The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-12-21
Price of Greenwood Opposes
Crazy Quilt Laws.
Would Make the Strong Laws
Stronger, He Says.
DOLLEY REFUSES TO RESIGN
Declares He Will Stay on Job
Until March 1.
WyandOtte Democrats Promise
Love Feast January 8.

When William NJ. Price of Green
wood county comes to the Kansas SEN
ate this winter, his policy will be tc
help cleanse the statute books OF
crank laws that have found a place in
the session acts, and to put braces un-
der some of the better class of legis-
lation. Price is one of the new men in
Kansas legislative affairs. He is a
shrewd business man, conservative
banker and a man who is quite likely
to make good in the senate.
Last spring Price announced that he
wanted to come to the senate. His
district composes Lyon county. the
home of William Allen White: and
Greenwood county, the home of Con-
gresham Fred S. Jackson. Since
Price is Democrat, pure and simple,
without frills or furbelows, it was no
small task to land Democratic Sena-
torShip in that particular district. But
the Democrats gave the Madison man
the nomination without opposition.
Then Price. who never before asked
for office and was a novice in the fine
points of the political game, went to
work.
The things that Price lacked in po-
Iitical cunning, he more than offset in
horse sense and good judgment He
cranked his motor car and started on
six weeks seeing the people and at the
end of the campaign had developed
into a passing good catch as catch can
speaker. He preached the iniqu1tfes
of the Inheritance tax law, told his
people that state taxes were altogether
too high for a business administration
and promised to apply the air brakes
to the wild rush to give the educa-
tional institutions all the money in the
state treasury. Price also gave his
nd he
posed to big, fat contingent funds I'M
less he first had a working knowledge
that they were to be used for some
real genuine benefit to the state.
This line of conversation made
real hit in the district, although it was
early in the game that the Greenwood
county banker annexed the sincere
hatred of all administration followers
in his district. Price neither signed
statement No. nor statement No. 2
Neither did he dwell at length on the
United States senatorial contest. He
just campaigned for Price and convinc-
ed the people in the two counties that
he intended to do some real work II
he came to Topeka
There is normal Republican major
ity of about 1,500 in that district. Price
was elected by about 300, carrying both
his home county and the home of VIII
liam Allen White.
eff there is any one especial thing
that 1 will work for this winter" said
Price, who was in Topeka yesterday
lit will be to put a few of the present
crank laws out of business Kansas
doesn't need very many new laws, but
a good many of these she now has
should be made stronger. I think the
legislature can proftably spend lit
tie time repeating some of the crazy
quilt laws enacted in former years and
in bracing up the better laws now OF
the books. After that is done, the leg
islature will see to it that George
Hodges promises are not forgotten"
Price is a native Texan. He is
cashier of the First National bank in
Madison and financially interested in a
number of other Kansas banking en-
terprises. He is AZ years old, smooth
shaven, square jawed and possesses
barren spot on his dome of thought.
He has a quick tongue and is a clear
thinker. He may be heard from be-
fore the close of the 1913 session.
To celebrate the election of Cover
nor-elect George H. Hodges, Wyan-
dotte county Democrats propose to
hold a big love feast and real banquet
the night Of January 8, The meeting
which will be held in Kansas City
Kan, will be attended by many promi-
nent Kansas Democrats. Hodges will
be present and will make a speech. The
principal speaker of the evening will
be William Jennings Bryan Arrange
ments have been made to entertain
more than 500 visitors. The dinner will
be served by the Democratic women
voters of Wyandotte county.
Democratic mem bers of the Kansas
legislature will meet in Topeka the
latter part of the month and discuss
their plans for the coming session.
Letters have been sent to members adj
vising them that such a meeting is to
he held, the purpose of which is to re-
view party promises and to arrange
for the organization of the two
branches of the legislature. Tt is ap-
parent that the Democrats propose to
make the most of their working ma
jority in the two houses and will see
to it that none of the glory or in
fluence of session will be lost. The
date of the meeting will not be an
nounced until sometime next week.
State Bank Commissioner J. N. Dol
ley has issued an ultimatum that he
will not leave the bank commissioners
office until the expiration of his Off
oial term. March 1, 1913. In the cam
paign George H. HODGES declared that
one of his first official acts would be
to GUST Dolley from the lob. He has
already announced that he will name
Charles n. Sawyer of Norton as Dol
1ey's successor, but there is a serious
remove the bank commissioner from
office before the expiration of the
time to which he was appointed. And
since Dolley has shown a desire to
stay throughout his entire regular
term, it is hardly probable that any
effort will he made to remove him.
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