The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-01-19
KILL EN- QUIETLY
Senate Committees Are Doom
Chambers for Many Bills.
Members Bury Measures, Then
Say Nothing About 1t.
1T IS A PAINLESS METHOD
Only Four Proposed Laws Have
Come Out UnfavOrably.
Only Is Have So Far Been Rec
commended for Passage.


that while nearly 200 bills have been
introduced and referred to commit
tees; that while the committees nave
been grinding away at two meetings
day, woefully small NUMBER OF pllls
has been reported back senators are
becoming suspicious.
1t is true that committees nave an
nounced the deceaSe of only four pllls
but it is also true that they nave rec
commended for passage only eighteen.
Every one who has seen the senate
committees at work knows they nave
not devoted all their time in commit
tee rooms to the consideration OF the
twenty-five bills upon which reports
have been returned.
Committees Heartless.
The suspicion is growing daily that
the senate committees are even more
heartleSS than the house committees
and that the wanton slaughter has
been greater but that the senate chair
men are possessed of greater finesse
When a bill meets with the disapprOv-
al of a majority of the committee in
the house it is reported back with the
recommendation that it be not passed
The belief is forcing itself upon the
senators that when a bill meets with
the disapproval of a majority of the
committee it is simply slipped under
pile of other bills and forgotten.
| One plan is just as effective as the
| other and the senate plan is far more
considerate of the author. 1t is prac-
tically painless. He may inquire of a
committee member and learn what the
fate of his bill has been and if he
wants to start a fight he has that
right. But if his measure is hopeless
| " dead and he knows it, it is less try
| ing to have the committee put it to
sleep quietly than to publish it to the
world thru the calendar that it has
been put to death.
The more important bills will of
| I.
reported with recommendation for
passage or to the contrary.
Senator James Malone of Rawlins
county, travels farther than any other
member of the senate to get to Topeka.
He passes thru Nebraska and Missouri
getting here and his mileage ticket
shows more than four hundred miles
for one way. Senators have been re-
quired to turn in their bills for mileage
! and Senator Malone draws more than
any other member. His total will be
$146.50. Senator Schoch of Shawnee,
turned in no mileage.
OF the four bills killed by senate
committees to date, one was by Sem
ator McClain of Allen, providing for
| the opening up of judgments, another
of McClain's relating to wills, a bill by
Senator Smith of Cowley, relating to
fair associations, and one by Senator
drainage districts. This is the list Of
f1cially killed in the senate but the
probabilities are there are forty or
fifty more unofficially dead.
The state labor committee. repre-
Senting the organized workers of Kan
sas, has adopted resolution protest
ing against any measures introduced
IN the legislature providing for COM
pulsory arbitration of labor disputes.
The committee has also adopted res
| olutlon declaring it does not believe
the eight-hour law for women and the
minimum wage law should be pre-
Sented at this session of the IegisIatu
! because the committee has endorsed
the present industrial welfare commits
I sion law. The committee is holding
daily meetings at the office of the
state labor commissioner.
The following measures already in
| troduced either N the house or the
senate are endorsed by the state labor
/ committee which has been on the lob
since the session began:
| H. B. No. 51-By Travis; An act
directing the state librarian to furnish
the department Of labor and industry
with reports of supreme court ami
court of appeals for use in labor de-
partment office.
S. B. No. 114-By Huffman: An
act to amend section 1O417 and 1O413
of the general statutes of 1915, pro-
viding for the appointment of deputies
and assistants in the department of
labor and industry end fixing the sal
airy of commissioner of labor and in
dustry describing the duties and pow
ers and, fixing the salaries of certain
offices, named herein, and repeating
said original sections.
H. B. No. 103-s3y Travis: An act
creating state employment bureau,
defining its powers and duties.
H B. No 104-By Travis: An &C.
defining and relating to private en-
ployment agencies, prescribing penal
ties fer the violation thereof.
H. B. No. 115-By Chase: An act
providing for furnishing textbooks at
public expense for the use of pupils
in the public schools.
s. B. No. by Montee: An act
to compel the payment in lawful mon
ey of the United States of all time
checks, due bills, script orders orr or
ders for merchandise issued in pay
ment of wages for labor.
Senate Concurrent Resolution No.
BY Montee: Relating to and call
ing for a report of the mine inspection
department. particularly the Stone
City disaster of December Is, 1915.
s. B. No. 100-By Montee: An act
relating to the operation of any cleo
trio and interurban railroad and rail-
ways designating number of trainmen
required in certain cases.
s. B. No. 16-By Huffman: An act
r6latlnS TO the tHSpeCllOH Oh IdClOTlSS
defining the powers and duties of the
i commissioner of labor and industry
his deputies, assistants and special
agents.
s. B. No. 16S-By Nighswonger:
An act relating to the inspection OF
steam boilers and for the appointment
of a state inspector of boilers. and pro-
] viding penalties for violation thereof
Senate Concurrent Resolution No. &
by Kanavel: Relating to amending
the constitution relative to compensa-
ton of member of the legislature
The senate resolved itself into the
committee of the whole Thursday aft
ernoon for the first time since the
present session began. There were