Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1915-01-14

session OF the hhnb1b ioBbieeuio
has begun. The house Of represen-
tatIves is Republican by a majority
Of three, the senate is Democratic
By a majority OF one. The governor
and all the state officers are Repub-
licans. Except in one or two In
stances the Democrats have an
nounced that they would help the
Republicans to make the best pos
sible laws and give the state the
best legislation.
Senate Chooses Officers
The senate was called to order by
w. Y. Morgan, lieutenant governor.
The senators had already been
sworn in and at once began the
organization. The Democrats con-
trolled all the offices in the senate.
Those chosen were:
President pro tenn. Senator L. p.
King; secretary, Burt Brown; as
sistant secretary, F. H. Patterson;
sergeant-at-arms, Louis Hans; as
sistant sergeant-at-arms, Harold
Fairchild; chaplain, the Rev. s. b.
Anderson; postmistress, Grace Over
meyer; doorkeeper, Harry Adams;
They were the caucus nominees.
The other employees will be named
by the employees committee.
The House Officers
The house organized by electing
the Republican caucus slate, as
follows: Speaker, Robert Stone of
Shawnee; Republican floor leader,
A. M. Keene Of Bourbon; speaker
pro TEN, !. N. Williams of sedg-
wick; chief clerk, Ike Lambert Jr.
of Emporia; sergeant-at-arms, Fred
Lewis Of Marion; postmaster, L. U.
Pyle of Smith; doorkeeper, William
McNabrey of Seward; chaplain, the
Rev. John A. Bright.
A. A. Doerr Of Larned was the
Democratic nominee for speaker and
by virtue Of his nomination becomes
the Democratic floor leader in the
house.
For Clear Measures
Two or there lawyers to write
bills that would not leave the su- !
preme court in doubt as to the in :
Eentions of the legislature would be
a good investment for Kansas, Rob-
art M. Stone, speaker Of the house
9e representatives said in his speech
Of acceptance. These lawyers, Stone
explained. would have nothing to
DO with the policies Of the house IN
aegislation, but would simply whip
the ideas Of the members into shape.
Moosers to Act Alone
The nine Progressives in the house
declined the invitation to act with
the Republican majority. Will Way
man Of Lynn county. the spokesman
for the Progressive group, announc-
ed that he and his colleagues will
90 1t alone.
With the Republican majority IN
the house reduced to two by the
ILLNESS Of Representative Perryman
OF Harvey county, the Progressives
figure that they may have oppor-
&nnity to cast the deciding votes On
q number of measures. j
To Probe Wheat Prices
One of the first acts will be an
Investigation into. the high cost of j
living. Kansas farmers have been
accused Of helping to boost the
price OF bread by the holding OF
tAeir wheat and refusing to let II
% until the price exceeded a dollar
. bushel. Judge Frank Martin of
Hutchinson. farmer and lawyer, has
drawn resolution calling upon the
beard Of agriculture for 9 report at
Oare to the legislature "a to the ,
amount Of wheat in the farmers
Aands. how much had been sold and
aAa prices received. Judge Martin !
SelIeves that most OF the Kansas ]
Eaeat has been sold below ninety
eeata q bushel and that tho farmers
~ this state are not to blame for the \
Aigh prices prevailing at present.
Names JudiciaFy Chairman u
T. c. JOcelyn Of sedgvick, one VI
enc younger members of the lower
Hlouse, viii be appointed chairman
- the judiciary committee by Rob
ut n. Stone, speaker Of the house.
The ways and means, chairmnn-t
1hip is not settled, Speaker Stone \
aid.
Two committees were appointed
H. cnn.hn. CO.. a.. y