The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-02-07
THEY CAN'T VOTE
Foreigners Must Learn English
to Become Enfranchised.
Bill Granting Special Privilege
Is Killed by the Senate.

The people out in the district OF
Senator Laing of Russell, who, &C
cording to his statement, have been
too busy accommodating this worlds
material things since they came to
America to learn the English IAN
guage must continue disfranchlsed
The senate Tuesday afternoon killed
his bill providing assistance for them
by a vote of "A for to % against.
The bill was really killed by Getty
of Wyandotte. Half a dozen times in
the last week when the senate was
ready to take up the Laing bill for
considera ton Getty found some ex-
cuse for delay. Finally it went thru
the committee of the whole and was
recommended for passage. But Getty
saw to it that the recommendation
permitted of amendment and debate.
When the bill came up Tuesday he
made another speech against it, He
declared that one of the smallest
things foreigners could do upon com
ing to this country was to learn the
English language ara that failing to
demonstrate their patriotism to that
extent they should not be permitted
to vote.
Senator Laing made another argu-
ment for his bill. He-stated that at
the last election many of his con-
stituents, foreign born, went into the
booths, were not able to read the
names of the men for whom they
wished to vote and came-out without
voting. His bill provided for the aid
of the clerk and judge in such cases.
The following bills were recon-
mended for passage in the senate COM
mittee of the whole Tuesday after
noon:
senate bill No. sos, by Senator Met
calf, enables Kansans employed in gov
eminent work in Washington, to vote
in Washington.
Senator bill No. 1872, by Senator
Getty, provides for appointment of
three commissioners on uniform state
laws to be appointed by the governor
to represent the state in conference
with commissioners from other states
working to secure uniform state legis-
| lation.
Senate bill No. pa, by Senator
! Schoch, extends the period of minor
ity for females to 81 years.
Senate bill No. 176, by Senator
Schoch, provides that courts of this
state shall take judicial notice of the
constitution and public statutes of
other states, and of officially reported
| decisions of their courts.
Senate bill No. 27S, by Senator Met
| calf, appropriates $1,8S6 for state
| share of Maple Grove drainage district
| expense in Douglas county.
| Senate bill No. 4S, by Judiciary COM
| mittee, allows change of venue in
criminal cases on proper application.
Senate bill No. 274 by Senator
Getty, provides for appointment of
| two deputy county attorneys in Wyan-
| dotte county.
Senate bill No. 241. by Senator
| Doerr. places dairy herds of all state
institutions under supervision of pro-
| feSSor of dairy husbandry of Kansas
Agricultural college
Senate bill No. 267, by Senator Huff
man, changes time of medical board
of examination to third Tuesday in
| June, so as not to conflict with grad
uation exercises of medical schools.
The senate also passed three bills
on third reading, one of which. house
| bill No 40, goes to the governor for
his signature.
This measure, by Paul of Marshall
| enables counties to pay present indebt-
edness by issuing of county funding
bonds
Senate bill No. 231, by Senator
Pomeroy, provides a form of proceed
IRE by which district courts may wind
up the affairs of old insolvent corpor-
ations.
Senate bill No. 173. by Senate,
Schoch. was repassed after minor
amendments were made. 1t requires
corporations to keep a record of Their
stock.
The good roads bills. the one in
troduced by the senate committee or
roads and bridges and the one intro.
duced by Senator Milligan of Ander.
son county, have been made a specia1
order for 1890 o'clock Monday morn.
ing. The committee bridge bill has
been made a special order for Tues.
day morning at 1920 o'clock.
The lead production of Missouri is ar
important item in the states industrial de
velopment, the product last year totallina
195.634 toms