The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-01-10
Laing After Fair Distribution
of All State Funds.
He Wanted Members With In
situations in Districts Barred.
BUT SLATE WENT THRU 0. K.
Wilson Compromise Motion
Carried by just One Vote.
Huffman Led Fight on the
Laing Proposition.

The senate had it's first tangle just
before noon today-over the question
as to whether or not senators repre-
senting districts in which there are
state institutions should be permitted
to serve on the ways and means COM
mittee. The net result of the fight
which was closets to lis, that the
three senators living in such districts
who were slated for jobs on the ways
and means committee, land their jobs.
The point was raised following
motion by Paulen, of Wilson, chairman
of the rules committee, to adopt the
report of the committee. which report
provided the rules for the present ses-
sion.
Laing of Russell, offered an amend
ment to the report providing that no
senators representing districts in
which state institutions are located
should serve as members of the ways
and means committee. He made
talk in support of his motion after it
had been seconded by Satterthwaite,
OF Butler.
seeking E'airer Distribution.
! Laing did not use the word log
rolling but hesleft the impression that
state money would receive fairer
distribution among the institutions'+f
no senators from districts where they
were located had part in the distribu-
ton.
There is nothing personal in this"
he said, ''aS a matter of fact If my
amendment goes thru it will deprive
me of a place on the ways and means
committee because there is a small
state institution in my district.
Huffman, of Cherokee, opposed the
amendment on the ground that the
members of the Kansas senate are big
enough to appropriate money where it
OF n r.
sonal desires. However, he gave Sen
ator Laing credit with being honest ana
sincere in his attitude.
What looked like a solution of the
matter was offered by Barr of Bour-
bon. He offered an amendment to
the amendment substituting the word
county for district, making the
amendment provide. that no senator
living in the same county where
state institution is located should be a
member of the ways and means COM
mittee.
Bar Desirable Men.
ITO make it apply to a district
would be unfair, to my mind" said
Senator Barr. THE committee that
makes the appropriations needs good
men upon it and 1 believe the original
amendment would cut out some of the
most desirable men the committee
could have"
Wilson of Washington then offered
a substitute for both amendments. He
proposed that the rules be amended
in such manner that not more than
three senators living in districts having
state institutions should be members
of the ways and means committee.
The Barr amendment was with
drawn in face of the Wilson substitute,
by the maker.
After considerable argument among
members, part of it public and part
, 10 arD IN lSaT on he IL
son substitute and it carried by one
vote. Upon a standing vote the count
was Is for to II against.
A moment later the chairman of the
committee on committees, Paulen of
Wilson offered his report, which in
cluded the membership of the ways
and means committee. In its MEM
bership are three senators who live in
districts in which are located state in
situations.
fourteen Bills Introduced.
Fourteen bills were introduced at
the afternoon session of the senate to-
day The third bill introduced was by
Senator Schoch of Topeka; a measure
relating to the probating of Wills
Seven of the fourteen were fathered by
Baxter McClain of Allen county. Fol-
lowing the reading of the bills a par
tial announcement of the appointment
I of senate employees was made. Those
named in the announcement were:
| Assistant secretary, w. r. HILL assist
ant ergeant-at-arms, p. C. Colvin, p
Ross and Nate E. Needham; docket
clerk, J. NJ. Best: journal clerk, Lee
Samuels; assistant postmaster. George
Blackwood; pages. NJ. j. Binnie VIM
! Cowden. J. J. Bone, Jr.; doorkeeper,
/ Elliott T. Mooree, assistant doorkeep-
ers. J. F. Nigh and Yves Page; bill
clerk, Marian Hall; cloak room assist
ant, Tom Ganoway; janitor. George
! Brown: attendant in ladies' gallery.
Mrs Fannie Evans; telephone clerk,
Nina Campbell