The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-12-16
1917 Session VIII Open With
No Course of Action.
TO IMPROVE STATE HOUSE
One More Attempt to Wipe Out
Old Disgrace.
State journal Takes Poll of
Legislative Plans.


1917 legislature are coming to Topeka
next month without positive or def
mite program. A majority of the mem
bers will probably take some stand re-
garding the eight or ten dominant
measures to be presented during the
session, but in the main the legislature
will assemble without clearly defined
course of action.
Not in years has there been so much
indeeision or random guessing among
legislative members as to the needs of
the state. Recently the State Journal
has received responses from $50 of the
165 members relative to their plan of
action in the coming session More
than so of these members either failed
to mention one measure they would
champion or frankly stated that they
would come to the legislature without
a clear cut plan of action
For Good Roads.
Nearly all of the newesenate and
house members who defined their pro-
posed action in the session, spoke OF
good road laws. That is seemingly
the one big, pet hobby of the 1917 ses-
sion. dozen plans for better state
wide system of highways has been ad-
vanced by the men who will aid IN
writing the new session laws. Several
members will come to the session with
provisions for constitutional amend
ments permitting the state to engage
in internal improvements and to re-
ceive federal aid in promoting gen
eraI permanent road building program
Consultations of state boards and
commissioners, amendments TO the
mothers pension law, repairs for the
primary election law. working OF state
and county prisoners on pubic nlgn-
ways promotion of the Terrens land
title registration system. adoption or a
budget system and amendments to the
workmen's compensation act are some
of the proposed enactments that have
seemingly met with the greatest ravor
among the law makers
Deal With GeneraIities.
! Absence of a clear cut issue between
/ the Republicans and Democrats in
/ their state platforms last fall is prob
! ably responsible for the short crop OF
important bills. Both the Republicans
and Democrats wrote pleasant sound
4 ing generalities in their platforms and
the legislative members who have
| looked over the platforms, failed to
| find opportunity for extensive or gen.
eral legislation.
The Republican party council de-
feated Governor Cappers plan to
place common carrier receiverships
under j. Bristow and his public utili-
4 ties commission But the idea APP
peaIed strongly to the Democrats and
they gave the plank next to pure
1 form. A. A. Doerr of Larned will
champion the bill for the Democrats
when he comes to the senate next
month. Doerr will also urge free text
4 announced preparation of a bill to
make all except constitutional state
and county officials appointive-
A. C. Nelson of Neosho county. also
a Democrat, will introduce a bill pro-
viding that the state shall spend few
! dn1I in
prevention campaign. Drainage legis-
lation will be the dominant event with
Nelson in the coming session.
Three house members-Noble, Mar
tin of Reno and Brown of Greenwood
want the primary law repealed.
Aug. V. Anderson, senator-elect
from the Salina-Ottawa district. wants
a law that will permit cities and coun-
ties to deal with the I. w. w. harvest
field visitors in a manner that best
becomes local conditions. Anderson
was formerly sheriff of Saline county.
His experience with the l. w w.
visitors convinced him state legislation
was necessary to meet the condition
| and his program was incorporated in
his campaign pledge.
Improve State House.
W. A. S. Bird of Topeka will go
into the legislature with the idea that
the state can profitably care for its
own property. Bird will introduce
bills for improvements of the state
house, rebuilding the east wing, light
ing state house dome and sufficient
appropriations to maintain the prop
erty.
The Shawnee county man will also
introduce a sterilization bill and
amendments to the existing child well
fare legislation.
y. D. Thompson. who comes from
Morton county for second term
ing prohibition Thompson, who is g
Democrat, favors almost any punish
ment for liquor law violators ant
wants first offenders and all other Of
tenders sent to the state penitentiary
Walter A Layton of Osborne, Re
publican and probable speaker pro
tenn, will urge creation of a state i'm
; migration bureau. amendments to ru
raj school laws and amendments tt
existing tax laws.
| Nick Johnson, elected to the houss
from Fl .nklin county, wants a Law
that will compel tramps and vagrant.
to perform manual labor on the pub
. lie highways.
, Legislation providing for competi
. tive markets for farmers and stock
, men will be introduced by A L vii
. moth of Cloud county. Republican.
Convicts on Highways.
: The honor system among convict
: working on public Highways Law
similar to the Colorado act-will b,
proposed by E. W. Jeffrey of Chas
county.
Leroy Highlands, blind rnembe
from Harper county, will again urg
the passage of the nitrate of silve
law
Frank L. Martin, returning from
r Reno county, will urge the wiping gu
= Of party lines in the house He de
clares One of the most disgustini
: ri Of he . n
Z division of house members on part
D lines and distribution of seats in ae
: cord with party affiliations of individ
I ual members
George w Day of Meade count
3 will introduce bill providing for tn