The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-01-28
House Refuses Second Time To
Tax Rah Rah Boys.
Rebuke Is Also Handed Out to
City of Lawrence.
BOURBONS BEHIND CONVENTION
Democrats, in Caucus, Line Up
Behind Constitution Plan.
Barrier Antitrust Bill Sched-
uled for Passage Today.

Kansas house members don't in
tend to bump the frat boys and their
sisters-the sorority girls. Twice in
"a hours the lower legislative body
has stood up and testified for the rah
rah chaps They lowered the batting
average of Mr.. Brown of Douglas
county to nothing flat. Then they
rubbed it in by suggesting that if the
town of Lawrence couldn't struggle
along with the asset of. the University
and the liability of a few frat houses,
that possibly other towns of the state
might take the burden off their hands.
This morning Brown sought to in
duce the house committee of the whole
to look favorably on his bill permit
ting the Lawrence fire department to
charge for runs to frat and sorority
houses. OF course the bill hit all frat
houses and college towns. But it was
the idea of Lawrence that the frat
boys might have some money left after
paying their board bills and frat dues
and legisla tion ought to be devised to
get the money into the city's general
revenue fund. The house had already
killed Browns bill repeating the law
eXempting frat houses from taxation.
1t was a sad tale Brown related.
He said the city of Lawrence had gone
works system. 1t maintained a fire
department. Sometimes there is a
fire at the frat houses and the man at
the pumping station uses extra coal
pumping Kaw river water for the fire.
Brown wanted the rah rahs to pay
the expenses. Under Browns bill a
claim for fire protection would stand
as a lien against the property of the
sorority or fraternity.
eff Lawrence can't figure to meet
some of these expenses as a result OF
the benefits which the State university
brings the town" said Garvin of Stat
ford. II know Stafford county will be
mighty glad to build the sorority and
fraternity houses, give them to the
boys and girls and maintain the build
ings free from taxation or expense for
fire protection if you will send the
university to our county"
The house voted to kill the Brown
bill.
Democrats for Constitutional Change
At caucus of minority members ol
the house during the MONDAY recess
a motion to support the constitutions
convention resolution was adopted
/ The fifteen Democrats in the house
I pledged themselves to vote solidly fol
the resolution now before the legisla.
ture providing for submission of the
question to the voters in 1920.
| Many prominent Democrats have
/ urged the calling of a constitutions
| convention. The matter has beer
| thoroly discussed and at their caucus
[ today the Democrats voted to line III
| behind the dominant provision in Gov
ernor Aliens legislative program
Miles Mulroy of Ellis county, minorit!
! leader in the house and chairman o
| the Democrat caucus, announced tn,
| decision. of the house Bourbons.
Increase County Salaries.
nf yrfn
offered a bill in the house providing
for an increase in the salaries of coun
! ty attorneys in counties in which twt
| or more divisions of the district cour
| have been established. The bill pro
vides for an increase of 81, 900 a yea
in the salary of the public prosecutor
Confiscatc the Car.
Norman of Doniphan county ha
offered bill in the house providin
that cars in which intoxicating liquo
may be found, shall be confiscated b
the sheriff or police. A similar bill i
in the senate.
House Passes Barrier Bill.
The Barrier bill extending inquisi
tionaI powers to the attorney genera
in trust Investigations has been rec
commended for passage by the hous
committee of the whole. The bi
came from the committee last wee
and is now under third reading. ]
will probably come up for final pass
age late this afternoon.
Wait for Travis.
The house insurance committee wi
not consider the Martin bills affectin
the state insurance department unit
Lieut.. Col. Frank l.. Travis arrives
Topeka 1t was announced on tn
floor today that Travis would probabl
| come to Topeka Saturday. Bills
make the office of state superintendent
of insurance appointive and to abolis
the rating bureau in the departner
will be taken up next week when til
| new state superintendert can annes