The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-02-03
Kansas Democracy i'm the Leg
iSIature.
At Least 1t Appears So in Face
of Affairs.
PARTY PLEDGES ARE BLOCKED
A Weeks Fight for These Bills
Is Over.
And They Are Battered and
Crippled-Meeting Planned.

Unless the administration forces in
both branches of the Kansas legis-
lature are reorganized, the Democrats
will go home in March with their
party pledges unredeemed. Less than
rs of the so working days remain and
but one party pledge has been kept.
Added to that embarrassing situation,
is the fact that the Democrats are
now more divided than at any time
since they came to Topeka.
There is fear in the hearts of the
administration leaders &nd they conf
dentially admit tn II trouble confronts
them. A half dozen distur rbances have
been created in the administration
ranks since the session convened and
even IN the last week the working or
ganization of the Democrat has re-
ce1ved several severe shocks. On the
other hand the Republicans are work
ing as a unite. They have carried
trouble to the majority forces in every
big fight and every important battle
has produced new wounds that the
Democrats are quietly nursing with a
hope of future vengeance.
One promise, and one promise alone,
has been kept. That was the repeal
of the inheritance tax law. A dozen
other pledges of even greater impor-
tance still hang in the balance and
each day the chances. for their passage
are apparently lessened.
What is the trouble? It is party dis
satisfaction. The Democrats came to
Topeka a month ago hopeful and fair
ly well organized. Then things hap
pened and each day there has been a
widening of the breach in the Demo-
cratic ranks.
Settlem ent of the speakership contro
versy gave new hope to the admins
tration- Then Brown Joined with Orr
in fights that created new trouble
among the Democrats. Govern or
in 1fTr1n fc nT
less trouble. In the senate, the COM
mitteeship distribution was an open
ing wedge for sorrow. And conditions
were not improved in settling the
Porter-Stanton contest. At the same
time new trouble was brewing in the
senate. The Republicans removed tho
teeth from the initiation and referen-
dunn and crippled the recall. Some of
the Democrats were inclined to feel
that this action was just and com
mendable and some hasty words were
spoken. And SO, day by day, there has
been a cooling of that feverish ambi-
ton to put across the party promises
in an uncompromising manner.
Added to all the internal troubles of
the Democrats, is the fact that in both
houses the Republicans have a most
clever and cunning leadership. Price
of Clark, Mahin, Troutman and Stavely
in the senate; Brewster, Stone and
Keene in the house. have by their
istration no end of worry and sorrow.
1t was this leadership of the Repub
HcanS that made the Democrats ac-
cept a compromise initiative and refer
endum in the house. And the same
organization sidetracked the measure
in the senate and sent it to the ju-
dietary shop for repairs. 1t was the
Republican organization in the house
that forced the Democrats to make
dangerous compromises of the recall,
then defeated the bill and playfulIy
consented to a reconsideration only
when they knew that the measure in
it's existing condition could not creep
through the senate. That in brief is
the thing that has happened to the
Democrats in one brief week. 1t has
left them scattered, disorganized and
gasping for breath.