The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-02-20
He ALMOST DID IT
MOntee Nearly Succeeded in
Having Pass Law Repealed.
Half of Senate Voted for 1t Be-
fore Discovering Joker.

About half the senate voted Mon
day afternoon to repeal the anti-pass
law placed on the statute books ten
years ago. Montee-Senator Montee
of Crawford-gave the senate the
chance but because of a fluke the
joker was discovered before the vote
was taken.
The senate was considering in COM
mittee of the whole a bill introduced
by Senator Myers of Clay, adding
wives of railroad employees on the
retired list" to those entitled to passes.
The bill had been amended by adding
also eX-employes seeking employment
on d railroad, when Montee sent up an
amendment.
His amendment was to the title of
the bill. He made it read amending
section 1921 and repeating section
1922 of the General Statutes of 1915"
What is this amendment ?" asked
Chairman Thompson.
Just what it says" replied Senator
Montee. Il want the title amended so
as to repeal section $500"
Chairman Thompson continued to
ask questions. altho Senator Montee
had made his motion to adopt his
amendment. The motion was not put
and finally the chairman asked point
edlXs what the section repealed re-
ferred to-
why, it repeats the anti-pass
law" said Senator Montee
The senate laughed.
DO you insist upon your motion -
asked the chair.
Il certainly do" said Senator Mon
tee
The motion was put and about half
the senate voted for Montee's motion
altho no one went on record Chair
man Thompson held that the motion
lost.
The Kansas hotel law was re-enact-
ed Monday afternoon by the senate
and that provision relating to the
plasterlng of carpets and furniture
was revamped. That and the fact
that the original law left the word
restaurant" out was responsible for
the rc-enactment. With the insertion
of three lines left out when the law
was first passed four years ago and
the word restaurant" inserted the
bill recommended for passage Monday
is the old law doctored up.
But for the vote of Senator Thomp-
son, of Reno, chairman of the com
mittee of the whole, the senate would
have voted Monday afternoon to raise
the salaries of the secretary of state,
the state printer, the state auditor
and the superintendent of insurance
to $4,000 a year. They now receive
$1,000 a year.
When the bill came up for consider
alton Senator Sutton moved that the
enacting clause be stricken out for
the reason that the house ways and
means committee had been designat-
ed as the body to fix the state house
budget.
Senator Anspaugh, chairman of the
fees and salaries committee which in
troduced the bill, defended the meas
ure. He read statistics from other
states showing that Kansas pays her
public officers less than any of the
surrounding states.
AS a joke Senator Kanavel, of Har-
vey offered an amendment providing
$500 a year for senators and repre-
sentatives. Anspaugh moved as a
substitute that the committee report
the bill back with the recommended
ton that it be passed. His motion
| lost.
Then vote was taken on the mo-
ton to strike out the enacting clause.
1t was a tie vote.
viii the president protein inform
the chair as to the proper procedure
in case of a tie vote?'' asked Senator
Thompson from the chair.
The chair has a right to vote" said
the president pro tenn.
Ine chair votes to strike out the