The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-01-27

After three weeks in active session
the Kansas legislature has indicated
that it is not going any place in par
ticular 1t has passed six bills-one
of which is now in court--has dis
played no undue concern regarding
administration policies and is waiting
patiently for the end of the fifty days
with, a fervent prayer that adjourn
ment may come at any time.
Both houses have displayed an UNI
usual lack of leadership in legislative
matters and in the main the session
has been as thrilling as an afternoon
tea party. Such really important ad-
miniStration measures as have been
introduced are lying idly in committee
rooms or are scattered thruout the
calendars far from the statute book.
Not once during the session has the
minority shown it's teeth and on the
ono opportunity to do something
the fight on the Stone budget resolu-
tion-the house minority was as well
organized as an over night uprising
Number of Bills.
The house and senate to date have
Originated $50 bills-the house lead
ing with a total of AGO against $40
by the senate. OF these bills, 557 are
in the hands of the committees
probably half of these bills destined
endars by a wide margin.
From the bills submitted, conSid-
cred and reported the legislative COM
mittees have placed 1877 to rest for
been started on their way to final
passage, the senate having passed
original bills, while 81 have met ap-
prevail in the house. But applying
the rules of other days, there is very
strong chance that many of these bills
will hnv
turn from the opposite end of the
state house, the stranguIation PROCESS
including such tender treatment as
removal of an enacting clause, substi-
tuition or rejection thru failure to re-
ceive a ma ority vote.
Viewed from the standpoint of OBJ
servers, the 1917 legislature is prob
ably good average. But it has been
a disappointment to the men who ex-
pected the development of leaders.
Except among the old timers in the
game, there is positive lack of lead
ership in either house. OF course the
legislature will be here until early in
March and there is yet time for devel-
opment-> The process to date, though,
has been slow and tedious.
Little democratic Organization.
Among the Democrats there is
scarce a faint semblance of organiza-
ton. One third house member re-
marked this week that the Democrat
organization was a fourteenth carbon
of the palmy days of "Ironjaw
Brown, Bale Waggener, Taylor Rid
die and Davis of Bourbon-"and the
copy SO dim as to require a strong
glass;" was the closing reference. The
minority doubtless came to Topeka
with high purposes and pure motives
But to date it has created less disturb
ance than a canary on a kitten farm.
Some of the big administration
measures may get under the guns
next week In which event something
might happen. But the happening
must clearly come from the majority
rather than the minority. The man
ner in which the legislature will per-
form under the administrators plan
for a constitutional convention, one
man form of city government, consol-
idation of boards and other measures
is at this time quite uncertain. There
are mutterings among members in the
Republican fold. But mutterings in
the cloak rooms and hotel Hobbies do
not always mean votes on roll call.
One Real Smart Play.
just one really smart play has been
seen in the legislature to date. That