The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-03-05
Reorganization of the Agricul-
tural Board Favored.
HOwe-COburn Battle to Be
Staged on Floor.
INHERITANCE LAW UP AGAIN
One More Effort to Revive
Revenue Producer.
Other Items of Interest in Up
per House Today.

/
Another step toward the reorganiza-
ton of the department of agriculture
| of the state was taken by the senate
i the morning when the committee or
agriculture reported out favorably the
Howe bill calling for the election of
the Office now held by f. d. Coburn
| ture and agriculture and academy of
| science departments.
The discussion of this bill introduce
} ed early in the session by Senator
Howe, of Dickinson county, has arous-
ed unusual interest throughout the
state. The members of the senate have
received hundreds of letters from their
constituents either approving Or disap-
proving of the action which is claimed
to be directed against Secretary Co
burn. The Farmers Union, 800 strong
in Topeka recently. marched in the
senate chamber and in a ''living petit
ton asked that the Howe bill be
placed on final passage.
In a stormy committee conference re-
Gently Secretary Coburn and Senator
Howe had a tilt that has been con-
strued to mean that warfare is due to
appear before the session adjOurns.
Senator Howe accused Coburn of SELL
ing his state wide information eXclus-
lively to a Topeka farm journal and CO.
burn accused Howe of trying to GUST
him from office in spite.
The bill will be watched with inter
est. 1t provides for the election of a
member of the board of agriculture
from each congressional district in the
state-also for the popular election OF
a secretary of agriculture. The offices
of the agricultural, horticultural and
science academy are combined under
the Howe measure.
The senate this morning passed the
Carney bill allowing persons away
from home at election time to vote in
their own county if they found it i'm
possible to reach their own precinct.
Heretofore person could vote out
side the @county-but not within. This
will affect hundreds of railroad men
in the state.
The spasmodic appearance of the
inheritance tax law occupied two val
liable hours in the senate this morn
ing and when Lieutenant Governor In
gals pounded his gavel for recess,
the bill was in no better shape than it
was when introduced far back in the
session
Here is the trouble and the history
of the inheritance tax in the present
legislatu
First-Thes old law was repealed
Second-Troutman of Shawnee i'm
troduced a new law raising the ex-
emption clause. This was squashed by
the Democrats.
Third-The Democrats realizing
that something must be done to pro-
duce revenue and believing in an in
heritance tax either eXempting direct
heirs or raising the old exemption,
submitted bill identical with the
Troutnan measure with the exception
of the direct heir provisions.
The last mentioned measure is I'M
der consideration and has been for
some time. Motions to strike out the
enacting clause have been thrown at
it. Damaging amendments have been
splaShed off it's hard Shelled back.
But still it stands on the calendar
and the senate divided into three sec
tions is fighting over it.
Part of the members of the senate
want no inheritance tax. This crowd
is led by Bale Waggener of Atchison.
Another section want the law with
large direct heir exemption-$50,OO 900
or more. This support is led by Trout
man of Shawnee and Shouse of Ed
wards. The third division favors the
Malone measure which eXempts al
together the direct heirs.
1t looks like the direct heir eXemp-
ton crowds will win. They will be
Joined by the large exemption sup
porterS in case the battle is in doubt.
Senator ShOuSe made strong plea
for the $4,000 exemption this morn |
ing. He was followed by Mcmillan
who stated that the inheritance tax
has been considered a proper mode of
taxation as far back as Augustus. |
Meek opposed their arguments and |
supported his argument with the |
statement that an insurrection would /
follow the passage of an inheritance |
tax law.
Bale Waggener threw a bomb into
camp by offering motion to Strikt out
all except the enacting clause and in I
sorting the entire county assessor bill. |
Ten senators jumped to their feet at
this move and objected in chorus.
Waggener sat back in his chair and
laughed.
The discussion ended with the mo-
ton to take a recess
1t is predicted freely in the senate
that an inheritance tax law of come
kind will pass that body.
Senator Mcmillan of Ottawa county,
chairman of the Democratic caucus,
arose on a matter of personal privi-
lege this morning and stated that the
Democrats had made no move to eX-
olude the women lobbyists from the
senate chamber, as was charged by one
of the leaders of the minimum wage
I'VE have other business to do in
our caucuses," explained Mcmillan. 1T
is beneath the dignity of the Demo-
cratic body to go into executive seS-
sion and legislate against the lobby
ing of women. Our other troubles are
paramount to these things. The wom-
en- in claiming that we kept them out
of the Hobbies have been misinformed."
The senate this morning passed the
Stavely bill prohibiting express COM
pany employees from erasing the name
from LIQUOR consignmentS in this state.
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