The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-02-08
NOTES OF SENATE
Kansas May Have a Pure Seed
Law Soon.
TrOutman FavOrs Memorial at
Vicksburg Field.

That Kansas may be saved from the
appalling scourge og weed seeds and
to release farmers of the state from
the grip of the dodder and bindw eed,
the agriculture committee of the SEN
ate is figuring on introducing bill
calling for the sale of only pure crop
seed, 1t is stated that from 1 to 60
per cent of the seed sown each crop
season on the Kansas farms is weed
seed.
The new bill will regulate the sale
of seed at seed stores, mills and ele-
vators throughout the state. Figures
show that Kansas spends $6,000,000 an
nually for seed. And the planters are
not aware of the fact that they spend
probably one million dollars each year
for weed seeds-seeds that grow and
spread and ruin their crops.
The new law would require that the
seeds be labeled, the label to state the
kind of noxious weeds found in the
package or sack
The seeds that are prohibited from
sale. They are bindweed, Johnson
grass, quack grass, Canada thistle and
sow thistle All of these are perennial
weeds of the worst sort, the spread of
which means the ruin of agricultural
land. Dodder should be restricted to
a minimum, the bill will say. At pres
ent it is impossible without imposing
unreasonable restrictions on legitimate
business, to prohibit dodder absolute
".
Other weeds that will be forbidden
are wild oats, chickory, Russian this
tie, fox tail, crab grass, wild buck
wheat, cheat mustard French weed,
pepper grass, shepherds purse, wild
carrot, buck horn, and broad plantin.
occur in the agricultural seed. These
seeds will be guarded against.
H. F. Roberts, botanist of the Kan
sas experiment station, has written
s-lo Al
has been read with interest by the
members of the senate interested in
agriculture.
Senator r. S. PauIey, of Marshall
county-the man who had the Barnes
high school law repealed, is planning to
introduce in the senate next week a
bill making it necessary that all per-
sons elected to the office of county
coroner in Kansas are qualified and
registered physicians.
In this manner Senator Pauley hopes
to combine in many of the smaller
counties of the state the office of
county coroner and county health Of
ficer. 1t is his opinion that scores OF
counties in Kansas have no need for
two offices of this sort-they are a
useless expense to the taxpayers.
On the scene of the Battle of Vicks.
burg there is a mammoth vacant plat
of ground-surrounded by huge
marble and granite monuments and
magnificent tombs. On this plat
of ground is sign. 1t reads kan
sas." The Kansas ground stands in the
center of a beautiful park surrounded
by improvements that have cost thou
sands of dollars
Monday, Senator Troutman, of Shaw
nee, will introduce in the senate a bill
asking for an appropriation of $3c, 900
to erect a memorial to the members of
the Third Kansas Regiment Volunteers
that fought on Mis- spot. The governor
will be asked to appoint a commission
of three Civil war veterans to make the
plans for the monuments and improve
mentS. !
Il don't want any more Kansans to
go to that park and see that vacant
plat of ground is the way Senator
Troutmn explained it,
The state fair fight now has been
scheduled for Tuesday evening of next
week. The committee on state and
federal affairs will hear the arguments
on all sides of the question. Several
representatives from Hutchinson are
expected to attend the meeting To-
peka will be represented by the secre-
tary of the state fair association and
the secretary of the Commercial club.
Here is the way one corporation
ioDDylSC explained MS views on the cor
poration franchise tax:
Il don't think the corpora tiors of the
state will object to this tax If it is
enforced in lieu of all other occupa-
ton municipal and county taxes"
Cities of the first class in Kansas
who wish to employ a double shift of
employees for the fire departments will
be granted their desire if a bill re-
written by the senate committee on the
first class passes the legislature The
original Milton bill provided that cities
with a population of more than 70, 900
should adopt the double platoon system
has been amended to read that cities
may give the firemen few hours at
sire. The matter will be made refer
endum measure and will be put up to
the people at the polls.
In Topeka, for instance, the firemen
work seven days in the week with only
hours off for meals One dav out of
seven they are home with their fam
lilies. The new bill would give them
either eight or twelve hours at home
daily-with another force of companies
in their place while they are off 1t is
a popular measure with the firemen of
the city and the state. 1t is up to the
cities to bear the expense if the voters
make known their ideas on the PROPOSE
ton.
Guest-Delightful party you are having