The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-02-01
Legislative Record.

After three weeks, the Kansas legis-
lature has not indicated that it is
going any place in particular. 1t has
not passed a law of general effect and
concern. Yet in many ways the pres
ent lawmaking body has shown genu-
inc tendencies of being one of the
safest, sanest and most Trustworthy
legislatures the state has known.
Three weeks is the acid test for a
Kansas legislature. Many legislatures
have been in session one week and
made no effort to change the spots on
the moon. few have stayed in To-
peka two weeks and at the end of that
time have shown normal tendencies.
But a legislature that can hold out
three weeks without one display of
panicky emotion is out for the PEN
nant And that is the record of the
present session.
In numerous ways the present ses-
sion was slow in getting under way.
But has travelled smoothly and
carefully as an old family horse.
There are no wild socialistic bills on
the calendar for consideration. The
freaky stuff has been discouraged and
the gooey members registered only
in the introduction of the anti
smoking bill and the measure to Gre
ate commission whose duties would
be to travel up and down the state
holding memorial tree planting cere-
monies-and probably doing little
incidental work for the Organization"
More Business i'm House.
For an entire week the senate has
been waiting patiently for a chance to
show the state what it can do. But
to date the house has transa cted the
bulk of the legislative business.
Next week will probably be the test
week for the state law makers. In
the next few days the house will pass
or kill the constitutional convention
resolution-providing it comes from
the committee of the whole with
enough life to warrant killing. If the
stars fell and dreams came true and
| the house passed the resolut on, then
| the senate would have a chance to
show the real ability of its smooth
running. well oiled machinery.
/ 1t is the purpose of friends of the
administration to push the big Allen
mea sures Immediately to the front.
| Governor Allen expects to appear per-
sonally before joint session of the
| legislature for the discussion of his
! farm tenantry plan. But the real
| fight is over the constitutional conven-
! tion. If Governor Allen wins on that
| issue, he is clearly in line for a clear
record before the present session.
| The senate has killed the Amos bill
for municipal ownership of utilities.
The bill never came from the COM
mittee.
Kill E'reaky Bills.
| None of the freaky or socialistio
bills which have come before the pres
ent Legislature are as yet on the calen-
| dars.
! Both house and senate committees
have made slow progress. They have
a total of 379 bills on the various pig
con holes and the two houses are eat
ing up the calendar work almost as
rapidly as bills come from the COM
mittees. No speed records have been
attempted, but the session at this time
seems to be moving more smoothly
and with more care and judgment
than any legislature which has con-
vened in Kansas in years. A total of
566 bills have been introduced. as
againE $40 two years ago. The sem
ate record of bills this year is 254 as
against $50 in 1917. The house has
offered 312 bills. Two years ago at
this stage of the proceedings, there
were AGO bills in the house hopper.