Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1913-01-03
Initiative, Referendum, Recall, and
Other Legislative Matters.
As seen by Jay House

vi INO NUlhpoiSho uON TIC plollOI u
of both the dominant political parties
have carried planks declaring for the
twin panaceas. The Republicans
failed to put them over during the
1911 session although the full force of
the administration was exercised in
their behalf. An active, irOnclad com
bination prevented their passage in
the senate. This year the administra-
ton wing of the Democratic party
will try to put them up to the voters
GOvernor-elect Hodges has promised
the Kansas City Star that the thing
will be done, which indicates that all
the influence he can muster will be
thrown to the aid of the two amend
ments. In committing himself per-
sonally in the matter Hodges makes
his first bid for trouble. 1t is on this
seam that the factiOnal fight in the
Democratic party will open.
In the senate of 1911 the burden of
the fight against the |. & R. and the
recall was carried by Senators Price
and Brewster. They were the spokes-
men of the opposition. They shot the
|. & R. and the recall so full of holes
that the twin panaceas resembled a
colander when the senate got through
with them. Price comes back to the
senate from his district and will, un-
doubtedly, be the leader of the Repub
lican minority in that body. Eight of
the senators who helped form the Or
ganization which defeated the two
amendments wwere reelected. And
so the opposition to the amend
ments in the Republican minor
ity has a strong working nucleus with
which to start the fight. On the
other side of the senate Bailie Wag-
gener looms against the background
as one likely to command the major
ity forces in the senate. Waggener
is against the |. & R. and the recall.
More to the point, he is against
Hodges, the two never having been
friendly politically and having been
driven still further apart by the fac
tional alignment now in effect. With
two strong, skillful, resourceful lead
ers against it, the Hodges program is
sure to encounter rough shedding in
the sena'e.
although nothing is known as yet
concerning the attitude of the house
toward the plan to put the |. & R.
AMI the recall over, strong opposition
can be readily forecast. Senator
Brewster, probably the best and NEST
skillful fighter the Kansas legislature
has developed in recent years, will lie
! in the house. Already the leadership
of the minority is conceded to him.
He may be relied upon to fight this
part of the administration program.
The majority leadership in the house
probably will go to ]. W. Orr. At any
rate he will be strong factor in leg.
islation. Orr also was against the |.
& R. and the recall two years ago, al
though the fractional fight in the Dem
ocratic party may cause him to shift
in this session. Probably no attempt
will be boldly made to defeat the
amendments. The plan now is to so
cumber and weigh them down with
fool provisions as to make it probable
that the voters will reject them when
the question of their adoption comes
up to the electorate.
Sheffield ingalls, has gone a-lime-
lighting. His feat of denouncing the
party which elected him gives him for
the moment the center of the stage.
No one should begrudge him his brief
day of publicity, for he will shortly
be relegated to the wings, where he
properly belongs and where he will
be- on familiar ground. Sheffield In
gals is the youngest son of the late
Senator ingalls,, whom he resembles.
He carries more adipose tissue than
his illustrious father, but follows the
senator's general plans and specifica-
tons. He is a pretty good fellow and
less harmful in general way than
soothing syrup. He bears the handi-
cap of youth, that of being a little
"Sappy" at the top. He has been run
ming amuck politically for several
years. having been horned out of the
Atchison county Republican herd two
or three times. With a legislature hos.
tile to him and practically all of his
political playfellows returned to pri-
vate life, Mr.. Ingalls, will not be
of much force and effect and no one
should begrudge him his brief day.
"Brer" Dolley grows peevish as the
hour for his departure for private life
approaches. His charges of dishon-
ocfv ond o0rr,pf;o, - A. oo,d,.ak - |