The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-01-08
Tomorrow Opens Thirty-Sev<
enth General Conference.
Governor Capper's Message To
Be Read Wednesday.
KEEkE SPEAKER OF HOUSE
Fort Scott Lawyer VIII Be
Chosen by AcclamatiOn.
Walter A. Layton of Osborne
Certain of Speaker Pro TEN.
HUFFMAN TO HEAD SENATE
Cherokee Man Assured of Elec-
ton to Presidency Pro Tenn.
Francis Price at Head of the
judiciary Committee.
Fort Scott Lawyer VIII Be
Chosen by AccIamation.
Walter A. Layton of Osborne
Certain of Speaker Pro TEN.
HUFFMAN TO HEAD SENATE
Cherokee Man Assured of Elec-
ton to Presidency Pro TEN.
Francis Price at Head of the
Judiciary Committee.

Kansas legislators-there are 165 OF
them. counting two Socialists-are to-
day sitting on the side lines waiting
for the whistle which will Tuesday
noon start the kickoff for the 1917
Legislative session. After busy Sum
day in which they held many informal
caucuses, lodged job hunters and
planned for the 1918 campaigns, the
lawma kers today lined for the inaus-
oral and took final accounting before
they entered the house and senatorial
caucuses The caucuses will be held
this afternoon, with the formal OPEN
ing of the legislature Tuesday noon.
Governor Capper's message will be
read Wednesday morning.
The opening of the 1917 session is
featureless and colcrless. In both
houses the Republicans are strongly in
control Added 10 the lack of party
fights, is a decided absence of fac
tional troubles Both houses promise
to convene without a real contest for
committee assignments. Organization
plans have been thoroly cut and dried
and placed in storage. The contests
for important jobs in the two houses
have failed to detract from the Serenes
calm and even-tempered lawmakers
busy in the hotel Hobbies and iegisla-
tive halls. But no one is excited about
it.
Keene to Be Speaker.
This afternoon A. NJ. Keene of Fort
Scott will be named as speaker of the
house His nomination will come in
the Republican caucus late this after
noon without opposition. All opposi-
ton to Keene faded in the early legis-
lative lobbying and the nomination of
the Fort Scott lawyer is to be by ac-
ella mation
While Kecne is assured the speak
ership, Walter A. Layton of Osborne
is almost equally certain of the pro
tenn job. Gilman of Leavenworth step
ped from the speakership fight. Fol-
lowing this move, Wilmoth of Cloud
dropped from the fight for speaker
pro tenn.
In the senate. the Republican eau
Gus will this afternoon name Senator
c. S. Huffman of Cherokee county as
president pro tenn. A committee on
committees composed of one member
from each district. will be appointed
by w. Y. Morgan, lieutenant governor
and president of the upper house.
Much of the work of this COMMITTEES
is already ironed out. Senator Francis
c. Price will be at the head of the ju-
dietary committee without contest.
Senator Walter Wilson of Washington
seems certain of the Craftsmanship OF
the ways and means committee, while
Senator Kanavcl of Harvey is slated
for the railroad committee. Senator
Barr of Bourbon for the roads and
highways committee, Senator Myers OF
Clay or Senator Snyder of Leaven-
worth for the banking committee.
Senator Terrell of Chautauqua for the
committee on assessment and taxation,
Senator Plumb of Lyon for the live
stock committee and Senator Wark Of
Montgomery for the committee on oil
and gas. Senator Montee of Craw-
ford will probably head the mining
committee. while Senator PauIen of
Wilson may be chairman of the cleo
tions committee. The printing COM
mittee Craftsmanship is expected TO go
to Senator Satterthwaite of Butler.
while Senator Milligan of Anderson
Will head the committee on public
health and hygiene.
Little Contest for Chairmen.
There is little contest among mem-
bers of either house for committee
chair,nenships. AS result the fights
of former sessions are missing in the
organization of the new legislature