The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-01-15
All Records Broken For Small
Number of Bills.
SENATE OFFERS NO MEASURES
Most Legislators Favor Aid to
Market Conditions.
Lawmakers Do Not Clutter CAL
endar With Freak Proposals.
FIRST WEEK RECORDS OF
KANSAS LEGISLATURES

Conservation in consideration of
fool legislation is the apparent motto
of the new house and senate. With
the first weeks work out of the way,
the new legislature has broken rec
ord by introducing fewer bills than
any law making body which has con-
vened in Topeka in many years-pos-
'sibiy in the history of thu state
Unbridled and untamed the leglsia :
ture is also clearly out to do as II
gosh darn pleases. After just a few
short sessions 1t is apparent that any
one who wishes to tell the legislature
just what to do and how to DO IT,
might as well address proposals 10
Mars The legislature seems to be par
excellent as a listener. But beyond
the common courtesy of a hearing 1t
seemingly assumes no responsibility.
Many Things May Happen.
OF course a lot of things may hap
pen in the weeks to come. The mouse
and senate may become tame enough
to be hand fed. But it doesn't seem
likely. Somehow there is an evidence
of common feeling that legislatures of
other days loaded the session laws
with statutory fads and fancies on
which various politicians based their
next campaigns for office. The plan
is seemingly out of style this year.
sire to do something to help the unsta-
BILE farm market conditions. But they
are not sure that relief is in state leg
isation. There is a desire to cooper
ate with Governor Allen. Some or ms
proposals are almost certain to be en-
acted into law. But the legislature
made clear the day after the message
was read that it would determine just
the measures that were best fltted Tor
the session laws. This expression was
aGt fV0af cfata a
for hard surface roads by sixty house
members who were unorganiZed but
swung behind the Lambertson resolu-
tien.
Fight on Farm Tenantry.
Just now the fight on the farm ten
antry plan is forming. 1t is expected
to develop in a similar expression
a demand to suspend for g period of
two years any use of state funds to
put the project in operation. The
economy theory seems well estab-
lished-particularIy among farmer
members. They want the big state
schools. the hospitals and needed state
departments well cared for. But any
program of moonbeam hope and fancy
for the future is likely TO be viewed
with much suspicion and filed away
for consideration in 1928.
No Bills in Senate.
When the senate adjourned Thurs
afternoon. it had failed to Introduce
a bill. Expressions by many upper
house members were strongly favor
able toward consideration of unneces-
sary matters.
While house members introduced
3S bills. It has broken all records for
caution and conservatism. Not one
of the bills presented is in any man
ner in the foolish class. All of the
bills are proposals for enactments
IL. fah IfGk fo1 . I1af
the house has voted to print all bills
before they go to committees is the
biggest possible discourag cement to the
silly and slobber stuff.
No Froth and Foam Measures.
The law maker who realizes that
the state must pay the expense of
printing 500 copies of all general bills.
will hardly clutter the calendar with
froth and foam measures to be paid
for by the taxpayers. The plan has
worked out successfully during the
first week
ting away under permanent organiza-
tions. Many of the committee will
be ready for business. tho, when the
house and senate members return
Monday afternoon for the second week
of the grind. The first introduction
of bills will probably occur in the SEN
ate Monday afternoon.
No Bills Returned to House.
None of the bills offered in the
house have been returned from the
committees. An appropriation bill for
immediate legislative expense will be
rushed thru for passage early next
week 1t will doubtless be the first
bill to pasi at this session. The bill
VIII come from the ways and means
committees probably Tuesday and may
be signed by Governor Allen Wednes-
day.
During the special session in jan
uary. 1920. both houses worked under
esta blished organizations. This gave
them a big start in the handling of
business. During the first week the
house introduced 100 bills and the
senate 16. During the week the house
committees recommended % bills for
passage and killed IA, while senate
committees recommended four bills.
The house passed three original bills
during the first week of the special
sess, on.
COURT GAME OFFICIALLY ON.