The Topeka state journal., 1921-03-10
BIC BILL is PASSED
Consolidation Measure Thru
House Today 66 to AZ.
Speaker Harvey Orders 1t Mes
saged at Once to Senate.
NOTICE TO RECONSIDER FAILS
SearIe's Action to Open New
Fight Unsuccessful.
Changes and Amendments
Bring Friends to Bill.

BY a vote of &C to AZ the house to-
day passed the agricultural livestock
consolidation bill on third reading.
Searle of Shawnee changed his vote
from negative to the affirmative and
gave notice OF motion to reconsider
within the next calendar day. In spite
of this notice Speaker Harvey ordered
the bill taken from possession of the
house and messaged to the senate.
Vote on the bill came without
amendment or debate. The house in
committee of the whole late Wednes-
day had recommended the bill for final
passage. More than a score of MEM
bers explained their votes on passage
of the measure. With the vote 65 to
43 and as a call OF the house was
lifted, Searle changed to the prevailing
side and sent his notice of reconsidera-
tion to the reading clerks desk in
writing.
Administration leaders worked prac-
tically the entire night building an
organization which would insure pas
cage of the merger on today's roll call.
Their efforts were highly successful.
Until today friends of the bill had at
no time been able to register more
than As votes on a test in committee of
the whole. Administration efforts
during the night brought in line the
extra votes that made possible final
passage of measure in the house.
One of Big Measures.
The consolidation bill is one of the
big administration measures before
the legislature this winter. A COM
lnittee selected by Governor Allen
recently spent a week drafting a mer-
ger plan. Before it was called up for
consid Grafton it had met such opposi-
tion that trainers of the bill agreed to
numerous changes and amendments in
order to win votes.
One of the first was re-
moval of the highway department
from the Jurisdiction of the board.
Later the dairy interests were given
concessions in order to win the floor
support of Beard of <Sedgwick. Jones
of Lyon was leading opposition to the
highway provision.
When consideration of the consoli-
dation plan began Monday night franz
ers of the bill had drafted a substi-
tute. The substitute bill incorporated
under the agricultural department
two boards which do not exist. They
were later removed when inconsist-
encies in the hastily prepared bill
were showr. This morning Snyder of
Jefferson explained his opposition and
stated the bill was full of holes in
spite of efforts at repairs. He said two
orphan departments were not men,
toned in the bill altho they properly
belonged under any carefully prepared
consolidation plan.
IOlt1Cal opposition.
Opposition to the bill came chiefly
from farmer and livestock members
who asserted their organization were
to be made a political football II
was the evidence of political domina-
tion which aroused the fight on the
bill rather than opposition to a care
fully arranged merger program.
Final roll call in the house showed
the following vote:
Ayes-Alford, Barrett, Barrier, Bate
man, Beard, Bland, Brown, Chandler
Cloud, Coffman. Conkling, Cox, Cram
Dick, Endres, Farrell, Foster, Freas
Geddes, Greenleaf. Griffith, Grinstead
Harley, Hasty, Hawley, Hill, Hughes
Jones, Knapp, Lamb, Lambertson, Lip
pert. Mack, Malloney, Mann. Martin
McDermott, Knox, McFadden. Nc
Shane, Miller. Minnich. Morris
Mosher, Nork, Norman, Piper, Porter
Railsback, Rhodes, Robbinskj Sargent
Scott of Rocks, Searle. Shideker, Simp.
son. Smith of Elk. Stapleton fTaylor OF
Wabaunsee, Troup, Uhls, Underwood
Ward, White, Williams, Mr.. Speaker
Total sc.
Nays-Baker. Bernardin, Cellar
Crary. Crist Edwards, Fisher. Garvin
Gillispie, Harrington, Hatfield, Helle-
ker, Hicks. Higley, Hope, Ireland
Jeffery, johnson, Jolliffe,, Kelley
Kline of Trego. Knudson, Lanning
Murphy, Neiswender, O'Laughlin
Peterson. Rankin, Ritter, Sanders
Sanderson, Sawhill. Scott of Stanton
shannon, Sinclair, Smith\of Republic
Snyder. Stanley, Thomas, Walker
Weightman, Yust. Total Az