The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-02-18
Montee Bill i'm Senate Would
Abolish "PrOmotion" System.
Bar State Elective Officers From
Seeking Another Ballot Job.
MAY RUN TO SUCCEED SELF
That Is Only Way, However.
Candidacy Would Be Legal.
Price Sees Attempt To Keep
Governor From Being Senator.

All of the old -age-worn stepping
stones are liable to be removed from
the pathways of Kansas state politics.
In the future there is a possibility
that woufd-be candidates will have to
leap into their races from nowhere"
and that office holders when their
terms expire will be compelled to
jump back to "nothingness."
These are the far reaching effects
Of bill that has been introduced by
Senator J. w. Montee. of Crawford
county. 1t is one of the shortest bills
that has gone into the senate hopper.
but it is saturated and soaked and
dripping with liquid dynamite, and its
passage would prevent any governor
from using his Office as a stepping
stone to the United States senate and
would bar any other state officer from
seeking another office while discharg-
ing the duties of the one to which
he had been elected.
The full text of the bill is as fol-
lows:
Section L No person while holding
shall be eligible as a candidate for any
elective office.
Sec. 2. This act shnlI take effect and be
IN force from and after its publication in
the statute books.
Prevent Governor Being Senator.
Not only would the Montee measure
prevent a governor from using his Of
flee to get to the United States senate
and other state officers from going up
the ladder. but it would practically put
an end to the professional politician
who holdssoffice year after year and
would force the retirement of every
state officer when forced to give up
the office to which he was originally
elected.
In discussing his bill after its intro
duetion Senator Montee said:
Il do not want the impression to get
out that 1 have introduced this bill
for the purpose of blocking any plans
Governor Allen max be making to be a
candidate for United States senator or
or blocking the plans any other state
officer may have to run for another
office. 1 believe we should have such
a law on the tatute books because
think it would be a good one"
Senator Montee said that every one
knows that in the past great many
state officers the minute they took
their oaths began laying plans to run
for another office of more importance
and began using the powers conferred
upon them to build up machine and
a following that would help them in
furthering their future political am
billions.
Use Office to Gain Votes.
II do not believe the people of Kan
Sas intend for a state officer to use the
power and prestige and emoluments
of an office they have placed him in
solely for the purpose of gaining an
other office. When the voters elect
a man to any office they do so because
they believe he has the ability to full
fill its duties and because they believe
he will devote his time to these duties.
But when a state officer is always
looking ahead and thinking first of
his own interest and political advances
ment the temptation is great to de-
vote more time to these personal in
terests than to the duties he has to
perform and often it is impossible to
resist the temptation to make appoint
ments that VIII be of benefit in future
campaigns when such appointments are
not to the best interests of the office
under which they are made"
A number Of members of the sem
ate have expressed themselves as fav-
orable to such a measure as the one in
troduced by Montee and it is believed
that it has fair chance of getting
thru the upper house of the legisla-
ture- But the attitude of the house
| of representatives is not known, and
| a great many speculations have been
! made as to what Governor Allen
would do if both houses should pass
| the bill and it should be sent to him
to be signed or vetoed.
intended for Govcrnor-Price.
| Senator Price when asked what he
thought or the Mohtee Dill. said:
1T think it is ridiculous to apply ii
| to all state officers. 1 think this was
/ done merely to temper IL and the bill
| is intended to apply to the governor.
L do believe such a law should be
passed applying to governors. I be-
l.eve when the people of Kansas elect
a governor he should be a man who
would have no other ambition than to
1 be governor"
| Senator Getty of Wyandoee is in
! favor Of the passage of the Montee
| bill, he says. and is in favor of max
| ing it more stringent by fixing a time
after the eXpira ton of office when a
man may run. for another office. 81
am for it, Getty said. II believe we
| should have a law that would keep q
governor from advocating impractical
| Bile and visionary measures for the
purpose of making campaign ma
| terial."
| Senator Baxter Mccain said he wa.
partially in favor of the measure and
that undoubtedly there should be
| some law to require man hofdins
public office to devote his time to tbs
| duties of the office and to earn the
money paid him by thu state Senato'
| Satterthwaite said he would probably
| oppose the passage of the bill as h.