The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-01-19
The senate Threatens Old Time
Customs This Morning.
Banking Bill Causes Disturb
ance in Committee.
SENATOR PRICES DAnDER UP
Gentleman From Lyons Il
Banker and Proud Of 1t.
Arguments Bring Up sSnitch''
Lawyer Bill Again.

Lawyer Bill Again.
All the precedents of generations of
legislative procedure had close call
in the Kansas senate this morning
when several members on both sides
of the house INDUCED in comments
which might be taken to imply the
bills are referred. In fact the senate
didn't seem to be bit satisfied with
itself after it had discussed the pro-
pOsal of Senator Stavely to put back
on the calendar bill which the COM
mittee on banks and banking had
killed in its report.
The Stavely measure provided that
bank deposits which had been forgot
ten for three years or more be turned
over to the school fund. The commit
that it be not passed but Senator
Stavely did not propose to let 1t per-
ish without struggle.
In explaining his motion to override
the committees action he pointed out
that in Scotland. where the situation
is the same as it now is in Kansas.
the unclaimed deposits amount to mil
lions of dollars. 1t was fine thing
for the banks to. have the use OF SO;
much money he admitted, and ne
pointed out that the committee whlcn
had disapproved it was composed large
ly of bankers who might be prejudiceo
on the subject. He said he had been
deprived of an opportunity to appear
before the committee to urge the gooo
points of the measure. because 1t mao
been acted upon SO promptly.
Price Comes Back.
This got a rise out of the committee
chairman, w. NJ. Price of Lyons. Mr..
Price is a banker and proud OF it, He
said the main argument in favor of the
h. that IT looked
good to the casual and uniformed OBJ
server and that the pastime OF swattfng
the banks was one of the popular in and
out door amusements Of Kansas. Sem
ator Troutman of Shawnee decided that
if the measure had elements of popu-
larity it ought to be given hearing on
the floor of the senate, and he arose to
say SO.
Davis of Bourbon thought the same
Senator Joseph, a committee member.
called attention to the unusualness OF
the procedure. He maintained that the
duty of the committee was to report
bills as promptly as possible and that
the measure had been given ample and
l fair consideration by nine men who
were entrusted by the senate to do the
very work mentioned. He inquired in
a. pointed way why, il the banking COM
mittee was to be called in question for
Its Judgment, had not the committee
on judiciary. composed OF lawyers. not
been made to answer for an unfavor-
able recommended ton on the bill prOhi-
biting the activities of the ''snitch''
lawyer.
IF that bill were submitted to the
voters Of Kansas" he declared, lit
would be passed by almost unanimous
consent of the people. Yet your judi
ciary committee, composed of lawyers.
having disi.pproved of the bill here in
troduced, has not been CALI in ques-
tion.''
Nighswonger of Sedgwick then de-
clared for the judiciary that the men,
bers Of the senate had the same priv
ilege of excepting to the decision OF
| that committee as they had to any
other and hoped to hear an express
sion from any member who was not
satisfied with the action taken on the
bill relating to the solicitation Of law
cases.
King Restores Peace.
1t was the dean Of the senate how
ever, King of Cowley. who restored
peace in tie family He said:
| 1.-The committee has given this bin
| fair consideration. There are certain
things about it which make it unfair
| ard impracticable. 1t provides that
funds that have been unclaimed for
three years in any Kansas bank shall
escheat to the. state ~ Unless that
term were materially prolonged the
bill would work an immense. Injustice
upon tn usands of depositors who, be-
lieving in the security of their bank
leave their money there for long Pc
RODS while they even move to other
sections of the country, not desiring
to disturb their savings These ac-
counts are rarely of sufficient benefit
to the bank to compensate for the
trouble of the bookkeeping they in.
| vOlve.
This bill would confiscate such
sums and the man who returned after
three or four or five years to claim hi.
money would inevitably discover thai
it was gone and could not be gotter
back
Chairman Price then arose to re.
quest the return of the bill to commit.
tee and invited all senator's havinf
ideas about it to come in and bt
heard. 1t was so ordered.
l. Other BILLS In.
Tnirty-Onea more bills were intro
duced this morning, bringing ups tn,
body's grist to 201 Today's list in
cluded several of the measures rec
commended by the League of Kansa
Municipalities and among them is on
which, while calculated to fit on Kan
sas City might be shaped to fit an.
first class city of the state. This bill
Acid Stornachs Are