The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-02-25
Get SENATE 0. K.
Metcalf and Watson Appointed
to Natl Guard Places.
Confirmation Comes From Up
per House Under Emergency.
ROW OVER PURE WATER BILL
Measure Aimed at Careless Oil
Men Starts "DOin's."
Senators Lose Dignity and Re-
sort to Ozark EIOquence.

Appointments of Wilder s. Metcalf
of Lawrence as brigadier general of
the Kansas National Guard organiza-
ton and w. ]. Watson of Pittsburg as
judge advocate general. were sent to
the senate today by Governor Allen,
and upon motion of Senator Getty an
emergency was declared the rules
were suspended and the two appoint
ments were Immediately confirmed.
The senate spent all of its morning
session passing bills on third reading
The only measure of any general i'm
portance that brought forth any argu-
ments was house bill No. 90, which
was substituted for senate bill No. 101
by Smith, requiring oil drillers to take
precautions to prevent salt water pol
luton of fresh water supplies in the oil
districts of the state
Both the house and senate bills
were introduced merely for the pur-
pose of protecting local water supplies,
but they soon became of Importance
in all sections where oil wells are put
down. 1t was argued by a number of
senators that the passage of the bill
making it compulsory for drillers to
keep salt water from rising to the pure
water supply and polluting it would
greatly handicap the oil industry of
the state. but the majority of senators
seemed to be of the opinion that the
water supply was of more value than
the oil that has to be produced at the
sacrifice of pure water.
Getty in "Pure Water" Plea.
Senator Getty espoused the cause
of those who demand pure water and
engaged in debate with several who
opposed the passage of the bill. Sen
ator Coleman offered an amendment
that would have taken all of the teeth
out of the bill at one jerk, but this
was voted down.
Among those who argued that the
passage of the bill would cripple the
oil industry were Senator Pau1en,
state oil inspector, and Senator Sparks,
who has been in the mining business
all his life and who is very familiar
with well drilling. PauIen made the
assertion that the passage of the bill
would drive many oil operators to
Texas. because it would be impossible
for them to continue to develop the
Kansas fields.
Senator Sparks and Senator Getty
engaged in a heated argument when
Sparks contended that it would be
impossible to keen salt water from
rising on the outside of a asing. The
Cherokee senator threw off some of
the upper house veneer and resorted
to Ozark e1oquence and the words
of a plain bluntaman. In telling how
1t was Impossible TO keep SdiC water
from rising outside of a casing he
said: THAT is a God -mighty's fact"
In answering ore of Senator Getty's
questions, he said: you are talking
about something you don't know any
thing about I know what I am talk
ing about"
Committees Make Cleaning.
A large number of committee re-
ports were made during the morning.
The judiciary committee practically
cleaned up the ragged ends of the
proposed constitutional amendments.
A resolution by Sattarthwaite provid-
ing for the appointment of joint
house and senate committee to recon-
mend amendments to be submitted at
the next election was killed. The orig
inal Coleman constitutional conven-
ton resolution was turned in with an
unfavorable report as was the Wilson
resolution providing that any consti-
Ittutional changes made by a conven-
ton be submitted to the voters for APP
prevail. The Montee resolution pro-
viding for a constitutional amend
commended favorably with an amend
ment that an exemption of 5000 be
/ provided.
Two new bills We're introduced by
the committee on military affairs. One
| provides that cities, towns and coun-
| ties may assist national guard organ
| izations in maintaining buildings and
| the other provides that money be fur
nished by the state for keeping up ma
| tiona1 guard organizations.