The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-02-01
OF 900 Bills Introduced 81 Have
Been Passed.
FOUR SIGNED BY HODGES
Platform Pledges Pass House,
but Senate Is Different.
Committee Session on Board
of Control Idea.

The legislature adjourned over Sum-
day with sixteen working days chalked
up against it on the calendar by the
time keeper. Out of nine hundred bills
introduced four have been signed by
the governor and fifty-four passed and
IS recommended for passage. There
are nine hundred yet to come. The
committees of both houses are in full
blast with a world of work ahead. The
annropriations committees are down to
work at last, having met in joint ses-
sion last night for the first time.
In the tests of strength so far De
tween the parties administration
bills the Democrats have the neaVlest
battalions on their side in the -ouse'
but are having troubles of their own
in the senate. They have jammed the
1. and R., the recall and the consolda-
tion of labor bureaus through the
house but have had all three OF these
measures badly battered in the senate
and none of them over the wall.
The majority party has succeeded III
antagonizing the Socialists in general
and many labor unions in particular.
They have bills before them for many
new and expensive commissions, ana SO
far they have made no detn1te pro-
press towards cutting down taxes py
wiping out or reducing Appropriation
vet The troubles of the majority
party may increase or they may De
diminished 1t is still matter OF
guess work. But it is no guess TO
state that the unterrified nave more
trouble now than they had month
ago The Republican members OF Doth
bodies seem to be working well to-
sether. And it is a fact that one sell
dom hears the word progressive or the
other word regular in legislative circles
now while two years ago at TINS time
these words were used more than any
other in connection with most of the
important measures that came up AoI
disposition.
The house has recommended for
passage the bill providing for two pay
days a month by all corporations en-
ployine, mechanics or laborers. Ragle
of Montgomery, and Keene of Bourbon,
both had bills of this nature and the
house used the good points of both of
them in the bill passed today. Ihe
railroads, especially the Santa Fe, op-
posed this bill, claiming that its pass
age would cost the road $4,000 a year
extra money or bookkeeping and dis
bursement expense.
eft shall be unlawful for any officer
of a fraternal beneficiary association
10 use or spend any portion of the NOR
tuarv fund or emergency fund for eX-
pense purposes, and any officer who
shall authorize or use any part of such
funds for such purposes shall forfeit
his office and become personally liable
to the corporation for all sums so il
legally expended The above is the
text of the bill by Riddle, of Marion,
recommended for passage by the
house.
Jim Orr, of Atchison after two years
has carried his point half way to COM
pletion. He has his bill abolishing fees
from the attorney generals office
through the house. 1t is true that
there is still the senate and the gov
ernor in the way of the measure on
its journey to the statute books, but
the hard half of the job is finished
Orr fought two years ago in the house
with the minority party to pass this
bill Taylor Riddle, of Marion, op-
posed the bill throughout an afternoon
of bitter debate in vain. John Daw-
son, attorney general, was called on
the floor to explain certain parts of
the bill and its relation to his office.
The bill places the attorney general on
a salary of 81 900 a year and wipes
out the fees for him or his assistants