The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-03-07
BIG BILLS ARE IN
DANGER DUE TO
SESSION EXODUS
Without Pay Legislators Are
Not Worrying Over Laws.
Absentees Matter of Concern
to Leaders in Both Houses.
HOUSE AHEAD OF SENATE
First Time in History Lower
Body Leads on Calendar.
None of Proposed Constitutional
Amendments Are Ready.
HOUSE AHEAD OF SENATE

Governor Aliens legislative nnan-
ayers have much important business
ahead of them in the closing days OF
| the legislative session. When law
making business was resumed in the
state house this morning a dozen ad-
ministration policies were far. far
| from the session laws. incidentally a
dozen or more legislators who enter
| tanned a suspicion that they are to
| land appointments. were impatiently
awaiting the reading of place cards
at the counter.
With final adjournment scheduled
| for rext week. the responsibility of
retaining a quorum is beginning to
fall heavily on the shoulders of the
| house and senate sergeant-at-arms.
| Legislative pay stopped last Wednes-
| day. And when the weekend exodus
| of law makers started, some of the
| members shook hand rather mourn
fully with the landlady and sadly re-
cited that they didn't expect to return
| to work that carried an expense
charge and produced no stipend. In
| consequence it may be necessary for
some legislative employe to hasten to
the country for absent members need
ed to dispose of a, house or senate call.
The exodus or possible exodus OF
4 legislators is giving far more concern
this year than in recent sessions. A
bunch of administration bills are tied
up and the appropriations are yet to
be cared for. On the other hand. tho
many of the law makers have found
opportunity to advance their pet and
local bills for consideration. Now
there is tendency to slip back home
and an impulse to forget to come back
Big Bills Threatened.
Reduced attendance - particularly
in the house-threatens final passage
of some of the big bills now pending.
While the lieutenant governor and
speaker of the house may require at
tendance of absentees, 1t takes time
and costs money to send legislative Of
ficers to homes of members. Each
absentee counts as n vote against tho
measures which administration lead
ers desire passed. Thus with the ses-
sion near an end it is necessary not
alone to hold an organization. but to
maintain constant favorable voting
power of SO house members and 81
state senator's.
Governor Allen has withheld an
nouncement of appointments to tho
industrial court, public utilities COM
mission, state bank commissioner.
state tax commission and other Of
fices. Publication of the industrial
court divorce bills was held up at the
governors request as the new public
utilities commission begins business al
soon as the law is printed.
Now there are but a. few days in.
.. which the legislature will act on bills
Few of the big appropriation meas
ures have found their way thru tho
two houses. Practically all of the
| important appropriations are due 10
, go to conference. This situation is
causing much concern in both houses
Efforts may be made in few DAYS
to s.dvsnce the individual income lax
! bill and tie measure PROVIDING for a
!. two per cent production tax on n.iis-
erals. These bills are in tf:s hur,se
and have not been presented in tho
upper legislative body.
None of the proposed amendments
~. hr fgNfa 1nf.
submission. The senat has killed the
| three-fourths jury verdict propnrai.
But 1T has acted favorably on a pro-
vision for increase pay for legislators
and for modified system of classifi-
cation of intangible property for taxa
ton purposes.
Passage of d new workmen's COM
pensation act at this session row APP
pears impossible. The senate killed
the administration bill and the house
reported recently by the labor COM
inittee.
Consolidation of the agricultural
and livestock departments under any
of the present proposals seems very
, vague and impossible at this time
AT this time 1t apperas that all Of
n the reform measures urged by the at
torney generals office have been
killed The anti-profiteering. anti
discrimination, municipal ice plant.
eSS CdnuiiHB anu price TeBuldtlOH Dlis
z have been slaughtered on the floor or
2 slain by committees.
5 Both houses will doubtless work
long hours until the close of the ses-
sion. Night sessions were held in the
senate last week.
This is the first legislative session
in Kansas. perhaps, when the house
.e was running ahead of the senate. This
h house calendar is more nearly cleaned
W than the upper house docket. In con-
II SEQUENCE. the lower body completed its
is eighth week without holding a night
meeting.
l. A revision Of the house calendal
n. committee was made late Saturda,
q when Representative Noble returned
alto Labette county for the remainder
s. of the session. Noble was one OF tn.
s, five members of the house revision
committee Matt Weightman o