The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-02-27
SLASHED AT BILL
Sutton Made Several Efforts
Against Insurance Measure.
Senate, However, Recommended
State Rating Bureau Idea.

One of the most determined at
tempts to perform wholesale opera
tions on a bill that has been made
since the Kansas senate convened
came when the Carroll bill providing
for the establishment of a state rate
bureau and possibly state insurance,
was up under general orders. Senator
Sutton, of Stafford, wore the white
apron and rubber gloves and handled
the tools.
Hot words held the senate at atten-
ton as Doctor" Sutton made his
slashes and Carroll moved his patient
from pillar to post to avoid them.
Sutton first moved that the bill be
killed outright, but this motion was
lost. Then he moved that it be
amended to provide that no member
of the senate or house of representa-
tives be appointed to the rate bureau
commission the enactment of the bill
would create.
Senator Carroll took this as a per-
sonal attack and charged that Sutton
was intimating he was trying to create
a job for himself. Sutton deplored the
fact that Carroll took this attitude in
the matter and said there was Moth
ing personal in his motion and that he
was merely exercising his privileges as
member of the senate.
This motion lost and then Sutton
again gained the floor and made
another motion that the members of
| PEELED to devote all their time to their
state jobs. Carroll smiled and ac-
copied this amendment, and then SUIT
ton was on his feet again. This time
| he asked that the bill be amended so
that meetings would not be held at
stated intervals. asserting that if the
| rate men were on the job all the time
| they could hold meetings every day if
they wanted to. This amendment lost,
and then when Sutton put away his
| tools the bill was recommended for
passage subject to amendment and de-
| bate.
Little General Opposition.
Considerable surprise was expressed
| by several senators that there was so
| little general opposition to the Carroll
bill, which is considered one OF the
most drastic the senate has had under
imagined there would be further OPP
position when the bill came up for
final passage. Another senator said it
seemed impossible to kill bill on the
floor of the senate and mighty hard
to kill one in a committee on account
| of the courtesy the senators wished to
| show each other and the perfect har-
| mony existing in the senate.
However, in urging the recommen-
| dalton of his bill Senator Carroll made
a strong plea for it and asserted that
i it provides enc of the most needed
| pieces of legislation Kansas has had
proposed in a long time. He brought
| out the fact that the insurance COM
panies are able under the present sys-
tenn to discriminate against policy
| holders and against cities and COM
,nunities. Also he asserted that when
the insurance companies are able to
| make larger profits than almost any
| other business concerns operating in
the state they must be charging eX-
/ orbitant rates.
| Denies Personal Motive.
| Senator Carroll stated that it was
| ridiculous to intimate that he was try
ing to create a job for himself. Il
would not give up my own business
for any such job-would not think OF
doing so,'' he stated. When / was
lappointed by Governor Capper on the
Insurance Investigating committee. ]
did not seek the job and did not really
| want ii. I absolutely refused to lake
it at first. but when 1 was urged &c
take It and devote a part of my time
tc 1t. consented with the understand
ing that 1 would be free to divide my
time as I saw fit. Then 1 took it al
a personal sacrifice and at a sacrifice
to my business that 1 have been spend
ing years to build up.
|