The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-02-28
HANGS IN BALANCE
Inheritance Tax Law Finds New
Enemies.
Insurgents Harris and Denton
Lead the Attack.
ORATORY is ON TAP.
)RATORY is ON TAP.
Senators Rent the Air With
FerVid Words.
Utilities Conference Still Far
From Agreement.

The fate of the inheritance tax law
is hanging in the balance today and
the senate threatens to wipe another
reform measure from the statute
books. After an hour in which the
members plead, begged and threaten
ed their fellow members with all sort
of dire destinies, the upper house took
a recess and both factions spent the
noon hour in a final effort to swing
the victory.
After the house had passed bill
remodelling the 1909 law to cover di-
rect heirs only in estates at more than
$4,000, the senate undertook to adjust
the delicate phrases in Senator Stave
ly's bill which reduced the house pro-
vision an even SO per cent. Things
moved along nicely until Harris, of
Butler, made his initial appearance as
| real orator and horse lashed the bill
| as being slanderous injustice on the
honor of the fair state of Kansas. He
declared that the paltry pittance of
revenue brought sorrow to homes
whose members had worked untire-
ingly to lay aside sustenance for
rainy day; and when about to realize
the rewards of their labors were
pounced upon by the state for a dou-
BILE tax. Harris produced figures to
|
this law had netted the state less than
an amount equal to a tax of one half
cent for each inhabitant of the state.
He wanted the immediate removal of
the section that provided an inheri-
tance tax on all direct heirs in any
sum whatsoever The quiet, peace
able Eldorado man spent 80 minutes
| in explaining his general dislikes for
the bill and his speech was not with
out results.
Senator John Denton of Elk coun-
| ty an insurgent tried and true. joined
with Harris in an effort to kill what
he termed IAN unholy law and dis
grace to the state.'' Colonel Denton
| told of the Denton family's trip to
| Kansas in a covered wagon. He told
| of their efforts to exist on the prod
ucts of little farm on Salt creek and
how they finally organized a bank in
| Grenola- The Elk county man com
planned nest bitterly of the law that
would compel his sons and daughters
to divide the Denton estate with the
state treasurer's office, probably to aid
| in the building of new contingent
funds. He was for shifting the law a
fatal whack; whether it was or was
! not good, sound Republican principle.
Hamilton and Quincy urged the
| senate to step outside and cool off.
T.-ey declared that the individual
members were allowing the expectant
horrors of the bill to weigh too heav-
produced that sacred promissory note
| of the Republican party, which has all
but gone to protest He pleaded that
at least one plank, or splinter, or
dear people in its original form
Quincy declared that the inheritance
tax law was an excellent place to make
good. But the platform promises did
not arouse enthusiasm. Even the gal
leries refused to applaud his efforts.
Then Hamilton tried awhile. He
regretted very much to disagree with
Harris and Denton; but there was
public job that demanded his atten-
ton. Hamilton was of the impression
that the bill should be returned to the
people safe and sound. Stannard was
scandalized at the senate's endeavol
to dodge sacred promises. He issued
} a general call to gather round the
platform. But the senate refused tc
gather Some twenty or thirty of the
members were solemnly thinking
about the constits in the ruraI routes
whom they felt certain would com
plain most violently to any law tha1
compelled them to shell off a few more
grains of hard earned profit.
Oratory was spouting with the vol
ume and noise of Il new gas well in the
Scipio district when some one moved
an adjournment. Senator Brewster
who is presiding at today's seance
took the cue and let the janitors open
the doors before real violence was
done.
half dozen deep lunged members
sailed into the bill at the afternoon
session. The passage of the Harris
amendment means the almost certain
defeat of the bill and the faithfuls
are making heroic effort to keep the
bill afloat.
The conference committee in charge
, of the reconstruction of the public
utilities bill, held another session Mon
day night, met again this morning and
are not yet within hailing distance OF
an agreement. At the morning session
subcommittee composed of Repre-
sentatives J. w. Orr. Cliff Matson an6
Senator F. c. Price, was appointed tc
; investigate section 25 of the senate bill
regarding the issuance of bonds and
stocks by utilities and common car
rierS and prepare a new section that
, will answ, all requirements. 1t i:
stated that the new section will com.
pei the utilities commission to allow
utilities to increase their stock and
bond issue upon proper showing ant
will repeal the law regulating the stocl
and bond issue. which was passed il
the 1909 session
BY a vote of "a to 8, the senate thi
morning passed the Hamilton bill pro
: viding a retirement fund for schoo
5 teachers in cities of the first class.
Inc Dill WAS hOl1y COHteSSeu ny sen
ators Stewart, Sti1lings and Cooke, bu
the senate was in favor of veteral
school ma'ams being put on the pen
e sion list and refused to strike out tn
/ enacting clause. Hamilton defende
I his bill and Potter and Carey helpe
Y in pushing the bill through Senate
] Porter offered an amendment tha
: would make the bill local in effect an
e apply only to Shawnee county. Thi
: amendment was voted down. Stewar
= then pointed out a dozen Objectionable
: | features of the biz and asked the sen