The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-01-15
House Delays, However, Hold
Back Organized Senate.
Administration Bills in Hopper
by End of Next Week.
BIG FIGHTS TO Be ON FLOOR
Dope Sheet Shows Success for
Constitutional Provisions.
Number of Bills This Session
May Not Exceed 1000.

With the formal organization out of
the way, the state legislature today
came under the wire in the first squirt
of speed in the 1919 session. Today
saw the first introduction and brought
before the lawmakers Governor Al
lens program for the winter. Bien-
NAL delays in committee assignments
in the house will tie up early progress
of the legislature and hold back the
well-organized senate. By the end of
the week, tho, the first bunch of bills
will begin to find its way from the
committee rooms
After the war conditions promise to
produce a wide scope of legislation
this winter. This was evident today as
, the first measures of the new session
went to the reading clerks for first
of both houses, however, have de-
clared they do not expect to introduce
other than strictly local bills during
the session. The hope of a short ses-
sion and limited legislation lies in the
determination of the advocates of linn
tied legislation. A second element in
the house and senate desires to meet
conditions with laws for everything
from compulsory baptism to the price
Of false teeth.
Statutes Already Loaded.
The desire of the legislature to go
home promptly at the end of a fifty
day session, tho, seems sincere and
genuine. Possibly this desire is in
some instances increased because 50 a
day doesn't leave a margin after pay
| ing the uptown food bills and settling
| for a room in a non-union sleeping
house. Yet there are many real IN
stances where the lawmakers earnestly
believe the general statutes are al
ready overloaded and that a short ses-
sion would be a state blessing
LEGISLATION this winter may be con-
siderably affected tho. because of the
wide scope of Governor Aliens mes
sage. The reading of the message
| created a rather profound effect In
both houses A number of senators
and house members have already
| pledged their support to the Allen
| program. But few of the members
ANTICIPATED such a demand for drastlc
constitutional and statutory changes
as were today recommended
1t is probable that all of the poncles
outlined in the message will go to the
| legislature early. Probably by the
| end of the second week most OF the
administration measures will be in the
| hopper. If these bills and resolutions
come from the committees intact
and there is a general tendency to lei
| the legislature fight these matters ou,
| on the floor-several of the domlnanl
recommendations may be considered
early in February.
Constitutional Amendment to Pass
All of the constitutional measures
suggested today are due for row on
| the floor-with the possible exception
| of the good roads amendment TWO
years agoIthe constitutional amend
ment provision passed the house, Du'
was blocked in the senate. This year
I the dope sheet shows that the mouse
will probably pass the resolution with
| out a murmur and that with the lnflu-
ence of the administration as a back
| ing. the measure will win a two-thirdS
vote in the senate
! DELAYS in speedy legislation became
strongly apparent today as the two
| bodies swung into formal action. The
senate is riding easily under practical
ly an unchanged organization from
two years ago. The house-new. large
! " inexperienced and feeling keenly its
| own awkward actions-may not ge
! down to real business for week
! Trouble is not in the direction of the
| work. 1t is because of the necessary
delays in naming committees and pre-
! pairing for the consideration of bills
| Not until early next week. it is be
lieved, will Speaker Lambertson be
! able to complete the selection of com
mittee members.
Only LOCO Bills in Sight.
| Advocates of a short legislative ses
sion believe the number of bills anc
resolutions before the present session
may be limited to 1,000s Two year:
ago the number totalled more thai
1900. OF these nearly 1900 were in
troduced in the house. Many of tn
old members, tho. believe that the leg
islature will be able to quit work oil
time If committee and floor consid
Grafton is limited to 1900 measures
Not until next month. perhaps, vii
the important appropriation bills finc
a place on the calendar The hold
over senate ways and means commit
tee is ready to begin work at once. |
will probably be two or three weeks
before the house committee is suffi
GENTLY organized to begin hearings oil
the budgets.
FlNcEc TDIQIITC INT D