The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-03-05
Desperate Battle Before House
Committee Tonight.
Belief That Members Will Vote
to Kill the Bill.
LOBBY HAS BEEN BUSY HERE
District Judges From All Parts
of State in Topeka.
Substitute Measure May Be Sent
Back to Senate.

Friends of the state administration
will probably make a desperate fight
before the house judicial apportion-
ment committee tonight for favor
able report ON the bill which passed
the senate last week. Failing to push
through this bill, drafting of new
bill to be checked up to the senate
will doubtless be urged.
With a majority of the members of
the house committee apparently un-
friendly to the senate bill, it is gener-
ally believed that the committee will
vote to kill the bill. But d judicial
apportionment is one of tho top line
measures in the state administration
program. Failure to pass some sort
of judicial apportiOnment act after a
bill has gone through the Democratic
senate will clearly put the admins
tration in a hole. For that reason, all
possible influence will doubtless be
brought to bear on the committee
which will tonight consider the sem
ate bill.
In the senate last Saturday. the jul
dicial apportionment bill was recon-
mended, considered and passed in
something less than two hours. I'm
mediately, a strong and persistent
lobby started to Topeka. This lobby
came frCm every section of the state
and from the homes of the members
of the legislature. Not only did the
district judges come in person to pro
test against being Iegislated bodily out
of a job or having new territory an
nexed to their districts. but they
brought with them their lawyer
friends and not uncertain expressions
from their constituents.
So the house committee met and
looked over the senate bill. There was
more or less general tendency to
bury the bill without the rites of
clergy. But administration followers
protested. AS a result the committee
adjourned to meet tonight.
Lobby Has Been Busy.
In the meantime both the admin
istratiOn and the lobby have been
busy. The lobby has been creating a
most genuinely unkind feeling toward
the senate bill. On the other hand,
the administration has been working
over provisions of a substitute bill.
This is today the program of the
administration in the house. They
propose, if possible, to crowd through
the committee bill that will receive
a respectful hearing on the floor.
Then. with the influence of a caucus
it is hoped to whip into line enough
members to pass the bill. That will
check the house bill up to the senate
for action in the closing hours of the
session.
THERE'S admittedly no hope. that
the bill will become a law. But the
move is good politics. 1t will help the
Republican house out of a most deli
cate situation. That body will not be
forced to defeat the senate bill in the
committee or on the floor. With
soft words to the effect that a sub
stitute bill cannot become a law at
this session, anyhow. it is hoped to
pass the substituted the committee
will stand for it.
Two years ago the Republicans in
the house helped the Democrats pass
a judicial apportiQQment bill which
was duly killed in the senate. This
year the senate checked the matter
pack to the house. Now the question
has become a fight of the house and
senate strategy boards. Neither the
mousse nor senate members expect a
judicial apportionment at this session
But the proposition was recon-
mended in the governors message and
is an administration pledge. So there
you are.
And yet.
Well. there is just that possibility
that the senate might call the house
biuff-assuming that the substitute
should be recommended tonight-and
pass the house bill.