The Richmond climax. (Richmond, Ky.) 1897-1914, 1912-01-24
THE COUNTY UNIT
EXTENSION BILL
Speculation As TO Its Fate
EHGIteS Interest.
THERE ARE VARIOUS OPINIONS
While the Liquor Interests Say They
VIII Be Able to Muster Majority
In the Senate Opposed to the Bill,
Friends Of the Measure, With Equal
Confidence, Are Declaring It viii
p..s -04h.. .ot.I.4i,,. No+as

Confidence, Are Declaring It vii
Pass.-otheV Legislative Notes.
Frankfort, KY, Jan. 23-What will
the senate do with the county unit ex
tension bill? That is the question thai
is exciting most interest in Frankfort
just now. among the politicians and
members Of the legislature. The
house hustled the bin along and passed
1t in record-breaking time last Friday
The bill now will go to the senate and
the hackers of 1t will try to have the
bill given its first and second readings
on Monday and Tuesday and then &c
to the committee. The hackers of the
bill say that the senate will act as
quickly as the house did.
One thing is reasonably certain this
time; the bill will not be held out in
committee and juggled with by the
committee in efforts for delay. The
committee, which is called county unit
is composed of all temperance men
except one, Senator Huffaker. The
committee is favorable to the imme
date passage Of the bill as soon as II
can take the regular course. Heretofore
In past sessions. the committee on re
liligion and morals. composed Of mer
opposed to the passage of the county
unit bill. has held out the bill unit
the last possible gasp. which was the
day OF adjournment two and four years
ago. This time the committee will lei
the bill come out and no effort will
be made by those opposed to the bill
to prevent it being reported.
An interested man, who keeps close
tab on the senators, makes the conf
dent assertion that the county unit
extension bill will be beaten in the
senate. He said that there would moi
be any effort to delay 1t but that II
would be put to 2 vote on the floor Of
the senate. and defeated there. The
liquor interests wear an air of conf
dence and say that they will be able
to muster a majority in the senate op
posed to the passage of the bill.
The bill which passed is known as
the Niles county unit bill. Mr.. Niles
who is the representative from Hen
derson, was the first man in the house
to introduce the bill Several more
have been offered since, but as Mr.
Niles offered the first, it is his meas
ure which has been sent to the senate
so that he may have the honor OF hav
ing the bin called by his name. If II
should pass. The senate will be the
scene Of a lively fight when the bill
does come up for passage.
Republican members Of the legisla
ture. in the small minority at the pres
ent session. suddenly jumped into the
limelight last week as factors in the
game Of politics that is being played
at the present time. The Republicans
are only handful, but there are some
insurgent Democrats not at all enthu
siastic about the administration. II
the insurgents and the Republicans
should unite the administration would
have q hard row to hoe to get through
the legislation that is desired. Only
once has this combination worked to
gether, and on that occasion It was
triumphant. winning over the regu
lars. in a modification Of the rules.
1t Is claimed that the elimination OF
the twothirds rule in the house. which
change was effected through the co
alition Of the insurgent Democrats
with the Republicans. gives the insur-
gents chance to get through some
measures that they may want. There
is a deal Of talk here. for instance
that the so-called administration forces
are not in favor of compulsory pri-
mary law. although this is denied
The majority rule. by which the regu-
lar order can be suspended at any
time by a majority vote only, takes
power away from the rules committee
and is said to insure the passage Of a
compulsory state primary law.
The Republicans, after announcing
their intention OF standing as a unit to
fight for a redistric.ing bill. seem to
have been struck with panic when the
reports rolled In from out In the state.
The Republicans who had attended the
caucus rushed into print to deny that
they had favored any such program.
They held several other cancuses be-
fore the vote was taken on the county
unit bill, and It was stated by a mem
Der Of the minority that the Republi-
cans were left free to vote as they
pleased on the county unit bill, this
being regarded as q religious and not
a political question. Hiram Brown and
John G. StOll Of Lexington were the
only Republicans to vote against the
passage Of the bin when it finally came
to a test. although some Of the Repub-
licans voted for delay.
II seems to be certain that the Re
publicans have tried to formulate some
plan OF blocking legislation on the ad-
nInietration bits. until 8 fair re-dis-
tlicfing bin Is passed The minority
hopes 10 be able to effect q coalition
With the insurgent Democrats that NAV
be power In the house But It looks
now like the Republicans cannot be
held IA line on measures considered IN
secret caucus. Thus far they have not
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