The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-02-22
IN SENATE Mill"
Can't Agree on Initi-
alive and Referendum.
House Will Not Give in to Sem
ate Committee.

With the adjournment of the legis-
lature only two weeks away, the ad-
ministration initiative and referendum
constitutional amendment is no better
advanced than it was when the ses-
sion opened in January. The senate
conference committee, J. W. Howe of
Dickinson county and A. B. Carney
, of Cloud county has informed the sem
ate that the house will not give in on
its grudge against certain sections OF
the senate resolution. On the other
hand the senate conferees refuse to al
low the house to win the legislative
point in the submission of propositions
to the people. The deadlock must be
broken soon if this legislature wishes
to allow the people to initiate their
own laws.
Here is the trouble:
The house resolution provided for
court review. Also that a majority of
those voting in the election must vote
for a new law. And again, that legls-
lation must first be submitted to the
legislature and then to the people II
the legislature acted adversely.
The senate conferees were instruct
ed to give in to the house conferees on
all their ideas except One-that the
legislative authority. Here is where
the deadlock was insistent. The house
conferees were not so liberal-they IN
sisted on every feature of their resolu-
ton.
From the political gossip around the
senate chamber today it appears that
the house and senate will have 10
agree on an entirely new initiative ana
fact the senate is becoming desperate
in it's attempts to give the people
chance to try out the new plan
The personal petition of 300 farmers
who appeared before the body Friday
afternoon has made an impression on
~ ,rt1 Of tfan n1rrfi +
has given new life to the issue that
has received such damaging delays
and assaults from Republican leaders.
The minimum wage bill received its
death blow in the senate when the COM
mittee on labor reported to the body
Friday night the recommendation that
it be killed and that a commission be
appointed to investigate industrial and
working conditions in the state for a
report to the legislature two years
hence.
The minimum, wage bill provided for
a six-dollar-a-week wage to all female
employees of manufao' urers and other
firms in this state. 1t passed the house
and was referred to the labor COM
mittee of the senate composed of Sen
ator Meek, of Nemaha, chairman and
Senators Joseph, King, Porter and
Huffman. Meek, Joseph and Porter
voted to kill the measure. King and
Huffman voted against the report.
This bill has brought upon the legis-
lature one of the strongest Hobbies in
years. Manufacturers, retailers, whole
salers from all parts of the state have
been centering their fight in Topeka
ever since the bill made its appearance
in the house. The original bill was in
troduced in the house by Robert Stone.
of Shawnee county.
The rural senators won a high school
battle before the senate last night. The
upper house has recommended for
passage bill which repeals the law re-
quiring school teachers of the state to
have a high school education.
The ruralists felt that the law gave
all the advantage of teaching to the
school students of the cities and towns
and excluded the pupils from the
country schools. The fight on the -e-
neal of the law was led by Senator
Bowman. of Anderson county.
Senator Wilson, of Washington coun-
ty, succeeded in pushing through the
senate late Friday afternoon his meas
rre giving to the small fraternal in
surance companies of the state the
right to consolidate their interests into |
one or more larger corporations.
The senate passed Friday afternoon
the Miller bill of the house providing
for an increase in the salary of the
state oil inspector and making the Of