The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-02-21
KILL PHONE BILL
House Members Do Not Favor
Ownership by Counties.
Poker Players Who Lose Money
Cannot Recover 1t.

Kansas counties cannot engage in
the telephone business. The house
public utilities committee today killed
the Carson bill which would permit
counties of the state to take over or
establish telephone lines for the con-
venience- of residents of the county.
Carson's bill was one of the most
drastic public ownership measures in
troduced in several legislative ses-
sions. 1t meant that counties of the
state might engage in the telephone
business and that independent or
competitive systems would be COM
PEELED to furnish physical connections
and grant concessions as to rates and
service.
The Carson measure enabled a
county to buy telephone plant at
price to be agreed upon by a board
of appraisers. But the bill provided
further that in no case should the
price paid be in excess of the actual
physical valuation of the property.
Once county had acquired it's own
telephone system it might make ex-
tensions or improvements and might
furnish free county service. Where a
free patron desired to talk to a tele-
phone renter in another county,
competitive system would be COM
PEELED to furnish physical connections
and the county owned plant would
Members of the house committee
did not display n friendly spirit to-
ward the drastic Carson measure.
Following meeting of the commit
tee, George Allen. of Wyandotte
county as chairman of the commit
tee, recommended to the Louise that
the bill be killed. This action puts
the county ownership plan out OF
business for this session.
Must Pay Poker Losses.
When a man plays poker or other
games of chance in Kansas ard loses
his money, the loss is complete and
final. Thompson, of Morton, came to
town with an idea that a man who
loses money in game of chance
should have recourse in the courts.
the welchers. Under his bill a man
who lost four dollars and six bits in
a game of chance might recover the
loss by merely stating his case to the
court. 1t wasn't so much as neces-
sary to establish his loss. A mere
statment was the only requirement.
The house judiciary committee de-
cided that the rummy and penochle
sharks should pay or stay out of the
game. So they killed Thompson's
pet.
Jolt for Salary Bill.
The house fees and salaries COM
mittee has killed a bill which would
have provided increased salaries for
probate judges and registers of deeds
in number of Kansas counties. The
measure was offered early in the SEES
sion and carried new salary scale for
a number of men in the court houses.
But the house committee decided to
stand on the present law and deny in
creases.
Benefit Bill Under Suspicion.
A bill in the house would enable
cities to buy bridges and viaducts, es-
tablish benefit districts and tax the
expense to property owners in the dis
trict. Apparently the bill affects Kan
sas City, Kan, only. In the last few
days, however, house members have
grown more or less suspicious of the
benefit plan and there is a rather def
! mite opinion that property owners in
an established benefit district really
might share in benefits where bridges
and other property are purchased by j
| city or county. All of which may oc-
casion trouble for the bill when called
up for consideration on the floor.