The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-01-26
Ways and Means Committee
Hears of House Action.
Declares That Lower Body viO-
lated Working Agreement.
DIDN'T CALL 4 CONFERENCE
House Just Went Ahead and
Whitfield Appropriations.
And Now Relations Appear In
Form of War Cloud.

What looks like a war cloud is gain
ering on the legislative horizon in the
vicinity of the two big committees OF
the house and senate-the ways and
means. The reported action OF the
house committee in slicing down tne
appropriations for the state charitable
institutions without asking for con-
ference with the senate committee
which had already acted on the bud
get has precipitated what in diplo-
matte parlance might be denominated
a decidedly delicate situation.
The house committee has been
guilty of jolt to the previously har-
mOnior relationship of the two
bodies The senate committee ap-
pears to b waiting for confirmation
Of the sad news which filtered out OF
the house committee room to the ears
Of other committee. II the news is
confirmed there is every prospect OF
a tremendous fight which will shake
the whole legislative branch OF the
government and may result painfully
for a lot of state institutions which
are now hungering for their biennial
appropriations.
1t looks as though the house COM
mittee has wilfully slapped the senate
committee in the face by refusing to
abide by a working agreement made
when the two committees were first
"
house committee was to work out the
budget for executive and judicial ap-
preparations and the budget for the
penal institutions. while the senate
was to take charge of the budgets for
the charitable and the state educa-
tional institutions. That being the
case the action of the house commit
tee in whiting down the charits BILE
institutions appropriations after the
senate committee had passed 1t looks
like a violation of the peace agree
ment between the Republicans OF the
lower house and the Democratic ma
jority of the upper.
War Cloud on Horizon.
Had the house committee earnestly
desired to work under the Or1glna
agreement the natural thing to DC
ence on the charitable institutions
budget before any changes were made
in the senate committees bill. The
senate bill was reported to the house
committee last Thursday. Today
came the report that the house com
mittee had disemboweled it withou
having consulted the senate about 1t
II relations between the two com
mittees are to be ruptured their dis
agreement will have to be fought on
on the floor of the legislature ant
the painfully worked out budgets fol
the various state offices, penal, char
table and educational institutions in
volving the expenditure of millions o.
dollars, the use of which has been thu
subject of careful thought on the par
of institution heads, state boards an(
members of the ways and means com
mittees, will be torn to pieces by thu
two houses.
The conferences which might nov
settle differences directly from com
mittee, will have to be held between
the houses themselves and the time O.
the legislature which might be de
voted to other important business will
be spent in arguments by legislator
for special appropriations for institu
tions in which they are interested
without regard to the general good.
That is the prospect now confront
ing the big appropriation bills. If tn
house committee fails to call a con
ference on the charitable institution
appropriations, and reports its owl
bill TO the house of representatives,
will be taken by the Democratic ma
jority of the senate as a declaration
of war.
And the Democrats are willing t.
fight.