The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-01-30
Hendricks Plan for State
Fair City.
Thus Avoiding a Long Fight in
Legislature.
ANY TOWN CAN COMPETE
Must Give Property Valued at
100000.
Stone of Shawnee Has Topeka
Bill in House.

Robert s. Hendricks, of Rawlins
county, would solve the state fair con-
troversy by submitting the matter to
the voters in the 1914 election. He in
| troduced a bill in the house today 1eav-
ing the selection of a state fair site in
| the hands of the voters of the state.
| A similar bill was offered in the senate
/ by Senator E. c. Logan, of Mitchell
county.
The Hendricks bill provides that any
| Kansas town may become a candidate
! for the site of the state fair on certain
conditions. Only one condition is OF
the provision that such town shall de-
poSit with the state warranty deeds
| to property appraised al not less than
! 100000 or shall deposit cash to the
amount of $780, 900 as evidence of good
faith. Failure to hold regular state
fairs means that the property shall
revert to the state. No appropriation
for the maintenance or support of the
fair is carried in Hendricks bill. 1t
merely provides that such towns as
desire may enter the contest, but that
the question of a location shall be left
entirely with the voters in the 1914
election.
Under the terms of the Hendricks
bill, three towns will probably contest
for the state fair. They are Topeka,
the only town that owns plant of
value equal to the amount required un-
der the terms of the Hendricks meas
ure. To enter the contest, Hutchinson
and Wichita would be required to de-
posit a cash forfeit in addition to deeds
to the property which they now own.
Robert Stone of Shawnee county has
also offered a bill in the house SINH
lar to the one presented in the senate
by Senator Troutman. 1t provides that
Topeka shall be declared the loca-
ton for the state fair and that upon
such legislative action, the Topeka as
sociation will pay to the state $40, 900
for the maintenance of the fair after
first assigning to the state the pres
ent Topeka fair plant valued at $780,
600. A bill locating the fair in Hutch
inson has also been introduced. 1t
calls for the transfer of the Hutchin-
son plant valued at $150,000 to the
name of the state, but it calls for an
appropriation at the hands of the
legislature of $4,000. With this diff
ference of $125,000 in the two propo-
sitions, the legislature will be called
on to select one of the two proposed
sites or to submit the entire matter
to the voters.
placing of laymen on the state board
of health to succeed four of the nine
doctors now holding the places, met
a sudden death today when it was
mittee on hygiene and public health.
Frey sought to throw the committee
report into the committee of the
whole for final decision and a re-
versal of the committee report. He
succeeded merely in stirring up a
half hour of heated oratory and
created vote that put the bill in the
hands of the house undertaken 1t is
made to secure the passage of the bill
by Senator William NJ. Price of Green
wood. This measure is less drastic
and has been strongly recommended
by Kansas merchants and representa-
tives of the various manufacturing
and mercantile interests.
If bill by Robert Stone of Shaw
nee county becomes a law, persons
sent to prison through miscarriage
of justice, will have recourse in a
suit to recover not to exceed $4,000
damages from the state. The Stone
bill provides that where the evidence
shows that a person was illegally sent
to prison for a crime of which they
were guiltleSS, that they may bring
suit to recover payment of reasonable
wages for the time spent in any penal
institution, such judgment not to ex-
ceed $4,000.
Keene of Bourbon today offered in
the house a bill calling for the selec-
ton of two sets of electoral officials
in cities of the first and second class
The passage of the bill would mean
that work of election boards would be
greatly improved and that returns
from state and municipal elections
would be handled more Systematically
than in the past.
The Keene bill provides that while
the vote is being cast, that the two
boards shall alternate each hour in
the counting of ballots. but that no
information shall be given to anyone
as to the result of the votes cast be-
fore the hour for closing the polls.
Following the closing of the polls, the
two boards would handle the counting
the hands of Kansas women, the
Bourbon county member believes that
better facilities must be provided for
the counting of ballots and he believes
that his bill will cover the chief
trouble.
The Bourbon county lawyer would
also provide for the creation of a
state board of commissioners to con-
fer with similar boards from other
states in the promotion of uniform
legislation in all states. Four mem
bers would compose the board to be
created by Keene and they would be
paid actual expenses for services per-
formed
Taylor Riddle of Marion is opposed
to the old system of justices of the
peace, sheriffs and judges taking an
active hand in soliciting business for
any lawyer or legal firm. His bill
prescribes as a miSdemeanor any ac-
ton on the part of any court official
showing preference to any lawyer in
any matter pending in court.
Weather Forecast for Kansas.