The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-02-18
Bill Giving Cities Control Street
Car Lines Is Recommended.
Take Fare Fixing Authority Out
of State Dept Hands.
SENATE KILLS ROAD MEASURE
Resolution for State Aid Meets
Death on Third Reading.
Row Over Scheme To Appoint
Sheriffs' Wives Jail MatrOns.

The senate judiciary committee has
been doing some effective work In
report made by Senator Price. chair
man. today a number of important
measures were killed, and one was
recommended for passage. The inn
portant bill recommended for passage
/ is that of Senator Getty of Wyandotte
curtailing the powers of the public
utilities commission.
Getty would make it impossible for
+ the p. U. c. to set aside or impair
contracts entered into between public
utilities and cities of the first class in
which service prices are fixed. The
i bill was drawn especially to apply to
street car franchises and it would take
away the power of the p. u. c. to or
der an increase in fares where the
amount of such fares is specified in
franchise contracts
The bills killed by the judiciary
committee include: The bill fixing
preme court; the Meyers bill making
it possible to obtain a garnishment
against a city, state or county en-
ploye and the Plumb bill making it a
crime for an abIe-bodied man to be
idle.
Eight New Bills In.
Eight new bills were introduced
during the morning session of the
senate. the most important of which
were the Montee bill relating to state
officers seeking other offices and the
McClafn bin fixing pensions for school
teachers. -.....
A bill by Senator Bergen is intended
to Eliminate the thefts of automobiles
in the state by requiring every pur-
chaser of a car to have bill of sale
& showing where and when the car was
purchased. The bill provides that
such a bill of sale be furnished by the
dealer when the car is first sold and
that it be transferred to the new
owner every time the car changes
hands.
Kill Thompson Road Bill.
Working on third reading of bills
the. senate passed nine MEASURES, re-
referred one measure back to a COM
mittee and killed the Thompson reso-
luton relating to state aid for per-
manent highways. The resolution was
intended to cover the expense of
building highway past state property
abutting such highway and caused
considerable discussion. Another road
measure by Senator Smith making 1t
possible to construct permanent
highway along a stretch of road where
one side was in the city limits of a
town and the other in the county was
re- deferred to the committee on third
class cities. Originally the bill was
DRAWN TO apply only to these cities
but an amendment applying it to all
cities had been made and this brought
forth considerable OppOSlIlOn-
The only other measure that caused
any discussion was that by Montee
giving the sheriffs of the counties
power to appoint Jail matrons. The
original bill provided that the sheriffs
could appoint no persons related to
them, but Senator Coleman got thru
an amendment providing that the
wives or daughters of sheriffs might
be appointed.
Senator Satterthwaite then submit
ted an amendment providing that the
appointments be confirmed by the
county commissioners. Getty of Wyan-
dotte insisted that this would destroy
the effect of the bill and insisted that
the appointive power be lodged either
withathe commissioners or with the
sheriff and that giving both a say
would only make it possible to have
continual wrangles. Coleman insisted
that the sheriff should have the power
to appoint his matron just as he does
his deputies. while Snyder took the
stand that the commissioners should
have a say. stating that in many cases
the, Montee bill would merely give
sheriffs a chance to add to their al
ready fat salaries.
The Satterthwaite amendment was
finally voted and then Nighswonger OF
SedEwick moved that the senate take
refreshments before discussing the
m eaSurP any further