The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-12-27
is BACK ON JOB
Governor Talks About Special
Legislature Today.
He's Anxious To Give Sammies
in France Ballot.
WANTS TO SAVE MONEY, TOO
Sentiment ON Extra Session Is
Evenly Divided.
Many Would Limit Legislation
to Emergency Measures.
WANTS TO SAVE MONEY, TOO

Legislative sentiment concerning
special session continued today to
show an almost equal division. ac-
cording to a report of letters received
by Governor Capper. Several mem
bers have offered to volunteer their
services in event of a special session.
A number of members have urged that
lawmakers limit all enactments to
emergency measures and that local
bills be eliminated from consideration
in event a special session is called.
Probably one-half of the legislative
members have answered the COVER
nor's request for an expression as to
the justification of a special session.
Emergency legislation permitting Kan
saS soldiers overseas to vote, state
provisions TO" home defenses and an
emergency fund for state institutions
and war emergencies are matters
witch have brought the greatest senti-
ment for a special session call.
Slightly less than half of the members
who have answered the governors in
qHiry have favored a special session
for the single purpose of ratifying the
national prohibition amendment The
majority of members. tho, are said to
favor a special call in event business
other than ratification o. national pro-
hibition demands attention.
Governor Back on Job.
/ Governor Capper returned to his
office today after a couple of days in
Red Cross work in Rocks and Os-
borne counties. He IS giving earnest
and serious consideration to the spe-
cial session problem, but may not an
nounce his decision until after the
first of the year. He has made clear
his purpose to avoid a special session
unless present emergencies demand
legislative action.
Il am very loath to call a special
session except where there is an abso-
lutte demand and necessity for such
action, said the governor. Special
! legislative sessions should in all cases
| be avoided where possible If we can
meet the present problems without
the trouble and expense of an extra
session, 1t should certainly be done"
1t is known m state house circles
| that Governor Capper is very anxious
that the rights of franchise be extend
| ed to the $4,000 or 10000 Kansans
who will be in France next fall. Yet
to carry out this plan, special legisla-
| ton must be provided for printing and
distributing the ballots
Wants Soldiers to Vote.
If the state can in any way meet
| the situation, the men who are fight
| ing the nations battles in Europe
should retain their right to VOTE said
| the governor. ITO seek to handle the
| problem in view of the present statu-
tory provisions would probably occa-
| sion much trouble and might destroy
| the validity of the ballots even if it
were physically possible to get the
| ballots to the soldiers in the time pro-
vided bys the present law
One of the principal objections to a
| special session has been the danger of
| introduction of scores of purely local
| bills. In former special sessions sew
eral hundred bills have been offered
altho the sessions have usually been
limited to two or three weeks. When
Governor Hoch called special session
| in 1908 for the passage of the state
wide primary law, 400 bills were Of
| Tered in the first three days of the ses-
| sion. A decided effort will be made
to discourage local bills should the
legislature be called to Topeka this
| winter.