The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-03-06
Remembers Reception House
Gave Him Last Week.
Governor BaIkS When Urged to
"Get Behind" Ballot Bill.
TODAY is HIS TROUBLE DAY"
Members of Own Party Try to
"SmOke Him Out of HOle.o
They Think He's With Demo-
Gratis on Voting Measure.

This is trouble day for Governor
Capper.
Within the next few hours he must
clean up all appointments to be sent
to the senate for confirmation. While
this little brand of trouble was before
the governor, house Republicans went
in "A body to the governors office dur
ing the noon hour to demand that he
get behind the bill to repeal the
Massachusetts ballot law.
Action by the house Republicans
followed a hasty caucus during the
noon recess. They voted unanimously
to go before the governor with a de-
mand that he support the bill which
passed the house last week and is now
up for consideration in the senate The
measure repeats the Massachusetts
ballot law enacted by the Democrat
legislature of 1913. In its stead il
enacts a new ballot law permitting
straight party voting by single desig-
nation.
During the last forty-eight hours
there have been rumors in the legis-
lature to the effect that the state ad-
ministration planned to throw the
bill in the senate. These rumors were
sufficiently well founded to warrant
deep concern among Republican mem
bers friendly to the bill. The measure
had been made party issue in the
house. Democrats lined up solidly
against the plan to repeal the present
votes from the Republican side of the
house.
Apply safety First"
Under the rumor which came TO
the legislature, administration friends
in the senate were to assist in ditching
the bill. If the measure really passed
it was reported that the governor con-
ttemplated use of his veto. But the
safety first plan called for placing re-
sponsibility on the shoulders of the
senate.
Speaker Keene was spokesman for
the Republican house members when
they visited the governors office. They
checked the case up sQuarely to the
state executive. Yet they did not re-
ceive a positive or definite reply. The
course, he explained, and he was non
committal as to his purposes.
The Republican legislators made
clear to the governor that they want
ed him to come out In the open.
Speaker Keene, speaking the voice OF
it was desired that he go before the
senate with a special message urging
the passage of the bill.
81 don't know about such a course,
Governor Capp0r IS quoted as Say Ing
THAT policy didn't seem to meet
with thoro satisfaction when 1 went
before the house last week"
Governor Capper had appealed to
the house members in an unsolicited
speech, to reconsider their vote on
the receivership bill. The house re
considered. but affirmed their former
decision and removed the enacting
! clause from the measure in spite of
the governors wish. When the gov
ernor visited the house, the ballot law
was under considera ton.
All Up to Capper.
Hershberger of kiowa county,
moved that the governor make a pub
lie expression as to his views of the
bill to repeal the law. Holland OF
Russell county, seconded the motion.
There was no other pending business.
With the motion clearly before the
house, Bird of Shawnee, started the
cry for regular order" and the mo-
ton was never put. The governor
left the house without an expression
concerning the merits of the bill His
first trouble was started by the Demo-
Gratis. Today the legislators of his
own party sought to smoke him out
! without pronounced success.
If Governor Capper follows the de-
mand of the Republican house eau
Gus, he will go before the senate late
today with a demand for passage OF
the Mack bill to repeal the ballot law
If he doesn't go. he will violate the
wishes of his party legislative caucus
All of which checks to the governor
final decision of an embarrassing cues
ton.