The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-01-23
Public Service Corporations
Must Pass Muster.
Utilities Commission May Act
as Jury for the Cities.
TO PHOTOGRAPH BOOTLEGGERS
Hughes of Rocks Would Keep
ROgues' Gallery of ViOlatOrs.
Other Measures Introduced in
Kansas House Today.

Franchises to public service corpor-
ations on good behavior and for indie
terminte periods. are provided in a bill
in the house by Robert Stone Of
Shawnee county. His bill extends the
powers of the public utilities commits
sion to determine whether a corpora
ton has performed its obligations to
a city and may continue under a fran
chise agreement.
Under the Stone bill, Kansas towns
and cities will be denied the right to
issue franchises for a given term Of
wears Instead they may issue per-
mits to public service corporations
only for an indeterminate period. AT
any time the service of such corpora
ton is not satisfactory or does not
conform with the provisions OF the
contract with the city, the matter may
be taken before the publlc utllltleS
commission. If upon the evidence
before the commission, 1t IS deteI
mined that a corporation has not ful-
filled its contract, the FRANCHISE agree
ment may be set aside.
The franchise bill was presented to
the legislature at the request OF the
state commission and the better gov
eminent league. A provision similar
TO the features covered in the stone
bill. was included in the original pup
lie utilities act, but was eliminated "
conference committees during the
BootIeggcrs in Rogucs' Gallery
Hughes of Rocks county has offered
in the house a bill providing that pic
lures of all violators of the prohol-
tory LIQUOR law be placed in the state
rogues' gallery at the state penlteh-
tiary When a man or woman IS con-
victed of selling liquor, it shall be the
duty of the sheriff, under the Hughes
bill. to cause photographs to be taken
of such person. Copies of the pho-
tographs are to be sent to the Bertll-
lon clerk at the state prison, with
minute description-age color, helght,
color of hair, eyes and other personal
detaiIs-for future reference. Hughes
would compel the keeping of a file OF
these photographs at the state prison
as well as at the court house in the
county where such person is convicted.
Money for Il. S. A. c.
Appropriation bills in the house by
Bardwen of Riley county provide
s132 1886 for the State Agricultural
college at Manhattan. The appropria-
ton items are contained in three bills
by the Riley county member One Dill
appropriates $4,000 for an addition
to the old Agricultural college build
ing. A second bill sets aside sso'ooo
for new grounds. A third bill appro-
pirates S2355.36 for paving claims by
Manhattan city. An appropriation Dill
bv Walter A. Layton of Osborne sets
aside $500 for the printing of state
mans and charts by the state board or
agriculture.
Money to Drainage District.
Neiswender of Shawnee county, in
troduced a house bill providing that
sand ROYALTIES be paid to local drain
age districts, where sand is taken from
the beds of streams in such districts.
Under the present law, one-thlrd OF
the revenue from the sand fund goes
to the drainage district Nels"ender
provides that where sand Is taken
from districts that all royalties be
paid to the district for benefit pur-
poses.
Hits Country Papers.
Harvey of Clark county, introduced
a bill repeating the present law COM
DelIing the publication of township
reports. Under a law enacted in 1918.
township boards are compelled to pub
lish their annual reports in news
paper OF general circulation in the
county or district. Passage of the bill
means loss of considerable legal print
ing by local newspapers.
Must Distribute Cars.
Chittenden of Ellis county, has a
house bill compelling railroad COM
panies to distribute grain cars in pro-
norton to the actual grain on hand
for shipment by local elevators. I'm
der his bill an allotment of cars to
town would call TOT O1SlfIDulIOn "
dealers and elevators in proportion TO
the grain available for shipment rath-
er than on the basis of orders or bulk
business by a local company or firm.
May Employ Public Nurses.
Bardwell of Riley county, has Of
fered a house bill permitting cities of
the first and second class to appro-
pirate money for the employment of
public health nurses. The bill is an
extension of the present law permit
ting employment of such nurses in
certain cities.
Marriage Bill Is Dead.
The house judiciary committee con-
tinued it's slaughter of bills when
Chairman Martin reported adversely
on nine measures sent to the commit
tee Among the bills killed was the
F. o. Stone of Lyon, measure, provid
ing that only certain persons may per-
form a marriage ceremony. The COM
mittee also killed the bill by Stone OF
Shawnee, providing for uniform laws,
the bill calling for countrywide cleo
ton of commissioners, and the bill es-
ia bIishing county courts. The uniform
bill of lading bill received a favora BILE
report from the railroad committee.