The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-03-08
House Saws Wood While Sem
ate Works FranticalIy.
Looks Now as Tho Recess VIII
Come at Midnight.
MANY GONE HOME ALREADY
Very Few Will Be in Topeka
Until Sine Die Adjournment.
Only One Constitutional PrOyi-
sion Before VOtersg

Leaders i'm both house and SEN
ate agreed this afternoon to con-
clude consideration of all bills to-
night Should the senate fail TO
complete its work. the house NAV
consent to recess for a short Friday
session. The house has practically
completed its work and is waiting
for conference reports.
Kansas lawmakers may quit maxi
ing laws at midnight tonight. Again,
they may not. The house is today
saving wood waiting for the senate
to clean it's calendar and set a time
for going home. Today's session is
practically a recess meeting. The leg
islature may recess at midnight to-
night and it may decide to go home.
Sine die adjournment will come next
WedL esday, March IA.
This is the fitty-ninth day of the
1917 legislative session. In spite of the
much advertised fact that the legisla-
ture is going home on time, the rec
ords do not bear out the statements
Legislators and house and senate en-
ployes drew their fifty days pay last
week and if the lawmakers continue
in session tomorrow. it will be the six
ueth day of the active session. BY
computing time, Sundays and holidays
are included. But the tax payers
paid the lawmakers, clerks and stem
ographers for Sunday and holiday
work. Hence, the computation that
this is the fifty-ninth day of the ses-
sion.
Ahead of Senate.
House members, for the first time
ra ia 81 nf "a
senate. Usually the upper house, with
a smaller better organized body,
transacts its business much sooner
than the lower house. After the first
few weeks the senate lags until the
house can send material on which to
work. During the early days of the
session, the senate meetings are mere
formal, perfunctory gatherings. the
upper house solons giving the house
a chance to get under way.
This year. tho, conditions are diff
ferent. Too much oratory in the SEN
ate is responsible for the condition.
The senate has devoted hours and
days TO speech making, while the
house plodded along and piled up bulk
roll calls in an effort to clear its cal
endar. Now the house is ready TO
go home and the senate faces a heavy
calendar. Had the senate made its
usual record this year, the 1917 legis-
lative session would have been at an
end today and consideration of bills
would have ceased at midnight We'd
nesday. Instead, the senate messaged
to the house its desire for more time.
Officially, the legislature will adj
journ next Wednesday. That date will
be held in all probability. whether the
legislature abandons consideration of
bills tonight or receSseS until Friday.
Three days are required under the
law in which the governor MY sign
bills and send messages to the iegisla-
ture. a Friday session would give
Givernor Capper Saturday, Monday,
Tuesday and Wednesday in which 10
take action on enactments which have
not been enrolled and sent TO his desk.
Many Are Missing Now.
Few of the shouse or senate menu
bers will remain in Topeka until sine
die adjournment. Today a number of
members were missing in the house
and more will be absent if & session IS
held Friday. Many of the members
now plan to remain in Topeka until
house and senate and members of the
Shawnee county delegation will stay
for final adjournment, however
Bills on the calendars today are in
the main of minor importance Re-
vision committees in both houses
have advanced the more important
measures and the decks have now
been cleared of all except local bills
or measures of slight general con-
Germ.
With the session practically ended.
it seems certain that just one consti-
tutional provision will go before the
voters for ratification in 1918. That
measure is the mill tax provision. The
proposed amendment provides that a
maximum of one mill tax may be
levied by the state for support OF the
big state schools. The distribution OF
the tax, however, will remain in the
hands of the legislature, which may
limit allowances as under existing
conditions, but cannot provide appro-
priations which would call for a state
school tax levy of more than one mill
for any calendar year.