The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-02-15
Kansas Takes Another Slap at
Old John BarleycOrn.
Proposed Law Would Make
Drinking Sign of Insanity.
GRAIN BILL IS HELD UP
Funds of Department Misappro-
priated, Getty Asserts.
Efforts to Push Forward $780,
600 Appropriation Dropped.

Petween the bone-dry bill and bill
introduced in the senate today by the
committee on temperance and hygiene
the drunkard has about as much
chance in Kansas as rabbit at a dog
social.
If the 'bone-dry bill passes he'll hope
to die and if it doesn't pass and the
bill introduced today does, he may be
sent to the insane asylum.
The bill empowers courts to adjudge
drunkards insane and send them to
the state hospitals for the insane for
treatment. The police court records
of Topeka show about thirty habituai
drunkards who are on the books and
in the bull pen regularly About
twice a week catches them Some-
times they miss one spree but make
up for it by the energy and deter
mination they devote TO the next one.
Under the law introduced by the
committee, these persons may be sent
TO the state hospital as easily as to
Jail. The joint authors of the bill as
sumed the attitude that the man who
cannot or does not curb his appetite
for booze is crazy, and as such should
be treated the same as any other class
of lunatics.
The bill also applies to drug fiends-
They may be sent to state institutions
also.
Getty After Grain Inspectors.
The charge that large amounts of
money is being used by the state grain
inspection department in violation or
the law, was made on the floor OF the
senate today by Senator Getty, o.
Wyandotte. He stated that he per
sonally knew this to be true.
Nothing further developed along
that line but the hackers of the bill
which brought out the charge Instant
w ceased their efforts to push it for
ward on the calendar.
The bill provides for the transfer of
funds to the state grain inspection de-
partment. 1t is a senate substitute for
a house bill and was introduced by
the ways and means committee. Sem
ator Wilson, chairman of the commit
tee, had made the necessary motions
to emergency the bill forward so il
would not be lost in the shuttle when
the revision committee gets to work.
II want to know more about this bill
before it is considered" declared Sem
ator Getty. Il am opposed to this
method of running bills thru the body
up to the point of consideration in
the committee of the whole without
giving senators a chance to under
stand them.
Law Is Violated.
Il want to see what this bill does
| for the reason that 1 personally know
that a large amount of this money is
| being used in direct violation of the
| law by maintaining a grain inspection
department in the state of Missouri"
The bill appropriates $4,000 and
all fees collected by the departments
for each of the next two years, to the
state grain-inspection revolving fund.
| Then 1t provides that the treasurer of
state shall transfer all in excess of
] $4,000 in the revolving fund at the
close of each year, back to the gen.
eral revenue fund.
Safety First Road Bill.
Senator Schoch of Shawnee, put
| thru on final passage today bill re-
quiring the placing of warning signs
| on roads leading to places obstructed
| by public works. The bill requires
that the contractor building a bridge,
culvert or building road which
blocks traffic on public road shall
place a sign at the intersections lead
ing to the road warning the public
II believe every senator has had the
experience l have,'' said Senator
Schoch, "of driving half a mile or SO
along a country road only to find it
| blocked by some public work. The
! signs provided for in this bill would
warn the driver and he could take
another route without losing time and
without going to extra trouble"
The bill calls for a warning sign in
black letters on white background,
| the letters to be four inches high. the
signs to be placed at road intersec-
tons The penalty for failure to COM
ply is fine of from $40 to 500.