The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-02-20
SPEED UP COUNTS
House Committee Favorable to
Voting Machine Bill.
1t Provides Way for the Buying
of Them by Counties.
CONVENTION BILL is KILLED
Kansas Will Have To Be Salts
fled With Primary Law.
p. L. c. May Have to Make De.
cisiOns in a Specified Time.

Kansas cities may use voting ma
chimes in 1918 if the legislature ap
proves the Robert Stone bill which
today came from the house elections
committee with a favorable report.
Under the bill as approved by the
mouse committee, Kansas towns, cities
and counties may vote bonds or make
special tax levies for the purchase of
voting machines.
Two years ago the state legislature
enacted voting machine law. The
measure permitted cities, townships
and counties to use voting machines
But that was all There was no pro-
vision in the law regarding the meth
cd to be pursued in purchasing, rent
ing or leasing the machines. AS a
result Kansas gathered her 1916 cleo
ton returns in the Anticipated manner
and returns were coming to Topeka a
week or ten days after the election.
! Now there is a prospect for mod
ern election methods, especially in
! the larger towns and cities of the
state. The bill introduced by Stone
| of Shawnee county, provides methods
| for buying, renting or leasing ma
chimes. Under provisions of the
measure, a special election may be
called to vote on the voting machine
question. Or. if city or county Off
Gals prefer, the question may be sub
mitted at a regular election. Provi-
| sion is made under the Stone bill
| which will permit cities, counties and
| townships to issue bonds or make spe-
| cial tax levies for the adoption of
modern voting methods.
Kill Another Convention Bill.
While the house elections commit
| tee sent back a favorable report on
| the voting machine measure, 1t also
| took a second swat at an effort to
l fotn xrrida a T. "
| A bill by D. H. Stone. of Lyon coun-
| ty, provided for county primaries for
| the election of delegates to county.
I district and state conventions. The
| measure meant a return to the con-
vention system of nominating candi-
dates for county, district and state
offices The committee reported ad-
versely on the bill and efforts to abol-
| ish the primary are dead for this
session.
p. U. c. Must Decide.
The house today passed'a bill COM
| pelling the public utilities commits
sion to decide utilities cases within
eleven months after testimony is sub
mitted Thru it's employees and friends
in the legislature, the commission
made a hard fight on the bill On
final passage the measure received 65
votes, while forty-Seven members
voted in the negative.
One of the favorite indoor sports of
the state commission has been to hear
cases and forget to decide them. The
passenger rate case, filed two years
ago last fall, is undecided and num-
Der of cases in which decision are long
past due, have seemingly been forgot
ten. Under the measure passed by
the house the commission will be
forced to take action
Must Come Home to Vote.
Congressman and United States
senators must come home to vote
The house elections committee has
killed the bill by Senator Metcalf per-
hitting members of the Kansas dele
CATION to vote in Washington. Sen
ator Metcalf's bill passed the upper
house. only to be killed in a commit
tee when it reached the west end OF
the state house.
Will Retain Colby Station.
A house bill providing that the
state shall deed back the Colby ex-
pertinent station, has been killed by
the committee on public lands. Il
was the program of the administra-
station and a bill was introduced pro-
back to the county. The house COM
mittee killed the bill and appro-
priation for the Colby plant may be
asked before the close of the session
Budget System Out.
The Mack bill providing for a bud.
get system for state institutions ha:
been reported favorably in the house
Several slight amendments were in.
serted by the committee and the bill
will go to the calendar under genera
orders.