The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-03-10
House Favors Important Fuel
and Light Measure.
Consumers Pay Only For Gas
They Burn-Not the Air.
PURITY LEGISLATION IS NEAR
Strengthen Law for Control of
Social Diseases Here.
State House Salary Bill Up for
Consideration Today.

Kansas gas consumers will pay only
for the gas they burn-not for the
cold air that makes the meter tick-if
the senate follows the action of the
house today and passes the bill by the
house public utilities commission.
After short discussion in the COM
mittee of the whole this morning. the
house recommended the bill for final
passage.
Under terms of the bill gas con-
sumner will pay for such gas as he
receives. Nor is that all. When the
pressure is low or inadequate. the gas
company must rebate to the consumer
for the failure to supply his needs. The
thority to establish gauges in various
sections of cities using natural gas.
standard pressure may also be de-
termined by the commission. When
the pressure is below. the standard, the
consumer gets the benefits.
1t will be a happy day for the gas
consumer If the house bill finds its
way thru the senate. Disch of La
bette. who introduced the original gas
pressure bill, will seek to have the
substituted committee bill considered
in few days in the senate. The bill
which was recommended for passage
in the house committee of the whole
this morning will be disposed of Tues
day morning on third reading.
Won't Extend Hours.
House members are willing to make
acrifices-sacrifices in the form of
condensed oratory-in order to dis
pose of the business now before the
legislature But they are not willing
to extend the working hours. After
talking and hesitating- the house this
morning approved a temporary rule
limiting debate in committee of the
w TndaV only If the rule
/ works well during the afternoon and
evening sessions. it may be enforced
/ for the remainder of the week. An
effort to begin the morning sessions
at $780,, afternoon sessions at l:3o and
/ evening sessions at 1880 was promptly
voted down. The house is ready to
quit and go home. 1t is now working
| for nothing and it doesn't propose to
| extend the hours of labor.
ss- Purity Bilk PASSES H0usr.
| BY a vote of 100 to I, the house to-
day passed the social disease bill sub
/ stitute as offered by Harvey of Clark
| county. The bill in its present form
| is compromise measure and most O.
| the vital provisions of the original
| measure are removed. A number OF
members apologized for the bill in its
| present form. But it seemed to be
| the only thing available at this time
Friends of the plan to curb the spread
| of social diseases hope to strengthen
1 the law at a succeeding SeSSloIl VI liiC
| legislature if the Harvey substitute is
| enacted at this session. Samson OF
Cove county, was the only member
1 who voted against the toothless. spine
| less and almost meaningless measure.
Possibly the strongest argument for
| the present measure is the fact that 1t
aids the state in securing federal aid
| for carrying on campaign against
| vice in Kansas
| Salary Bill Is Up.
| State house employees are standing
on tip toes this afternoon. All fee and
salary bills as affecting state officials,
| employees, heads of state institutions
and county officers and clerks, are un-
| der consideration in the house this aft
ernoon under a special order The
! bills as drawn given relief in certain
| cases only.
| Under the impression of a number
! of legislators the house and senate
| will esta blish a general salary increase
| or nothing. The present bill, reported
| last week in both houses. affords in
/ creases to certain officials and GER
| tain employees, but leaves many other
| salaries just as originally established
| If general percentage advance is
| worked out, a number of members be-
lieve a new salary law will pass al
| this session. Otherwise members be-
lieve the bill will be killed. Eight
! salary bills are under the special or
der. The house may also take up a
| new bill offered by the committee to-
day-advancing the salaries of secre-
tary of state, state auditor and super
| intendent of public instruction to s3,-
500 year beginning with January
1921.
Tuesday the house will take up the
farm tenantry resolution under a spe-
/! cial order. 1t will also consider the
| Continued on Page TwoI