The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-02-07
Senate Adopts Minority Report
on Constitutional Convention.
A Split in Democratic Vote Up
sets All Predictions.
EFFORTS OF RAWLINS FAIL
Four BOurbOns Vote for the
Resolutions of Barr.
Other Five Line Up With the
Supporters of Price.

| The first test vote indicates that the
resolutions for constitutional amend |
| ments paving the way for a constitu-
| tional convention will be adopted by |
the senate by a bare constitutional
majority. BY vote of 20 to IL, four
| Democrats voting one way and five
the other, the senate today voted to
ADOPT the minority report of the judi
ciary committee which recommended
that the resolutions be adopted.
The Democratic split made possible
the adoption of the minority report.
| From a political standpoint, at least.
seven of the nine Democrats had been
| 6cped out to vote against anything
! leading to the adoption of the Barr
resolutions The majority report of
the judiciary committee recommend
| cd that the resolutions be not adopted
and had that report been adopted the
| Barr resolutions and the constitutional
| convention idea would have been
! dead letter in the senate.
Here is the vote-the first test vote
] on the convention idea-on the ques-
| ton of the adoption of the minority
report:
The Vote on Report.
For-Anspaugh, Barr. Bergen. Car
| oil, Coleman, Croker, Delaney,
Doerr, Getty, Gulick. Hart, Hilkey,
Huffman, Kanavel, Kimball, Laing,
Metcalf, Milligan. Montee. Myers.
Nixon, Paulen, Plumb, Pomeroy.
Schoch. Snyder Thompson, Whitney.
| Wilson-29
Against-Anderson. Brunner Fer
rell, Malone, Mccain, Nighswonger.
Price, Satterthwaite, Smith, Sutton,
Senator Malone, Democratic senator
from Rawlins tried to rally the nine
lonesome Democratic votes in the
| fight on the minority report and
struck fire. He was followed immed-
lately by Senator Doerr, of Pawnee
| who also has designs the Demo-
cratic lead -rship in the senate, and
Doerr spoiled Malone's argument.
81 defy any senator here" said Ma
lone, to produce any considerable
number of letters or petitions from
people in his district urging resolu-
tons looking to constitutional con-
vention. The great demand we hear
about is not coming from the people.
1 have not had a single letter or petit
ton asking for a constitutional con-
vention.'
Malone had only taken his seat
when Senator Doerr bobbed up be-
hind him.
Like the senator from Rawlins.''
he said, ct represent one of the big
districts of the state, about one-siXth
of its entire area. and in answer to
the challenge the senator from Raw
Inns has seen fit to throw down here
I wish to say that the gentleman has
changed his mind since coming to To-
peka. He was in favor of a consti
tutional convention when he came. L
have not had a letter nor a petition
asking me to vote for constitutional
convention either but that is because
l made it known during my campaign
that 1 was in favor of such conven
ton"
Barr Explains Resolution.
Senator Barr, of Bourbon. author of
the resolution in controversy, explain
ed that the resolution did MT call for
| #
merely gave the people chance to
: say whether or not they want a con
: vention.
But it was Senator Coleman. of
johnson, one of the signers of the mi
nority report who really took up the
fight for the report.
This senate understood" he said,
: THAT when the resolution went to the
judiciary committee it went there TO
have its hair combed and its ribbons
iretied; that it went there merely to
be put into the proper shape But
when it reached the committee the
scene changed The senator from
he was opposed to the resolution and
the face of the senator became ada
mant.
L leave it to this senate if it is con-
isistent for committee of eleven
members to set themselves up as a
monarchy and say that the senate
l.helI not be trusted to discuss whether
or not it is advisable to submit this
nroposition to the people. The con-
stitiltion saws tWo-thirds of the senate
shall determine such matters-not
fwo.thirds of the judiciary commit
tee"
senator Getty of Wyandotte, was
Incoming nervous. He had not had
chance to say a word-not since Tues
day afternoon. His opportunity came
and he explained that while he was
going to vote for the resolution calling
for a constitutional convention, ne
was opposed to the adoption of the
minority report making it possible
saThis government" he said, is
founded the principle that the ma
iority shall rule
Price Explains Stand.
Senator Price, chairman of the
comn1ittee did not make an EXTENDED
sDeech. but he declared that thru the
motion of Senator Kimball of Labette
moving the adoption OF the minority
report, the minority was attempting
isubterfuge to avoid the rules OF the
senate.
members of the committee on federal
and state affairs, to which the reSolu-
ton was first referred and which re-
ported it back without recornm@nda-
ton explained the committees diu-
ttude. They declared the committee
was not subject to criticism: ihat the
members were unafraid, but that they
felt it was a matter the whole senats
should consider.
and Schoeh of Shawnee spoke in favor
CT the adoption of the minority e
port AMI the matter went to a vote
Senator Price demanded a roll cal
and the minority report was adopted
by vote of % to IL.