The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-03-08
Session Is Nearing
It's Close.
Record Shows Democrats Have
Redeemed Pledges.
BILLS SIGNED BY GOVERNOR
Some Important Measures Are
Still Pending.
General Resume of the Legisla-
tive. Work of 1918.

Only two days of the 1918 legisla-
| tive session remain. In those two days
will be determined the success or fail
ure of a half dozen measures that
mean much to the Democratic admin
| istra ton. In the nine weeks which
| the legislature has been in Topeka,
! score of Democratic party promises
| have been redemmed and the session
| will go under the wire next Tuesday
noon with perhaps a cleaner record
| than any Kansas session in the last II
years.
Tired and weary because of long
hours of work, members are staying on
the job hoping that they make
good a few more of the big bills
which are still in the hopper. Some
| of the members will go home tonight
| not to return again for this session.
But the majority of the members will
| stay on the job until the noon whistle
| blows next Tuesday and the final con-
sideration of bills is at an end.
Very Little Fireworks.
Positive lack of real fireworks hard
work and the development of fewer
possible political leaders than any ses-
sion in recent years, have character
lied the 1913 legislature. From among
the 100 new men who came to the leg
islature this year with their talent
unheralded and unsung, none have
made spotlight records. Possibly that
fact was due to the deep rooted de-
sire tc redeem party pledges. But
whatever the reason, the legislature
will go home without having produced
from the ranks of it's members one new
Offering of a top liner in the states
men class. And yet these same mem
bers will go home with record for
actual accomplishments that no legis-
lature has surpassed or even equalled
in dozen years.
AS Governor Hodges walked into his
private office this morning. a dozen
bills of state wide Importance awaited
his signature. Upstairs both branches
of the legislature were running at
white heat to increase that number
and to clean up their calendars.
During the session Friday, Governor
Hodges signed seven bills. These, with
the 80 which had been signed Thursday
night and the number which will be
reported back to the legislature today
with executive approval bring the to-
to1 number of measures signed this
session above the 100 mark. In addi-
ton to the bills signed, Governor
Hodges has approved 81 resolutions
adopted by the two branches of the
legislature.
AS Governor Hodges looked over
the work of the session, he smiled
with approval.
at has been a great session." he |
said. Il am mighty we'll satisfied"
Bills Signed by Hodges.
Here are some of the measures |
which the governor has approved: |
Recall.
Fire marshal bill.
Repeal of inheritance tax law.
Creation board of correction.
Corporation tax law.
White slavery bill.
Divorce Proctor bill.
Pure shoe bill.
Massachusetts ballot law.
Law creating administration educa-
tional board.
State publication school text book
law.
Law aboIishing 125 deputy oil in
spectors
Ratification United States constitu-
ton for election United States senators
by direct vote of the people.
Placing schools for deaf and blind
under educational board.
Consolidation bureau labor. bureau
mines and mining and free employ
ment agency
Placing Bickerdyke home and SOL
diers' home under management state
board of control.
Placing boys and girls industrial
schools under supervision board OF
correction.
Board of examination for trained
nurses.
Hutchinson state fair bill.
Bills strengthening workmen's
compensation act.
Establishment branch experiment
stations at Colby and Lakin.
Law to regulate sale and settlement
islands in navigable streams
Creation new board of correction.
Giving authority to union and
graded school districts to issue bonds
for erection or purchase school build
ings.
Law increasing salary attorney gen
nd
all fees shall go to state.
Resolution calling for appropriation
to place statue of late George w.
Click in Statuary hall. Washington. I
Provision for taking of census of
children physically unable to attend
school.
Protest to congress against free dis
tribution garden seed.
Authorizing public utilities COM
mission to Investigate issuance of
s1OO.OO0.00O bonds by Union Pacific ,
railway.
Still pending in the legislature are
bills calling for mortgage registration :
tax law, the sand bill. which Will
bring 100000 to the state treasury
each year and the constitutional pro-
vision for a graduated income tax,
which Senator Bale P. Waggener. its &
author claims Will bring 100000 to
he state each year. This last measure {
mas been adopted in both houses, but
las not been signed by the governor
The measure may be signed late this .
lfternoon The bill creating an eff
iciency commission is still hanging in
he balance. 1t has passed the senate
md it is believed that the measure L
will be adopted by the house before r
he close of the session.
Some Big Bills Failed n
Among the more important bills
hitch have been defeated at this ses-
on are:
Initiative and referendum.
Bulk sale bill.
Graduated inheritance tax law
County courts bill.