The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-03-04
AS BAD AS EVER
House Worked All Day on Az
preparation Measures.
And Forgot to Substitute Act
for the Senate Bill.
DEADLOCK Is CEMENTED NOW
Senate Laughs at Brand New
House Contributions.
Beautiful Parliamentary Stu
alton Faces Legislature.

For an entire day the house
worked faithfully and hard to pass
its educational, penal, executive and
Judiciary appropriations, only to find
that it had accomplished nothing at
all. When the six o'clock whistle
blew the house had passed, it's bills
and further action depended on the
alton of the senate. The bills were
not so much as ready for confer
ence committee.
Most of the day the administra-
ton house leaders spent in fighting
the Elliott motion to recommit the
appropriation bills to the ways and
means committees of the house and
senate. When the motion was beat
en-, after something like four hours
of solid oratory. the willy house lead
ers forgot something. That some
thing was very important and of vital
importance to the house bills.
The house had merely overlooked
the formaity of substituting it's bills
for the senate bills.
All of which makes a beautiful
parliamentary situation if the senate
wants to take advantage of the mat
ter-and to date the senate has not
overlooked any cinch bets. Under
the rules of legislative procedure,
the bills as passed by the house were
These bills are now in the hands of
the senate ways and means commit
tee. They may do with the bills as
they see fit: They may recommend
the matter entirely and insist on go
ing home with the big appropria-
lions tied up in the committee room
And concerning either procedure, it
seems that the senate has a perfectly
water proof alibi.
Few Million Difference.
Several days ago the senate consid-
cred and passed the appropriation
the house had under consideration
Wednesday. The only difference be-
tween the two houses was a matter
of something like a million dollars for
buildings and maintenance. The
bills were duly messag ed to the house,
referred to the house ways and means
committee and are now safely planted
in a pigeon hole in the committee
room.
When the appropriations were
called up Wednesday, the senate bills
were not considered by the house.
Had that body substituted the house
bills for all after the enacting clause
of the senate bills, there would have
been a real, legal difference between
the two legislative bodies. Instead
the house passed the bills originated
by it's committee. The senate bills
were not given a minutes consfdera-
ton. And so when the days work
was done, the house and senate were
no nearer an agreement than when
consideration of the bills first started.
What Will They Do?
1t is probable that the house will
not consider the senate bilIs-unless
it should suddenly find that there IS
something wrong and decide to try a
new course. On the other hand, the
house bills are ready for the senate.
But the senate may, with apparent
justice, hold that their bills were en-
titled to prior consideration in the
house and withhold consideration of
the house bills.
Until the house has taken action on
the senate bills the senate has talk
en- action on the house bills, there il
nothing for the conference committee.
And that was the situation facing the
two legislative bodies at quitting time
Wednesday night and when the ses-
sion ~1ened today. Among a number
of senate members is a tendency to
permit the house bills to repose in the
senate committee rooms until the
house takes action on their bills
Thus, it becomes probable, it is up to
the house to make the next move.
Since under an established prece-
dent it is the right of the house COM
mittee to originate the penal and eX-
ecutive and judicial bills. the senate
may pass these bills either as they
came from the house or with slight
amendment But by adopting this
policy, the senate would stand firm on
the charitable and educational bills
originated in the higher legislative
body. Thus, it has been urged, the
senate might force concessions on the
big bills over which the greatest dis
pute has arisen.