The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-03-24
WAS REAL LOBBY
Utilities Corporations Had
Strong Organization.
Prominent Men Worked for In
Geterminate Franchise.
"CLUB" TACTICS WERE USED
Crawford County Delegation
Was Put on "the Rack"
PiftSburg Normal School Was
Made To Suffer.
"CLUB" TACTICS WERE USED

To those who hung around the
last legislature and just watched the
proceedings the season of remlnlsclns
is at hand With the legislative halls
deserted and the old haunts of the law
makers empty those who sat around
and watched the proceedings of the
1919 session are finding nothing to DO
except to reminisce and talk about the
things that happened during the ses-
sion.
''On, the whole it was a pretty quiet
session-little like those of the old
days" hanger on" said today. But
there was here and there a little to
remind us of the good old days
~For instance, there was the utili-
ties lobby 1t wasn't exactly like the
old-time railroad lobbies but it was
pretty healthy organization and it had
considerable kick and coin at its dis
posal. Its principal pet was the indie
Terminate franchise and the tactics re-
sorted to IL the efforts to get this thru
will probably be remembered by sew
eral legislators for many q day.
Prominent Men On the Job.
Taking a principal part in direct
ing this lobby in the interests of this
bill that would have given the utilities
uHmeasured authority and privileges
was n very prominent Wichita Ro-
tartan. He did considerable work on
the floor and spent a great deal of
time in the senate gallery watching
the Wichita senator, who was one of
the chief bstEuctionists in the lobby'S
pAth. Also, there was a well known
Tppekan who is very prominent in
strte politics who 'camped' around
the legislative corridors and used
every influence he possessed in an eff
fort to get a law permitting the grant
ihe of indeterminate franchises"
kAIany efforts were made to get thru
the indeterminate franchise bill and
Tanch influence was brought to bear
+aff hut
Inrobably the most brazen effort to
club the solons into line was made
On the Crawford county delegation
that stood 'solidly against the measure.
dubbed Pittsburg School.
1The Kansas City Star. in comment
ifg on the lobby, says:
aDne of the strong points urged for the
IH3l was the argument that the cities af-
feeted by it, dozen or more of them in
tie southern and southeastern parts of the
state, were all in favor of its passage.
u bout the time this line of soothing
'Fhnpe" became well scattered thru the
legislature PittSburg, one Of the cities
tiR biggest one affected. in fact outside of
Wlchitg-yreutered its artillery and ma
G5iue guns in a previously prepared posi-
tIan and opened fire on the iudeterminate
fMnchise. and commenced to shoot it full
so r Jones. mayor Of Pittsburg. adj
Il open letter to members of the
legislature ia which he lifted the chip and
ftfx .loscd a prolific nest of public utility
lsiscs all waiting for the legislature to drop
tbs nice fat indeterminate franchise into
TIER midst.
sg'he two representatives from Crawford
cabnty. Graves and Shideler, both opposed
the measure.
sln the house there were many of the
Republican leaders who opposed the bill
anil all roads to victory in that sector
Ware closed unless the franchise lobby
eehld find some way for a flank movement.
'Hbey tried it thru the senate. In the
fsalse there were men like Endres and
IIarley and others who were waiting for
Fiber Of Montgomery. author of the meas
M. To call ii up. and the franchise lobby
V3l hdrew from the house and conferred
1nH fight in the senate.
tDVer in that body senator Montee.
afso of Crawford county. The franchise
lobby wanted to get the vote of MOntee in
0rder to offset the opposition that had
come from Crawford county. Then they
expected to take it back to the house and
paSs h. party measure
Vow. the state normal training school
is=located in Crawford county. 1t belongs
tE Kansas. Of course. but under the log
rafting Legislative system that has pre-
vailed in the state from the beginning. and
Which the log rolling statesmen slow
to- give up. notwithstanding the board of
administration law which was passed to
eaizl tive system. il is the custom for mem
befS from a.county having an institution
10. roll their share Of logs to the Legislative
saTmill in order to get their particular
Institution took care Of
MOntee Stcod Pat.
Senator Montee refused to roll logs for
liz indeterminate franchise. The bill was
called up in the senate at the convenient
season to affect senator MQntee's vote, just