The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-02-07
Davis Bill for Printing of State
Text Books Passed.
Commission to Make Necessary
Arrangements.
SMALLER COUNTIES WINNERS
Beat Out Big County in Howe
Assessor Scrap.
State Fair Bout Is Postponed a
Few Days.

! The Kansas senate has gone on rec
| ord favoring the publication of state
textbooks. By a one-sided vote after
| an afternoon and morning of fierce de-
: bate and chautauqua oratory, the
members of the upper house decided
that the best way to force the book
trust out of the state was to go into
the printing business. There is little
probability, that the house will fail to
! accept the senate decision-it is an adj
ministration and platform measure
and was supported by all except two
Republican senators.
The measure fathered by J. NJ. Davis,
of BOURBON county, provides for the
appointment of a state school book
commission with power to acquire land
necessary on which to erect an addi-
ton to the state printing plant at To-
pelxa, to purchase necessary machinery
and equipment for this plant, to pro-
cure copyrights for texts, and to pro-
vide for the preparation, publication,
purchase, sale and distribution of
state series Of school textbooks.
The commission Is to be composed
of the state superintendent of public
, instruction, chancellor of the universe
ty, president of the state normal school,
president of the state agricultural COLI
superintendent of schools, a county
superintendent, a laboring man and
farmer.
Senator St-veIy, of Usage, sent in a
resolution in the midst of the argu-
ments on the question asking that the
governor appoint a commission of FIVE
to spend the next two years fnvesti-
eating, the publication problem and
report to tbs legislature two years
hence. The author of the bill, Senator
Davis, fought the resolution bitterly,
making frequent references to the
school book trust and limiting that
Stavely might possibly be actuated in
this manner. Later, however he apollo
gized to Stavely. The Usage senator
voted for the bill on it's final passage
An amendment by Troutman taking
the union label from the printing of
the books, as requested by union men,
and an amendment by Mcmillan. pro-
viding for labor and farmer represen-
tation on the board, were the only
vital changes in the measure. Other
wise, with a few clerical changes. It
was passed as drawn up
senators Carey of Reno and Lam
bertson of Brown were the only menu
berS or the senate to vote against the
bill Senator Wilson, of Washington,
explained his vote by saying he was
glad to take this opportunity in driy-
ing nail in the coffin of the school
book trust. Senator Price, of Clark
explained by saying he favored a
thorough investigation of so important
matter but would vote for the bill
now in order to give the people what
they wanted.
The state fair bout scheduled for =
committee preliminary failed to stir m
the opposing forces last evening AZ
important meeting of the WAYS and
means committee on appropria+ione
called in too many members of the
Malone state and federal affairs com
mtttee and the fair battle was called
off.
we were not especially anxio1,s m
work on this BILL" said Senator Malone
last evening THE ways and means
committee meeting was an importan+
affair-and as far as the state fair
business is concerned-it can hold over
for two years and the state will not
clamor for It's passage
This is type of the feeling in the
senate on the state exposition dlIes-
ton The intense rivalry between To-
peka and Hutchinson, the appropria-
ton bill giving $15O.OGO for the Sar
Francisco worlds fair, the anxiety to
cut down all expenses and economize
and the fear of embarrassing politics
entering into the choice has given the
senators chance to lay aside both
cities for the present-and possibly for
the next two years.
Senator Bowman, of Anderson
county, has introduced constitutional
amendment carrying out the effects of
the bill offered by Price of Greenwood
providing for new rules governing the
voting of aliens in Kansas. Not until
a foreigner has taken out his second
papers, or not until after five or six
years after he is able to read and
write the English language, will the
state poll judges recognize his ballot
The foreign women suffer a complete
abolition of the rights to vote. The
bill and resolution will wait until the
action of the government along these
same lines is heard from. 1t is antici-
pated that Uncle Sam intends to cut
down the foreign vote in this country
by more stringer& requirements of nat
uraliZatiOn. d
Senator Sutton has asked the state
TO appropriate $500 for the improve
ment and maintenance of the state
park at Pawnee Rock. He also asks
the governor in a bill to appoint five
men to act as a board Of managers of
the famous park
In a fight in the senate late Thurs
day afternoon, the senators from the
smaller towns Of the state defeated by
, an overwhelming vote the members or
the upper house from the larger cities
and counties The Howe bill calling
for the adjustment of the county as
SCISSORS brought out the test or the
strength of the big and little cities of
the state. Senators from the larger
towns declared that the office of coun-
ty assessor was Indispensable. Sena-
tors from the small towns and coun-
ties insisted that in their campaigns
they had promised the voters to do
away with the county assessors-and
, they intended to keep their promises.
The bill was passed by a vote of
80 to s. Scattered votes against the
measure came from both sides of the
house.