The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-03-12
WAS HOT DEBATE
Night Session House Brought
ResubmissiOn Speech.
Bitter DenunciatiOn PrOhibi-
ton, but Mahin Bill Passed.

|
\ istration bill. For more than an hour
| the members of the lower branch of
| the legislature took their own free
| time to tell just what they thought
! of the proposed new law and of the
| several members who had already ia
/ ken stand on the measure. At the
conclusion of the fight, the house pass
| ed the bill But the senate will never
know its measure when it's is returned
| today for final approval.
| Amendments which had been slipped
| into the bill when it took a nap in
the rooms of the house temperance
committee, probably mean that the
new law, even if passed, will be OF
little real value to the state OF the
enforcement of the prohibitory law.
But this fact didn't block the flood
gates of debate and a half dozen mem
bers paid parting respects in most
certain language.
Orr, of Atchison, opposed the law
and urged the members that such
provision was unconstitutional.
81 know how you feel in the face
of these popular fads," said Orr. "Peo-
pie come here and legislate against
men taking drink and not 20 per cent
of you believe in it,
But Orr might just as well have sat
still. He brought no new converts
and the friends of the Mahin bill only
took another hitch in their belts and
Carroll, of Leavenworth, tried to
stem the tide-or possibly he just want
ed to extend his compliment to the
friends of prohibition in the house.
And for Is minutes he made the most
radical resubmiSsion speech that the
legislature has heard in several ses-
sions.
There are so many statesmen on
record concerning this BILL" said Car
roll, that I want to go on record as
opposing it. I am personally opposed
to the prohibitory law because it in
vades the personal rights and liberties
of men. 1t is popular to lay everything
good to the temperance interests and
everything bad to the liquor interests.
Yet there is no law on the statute
books that has caused more sin and
crime, hypocrisy and perjury than has
the prohibitory law. 1t has been the
shield for cases of rascality, vicious
ness and the sucking of blood money
since the day the law was enacted 81
years ago.
Carroll was going strong when
someone called point of order on
him. The Leavenworth man prompt
ly invited anyone who didn't like his
policy to leave the hall.
There is nothing in Russia" con-
tinued Carroll, that is more unjust,
vicious or criminal than the prohibi-
tory laws written in Kansas in 80
years Laws that seek to control
mems stomachs can never be enforced.
Men have built palaces in this very
city from the blood money secured
from the alleged enforcement of this
law. Men stand up here and defend
the law who drink more whisky in one
night than do in ten years-and you
know it, Mr.. Speaker. This is prohib-
ition gone mad-stark mad. We have
told ourselves so often that we have
all the virtues, that we are beginning
to believe it. Kansas is great state,
but her people are fanatical. Why
it has only been a few years since a
policy swept Kansas that has long
since been repudiated by every nation
in the world, except perhaps China.
And in looking over the record OF
Kansas I am comforted alone in the
record that in congress-tl1e body
which passed the Webb bill over Pres
ident Taft's veto-that there are in
that body as many rabbits as there
are in this one"
Much oratory was devoted to a de-
tense of the bill. But Orr, Carroll and
Miller of Ottawa county-an Demo-
crats-were the only members who
opposed the measure Miller made
clever speech for the defeat of the
bill and voted against the measure on
final passage.
The roll call showed rs votes for the
bill and II against it. House mem
Mahin act were Carroll, Frey. Kers-
chen, Miller of Cherokee, Miller of OF
tawa Mulroy, Orr, Stone of Sherman,
Topping and Zutavern.
The new fish and game bill, which
passed the house some time ago and
was badly mangled in the senate,
crept through the house last night on
crutches. Only the action of Jocelyn
of Sedgwick county saved the bill.
When the house members looked at
the scars which the game bill bore as
a result of it's visit to the senate, the
m EN- bers of the lower branch of the
vowed that the enacting
clause should be removed from the
Dyche. Then Jocelyn became guar
dian and ward to the cripple and |
saved the measure from death at the !
hands of the house members.
House members worked until 2 |
o'clock this morning before adjourning |
to go to bed. Between the hours when |
the fighting was most bitter, A. s. |
of the Santa Fe Watch COM |
pany, entertained the legislators with |
records on two large new Edison Disc
machines. Many of the famous |
speeches were heard on these new
Edison machines, the latest product |
of the wonderful inventor, and when |
the session adjourned for the night |
one of the house members urged a |
telegram of appreciation and con- |
to Thomas A. Edison, in |
ventor of the machines. Patrick |
Henry's famous speech. Lincoln's
speech at Gettysburg, Washingtons |
farewell address and other records |
were heard by the house mem bers. |
Bert Woodland assisted A S. Thomas
with the manipulation of the machines |
and the entertainment furnished the |
lawmakers was one of the bright fea-