
adjourn until the House com
pleteS its work.
There is talk in the House of.
taking final adjournment Mar.
3, but it. is no. likely that will
g be done as no House has ever
stopped off short in the middle
aOf a job. There are now twelve
pages Of bills on the House cal
aendar under the head of general
orders. All must be considered o.
dumped There are also many bills
still in the hands of committees.
The Senate has seven pages of
bills under the head of general
orders. The House is still con-
sidering platform measures and
probably will be on them until
the middle of the week.
Last week was busy one in
both houses. In the House the
state fair proposition, the init
oatve and referendum, the recall
the compensation bill and liabil-
lty bills held down the boards.
In the Senate most of the week
was devoted to the investigation
Of the pork barrel charges.
The House redeemed. three of
the Republican platform pledges
last week. Two of them were
out and out fulfillment of pledge,
The public utilities and the IL
itiative and referendum. None
of them have been passed or
adopted by the Senate, hence
these pledges are only half re-
redeemed.
The latter, however, is a ques-
ton yet. There were two util-
ltieS bills introduced in each body
known as the administration bill
and the minority bill. In the
Senate, a third. bill was drafted
by a Subcommittee, likewise in
the House, The house bill pro
vided for. state wide utilities
only, giving to the cities the
right to regulate their own util-
tiles. This is in accordance with
the Democratic platform, and
Gov. StubbS speeches in the cam
paign. This bill passed the
HOues., but when it reached the
Senate it was promptly squelch,
ed, that body taking up theil
own bill which. will send the
bill to conference. The hOuS,
bill was unanimously reported
by the Judiciary committee, com
posed of Standpat and prOgres
sive Republicans, and Democrats
and received the support of al
but six of the members.
The first part of the week
was taken up with the state fan
fight. Hutchinson. Wichita anC
Topeka, all had state fair bill.
in and the Senate had passed
the Hutchinson bill. locating tn,
fair at that point. Monday nigh
the night before the bills wer,
to come up. for consideration il
the House j. E. Mercer, of ChaSt
county, Offeerd a resolution pro
vidmg that it should be left t,
the people at the next election
10 say whether there should b.
a state fair and if so where /
should be located. The frs
talk of a special session of tn
Legislature also developed Mon
day.
Tuesday the House took u
the Mercer resolution and adopt
ed it, and the other fair bill
were killed. It was Tuesday tha
the House killed the Sessions col
pOration tax bill, providing for
tax of three-twentieths of on
per cent upon the Capital stoc
Of corporations, domestic an
foreign. The House passed tn
public utilities bill brought
by the judiciary committee by
. vote of 113 to g.. 1t also pas
ed the FEEDER bill providing fO
state aid for weak school di,
trictS and a minimum schOt
term of seven months in ever
district in the state.
The House started work on th