The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-03-20

Allen test. The con-con looked as
beautiful as a spring morning when
administration friends drove it on the
first test display. Two hours later it
that someone in the guise of friend
ship had put sand in the oil cups.
Beginning of the End.
That was the beginning of the fin
ish. Anthems of hope and cheer
changed to sorrow songs. Every day
something happened. 1t seldom hap
pened in the same place. The house
and senate made an inspection. o.
everything that bore the administra-
ton label. If a bill was offered in the
final weeks as an administration pol
icy, it's chances were too uncertain to
be predicted on an established NOR
tuary basis. Usually the bill was
killed outright or MANNED for life.
For seven weeks Governor Allen,
his office force and his friends and
advisers carefully and patiently wait
ed and looked for the arrival for bill
that bore the governors trademark.
Nothing remotely resembling such a
measure came thru the legislature. If,
for the sake of expediency, it was per-
mitted to slip thru the house, it was
marked for slaughter before it had
been messaged to the senate. And
TALKING desire to amend Henry's bills
in a manner that was neither desired
nor approved.
Brotherly Appeals.
With the failure of the con-con,
went the administration plan for the
one man county government system,
the short ballot and a tendency for
general overhauling of the system of
state government. Threats which
had been used to win votes early in
the session changed to soft words and
brotherly appeals for help. 1t was
this appeal-launched from the gov
ernor's office and augmented by
many workers-that put the patched
farm tenantry resolution thru the leg
islature. 1t was handed to the gov
ernor as an evidence of good william
expression written into the records of
both houses by members who voted
for the resolution and apo1ogized for
their action
In the late hours of the session the
governor sought the passage of a bill
permitting the state to take over the
real estate business of Kansas. Bar
rier of Greenwood slipped the bill thru
the house. The senate waited for its
arrival-waited as the wolf waited for
the rabbit At the end of a fifteen
minute fight administration friends
were looking in a, dazed sort of way
at the grease spot where the real
estate bill was last seen.
Cut, Favorite Departments.
Fearing that appropriations would ex-
coed all reasonable bounds, Governor
Allen asked his friends to slow down
on expenses. The word was passed to
committee members. They wanted to
help the governor. Sure thing. So
they slashed the state highway appro-
priation from $4,000 to $4,000, cut
$40, 900 from the livestock department,
dressed the board of health appropria-
tons to suit their own desire and sent
the general appropriation bill before
the two houses in the last hour before
adjournment. The legislature was
meeting the Cover nor's request-but in
a manner Lat tore a hole in some of
his pet departments.
Today the legislature is dead so far
as the active session is concerned.
While administration friends may look
sad, adjournment of the two houses
was perhaps the best news Governor
Allen has heard since he came to To-
peka.