The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-06-16
Special Session of Legislature
Takes Action This Afternoon.
Members Meet, Vote and Hurry
Home to Harvest.
OTHER MEASURES HELD BACK
Appropriation To Fight l. w.
w. Was Urged.
Many Women in LObbies To
Witness Vote of Bodies.

In a three hour special session, the
Kansas legislature this afternoon rati-
fled the national suffrage amendment.
voted to pay its expenses and ad-
journed. No other measures were
considered. 1t was the shortest leg
islatiye session in the history OF the
state.
House members took first action on
suffrage. Mrs. Minnie ]. Grinstead.
of Seward county, the first woman
legislator in Kansas. introduced and
read the resolution ratifying the fed
eral amendment. All of the 119 house
members attending the special session
voted for the resolution. The house
then recessed until 2:15. Shortly be-
fore | o'clock the senate had COM
pleted it's organization and recessed
until o'clock to await house returns
The suffrage amendment was
placed on third reading and passed in
the senate at 3:1o O'clock
All manner of proposed legislation
was in the minds of house and senate
members. But none of the members
took n chance by opposing the resolu-
tion limiting the business of the ses-
sion to suffrage and expenses of the
extra meeting.
Many Women in Lobby
Many women were in the house
lobby for the first Introduction of the
resolution. They sat thru its formal
passage, but there was no demonstra-
ton following the completion of the
roll call. This afternoon suffrage
| leaders celebrated at a ratification
luncheon at Governor Aliens home.
Mrs. Allen, Mrs. Lila Day Monroe,
Mrs. w. A. Johnston. Mrs, Emma Sells
Marshal! and numerous other women
active in suffrage leadership in Kan
sas saw the ratification of the federal
provision.
Practically the entire house and
senate membership was in Topeka to-
| day for the special session. Many
members claimed only actual and nec-
essary expenses for their trip TO To-
peka. Others stood on their constitu-
tional rights and claimed mileage and
per diem. Several members failed to
make claims for their expenses. Dur
/ ing the recess period Fred w. Knapp.
state auditor, listed the expense
| appropriation bill adopted by the two
houses just before final adjournment.
Quick Action Taken.
Quick action was taken concerning
| business to be considered. As soon
as formal organization was complete
ed. the house and senate adopted reso-
lutions fixing o'clock this afternoon
! dS tlI1lc IOT HIlai d0JOuGnInent. An
other resolution limited the business to
suffrage and expense account for The
session
| Each legislator received Just three
| chances to vote after the business OF
the session had been defined. One
vote was for suffrage, another fer
| expenses and another for adtourn-
ment. Many of the members left To-
peka on afternoon trains.
The house after deciding to con-
slider nothing but suffrage. backed up
later in the afternoon and permitted
United States District attorney Fred
Robertson and Attorney General Hop
| kins to talk ten minutes each on the
l. w. w. situation. They urged an
| appropriation of $4,000 a year for
two years to combat the /. w. w in
Kansas.
With the fading of the l. w. w. an
preparation bill. the Brooks resolution
on peace and the league OF nations
FADED. The proposed action affecting
the Kansas State bank failure at Sa-
/ lima, strike and labor trouble. the
clearing Of regular session records and
ttixing OF the bank guaranty act was
withneld under the resolution restrict-
ing the business of the session
House members took action on the
suff amendment within an hour after
the session was called to order. II
was 1915 when the house was called
10 order by Speaker Lambertson. At
i;l5, ne announced that 119 votes had
been cast for the resolution and nous
were registered against the measure.
! Frank J.. Martin of Reno was the
only member who threatened to dis
turb grand and glorious day for the
ladies. He took a swat at suffra 90
but voted for the amendment.
Secs Little Good in 1t.
Il do not believe that the granting
of suffrage will do the good that Is
hoped for Martin said. The great
est trouble with our election system is
the indifference to the ballot I do
mot believe the mass Of women want
the ballot A pan of hot biscuits and
a roast turkey WIFI do more TO control
man than the ballot But we cannot
begin to restrict the ballot and to take
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