Barton County democrat., 1915-01-15
NEWS FROM TOPEKA.
w. p Feder Sends Interesting
Letter of Legislative Hap
penings.

A'Cll lllC nCdtcllS WcTc WEEPING
Sunday all over the state of Kan.
SaS because the following day
would see retire to private life
a democratic governor who has
given to the state an administra-
tiOn which in the course of time
will stand out and be generally
recognized by the people of this
state as one of the best admins
trationS the state has ever had,
and it was indeed appropriate
that such a splendid administra-
tiOn should be uShered out on
a day which was such a genuine
Kansas mid-winter day as last
Monday morning | called on Gov
ernor Hodges to bid him good bye
and found him buSily engaged
at his desk as usual. Promptly
at one o'clock the retiring Cover
nor and the Governor elect
the roStrum in the
House of Representatives and the
simple proceedings of change in
administration began. AT eight
to one the Governors sa-
lutte was fired, notifying the peo-
pie of the state of the change and
causing rejoicing to the Republi-
can office seeking hosts and also
causing a few Democrats who
will be Jared loose in short Or
der, to gaze about them looking
for work. AT half past one, /
called on the new Governor to
pay my respects and found him
by a committee pre-
Senting their claims of a candl.
date for an office, while other
committees were in waiting in
the outer room, thus impreSSing
me most seriously with the fact
that a change had taken place.
At noon Tuesday, genial old Tom
BOdkin called the members of
the lower House of the LegiSla-
Iure together and after the usual
routine of swearing in the mem-
berS, they proceeded to elect
Robert Stone of "DeBoiSSerre
Odd Fellows Law Suit Fame"
and supposed to be representing
.he big fire insurance companies
in a legal way, as the Speaker of
he House. The Senate proceeded
in its usual quiet way to dehorn
he Lieutenant Governor and to
appoint its own committees. To-
lay the flood gates of bills were
opened and we can say that the
Legislature is fairly on its way.
the Republicans have
made overtureS to the Progress
'ives, already have uncalled for
statements and criticisms of the
Topeka Capital anSered the DEM
)cratic Senate, already has the
Speaker said that the Senate
Ways and Means Committee
should be enlarged by the addi-
ion of Republican members be-
,auSe this committee is the
)ne which will pass upon the ap-
of which the new
administration will be held re-
'pOnSible, but the Speaker did
not state that in the last cam
laign the administration then in
power was held responsible by
he people for the dOingS of the
Republican Tax Commissioners
n reducing the assessments of
arm lands or of the extravaganza
If Republican departments in
he state house or of the failure
If Treasurer AkerS and Auditor
Davis to turn in fees collected,
which a plain section of the sta
ute says they are not entitled to,
neither did the Speaker refer to
he fact that he and practically all
)ther Republicans had supported
very appropriation bill and ev-
Try bill calling for the creation of
new departments. | will miss
ny guess if the statements made
BY Mr.. Speaker Stone will not
bob up on numerous occasions
Turing this session to plague him,
ike BanquO'S ghost, it will not
down. Today the Governor sent
his message to the Legislature,
made numerous recOmmenda-
lions as follows, which | will
take up in future letters as the
work of the Legislature proceeds.
Establishment efficiency COM
mission.
Immediate aboliShment irriga-
lion board.
Judicial restricting state.
Displacement local members on
ways and means committees.
II