The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-02-12
Senate and House Ways and
Means Lock Horns.
IN 4 SPIRIT OF GLOOM
House Fears Senate's Allow
ances for Next Two Years.
Next Tuesday Set Aside for
p Consideration of. Bills.

With at least a million dollar diff
ference between the Recommendation
of the house and senate appropriation
bills. there Is scarce a slight hope ina,
all of the big appropriation items VIII
not go to conference. 1t Is the belief
of house leaders that the lower branch
OF the legislature will vote to uphold
the recommendations Of their OWL
committee, while the senate has shown
no desire to back up in their cary
stand regarding the states finances
The house will take up appropria
tons next Tuesday AFTERNOON unoer
special order.
House members in close touch with
the administration approach the ap-
preparation bills in a spirit OF gloom.
They claim there is a chance to reduce
appropriations below the allowance OF
two years ago, but there is no en-
tnusiasm concerning the method oi
doing it. For the first time in many
sessions, there is an apparent certain
ty that appropriations Will go TO con-
ference. That action in itself means
trouble At the best. it means con-
cessions on the part of both houses.
Possibly it means that the house Will
be forced to recede and give up the
fight to cut the budgets OF state lnsti-
tutions and departments. Possibly the
senate will yield. But no one smiles
when he mentions 1t.
Chairman Keene of the house ways
and means committee admits that
there will probably be difference OF
at least million dollars concerning
the appropriations recommended by
the two branches OF the LEGISLATURE.
Keene is not willing at this time to
forecast the future, although he be-
iievcs that the house will stand by its
committee.
Difference OF a Million.
"As it seems now there will be a
Inference OF at least a million dollars
between the appropriations recon-
mended by the senate and those APP
proved by the house committee" said
Keene today in discussing the state
financial affairs, There is a wide
difference between the two commit
tees l do not pretend to say what
will happen. although it really looks
as though all of the important appro-
priations will be sent to conference
committee. So far as the house COM
mittee is concerned, really believe
we will be able to recommend apprO-
priations of from 100000 to 100000
below those allowed in 1913. The SEN
ate appropriation bills may be mil
lion dollars greater"
On motion of the chairman of the
ways and means committee. the house
has set aside next Tuesday, afternoon
for consideration Of appropriation
bills. At that time the house will
have a chance to show its teeth. 1t
will be asked to snap back at the fat
appropriations Of the senate and up
hold the action of its own ways and
means committee. There Is little doubt
but that the house will do this very
thing.
And in the meantime.
The senate will be asked to use the
pruning knife. Will the senate do it >
An answer to that question may de-
termine probablestime for final ad-
!ournment But IL the senate con-
tinues its present course of indiffer-
ence and refuses to pinch the budgets
In the interest OF administration CAM
paign war paint. there is a chance
that the legislature may deadlock. for
a time at least. over state aid for de-
partments and institutions.