The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-02-16
HOUSE ADOPTS ]
REPORT ON BILL
TO SPLIT COURT
All Other Business Laid Aside
to Consider Act.
1t Was Hard and Bitter Scrap
All Way Thru.
Final VOTE WAS 67 TO 4s
Accept Conference Action on
Utilities Commission.
Vote on Re-creating Utilities
Was 81 to S5.
FINAL VOTE WAS Ct TO 4s
Accept Conference Action on
Utilities Commission.
Vote on Re-creating Utilities
Was 81 to S5.

BY vote of 81 10 80 the house
adopted .he conference, report on the
industrial court bin at noon TODAY
after an all morning fight. Final de-
eision came after Frank L. Martins
motion to non-concur and ask for a
new conference had lost e3 to 50.
Conference action on the bill recreat-
ing the public utilities commission
was accepted "a to 25.
Lay Aside All Other Business.
All other business was laid aside
this morning while the house orators
scrapped over parliamentary proceed
ure ana the conference action in re-
niovin& the lawyer qualification from
| industrial court judges. 1t was
nard, pretty fight in which Speaker
harvey left his chair to help reorgan-
ize administration forces. After two
nours had been given over to oratory
| the administration lines were some
what bent. but still holding and the
new court divorce plan was headed
straight for the session laws.
Lambertson of Brown raised the
parliamentary question as to rights OF
the conierees in putting new subject
matter in the bill. He cited autbori-
ties in declaring the COMMITTEES had
exceeded its rights in substituting the
word may" for 'shall' in the provi-
SION Tor calling the utilities commits
sion into joint session in utility waps
cases. He appealed for a new con-
/ ference.
Martin Wanted Report Set Aside.
martin OF Reno, who moved to set
aside the conference report. said a
precedent of accepting new subject
mater IN a bill at this time would
cause trouble later in the session.
IT this form of legislation is an
proved, ne said, II serve notice now
.Hae conference committees will write
Jaws this winter which this house
SHOWS nothing about. I believe this
Is good amendment but IL is n prae
tice that should not be approved. We
nave a responsibility here to do things
ana we are not doing them in the
right way.
"A Barren Legislature, He Saws.
Everywhere you go there is a feel
ing mat TINS Is the most barren legis-
idture ever assembled in Kansas. The
robins are beginning to sing. The
i, farmers are starting to pIow. And what
are We doing? We are sitting hero
passing laws to increase interest rates
on bonds and boost appropriations. we
are being dominated by the senate. If
the senate is to run this house. I'VE had
just as well pass their bills surrender
entirely and go home"
McDermott of Cowley defended the
conference report. He said practices
4 oDJ~Ns'o
followed in the 1920 sessions when
Lam bertson himself was speaker
Later in the debate Lambertson denied
tnat he had knowingly permitted for
eisn matter injected into a bill by a
conference committee
Geddes of Butler made one of the
strongest speeches of the day inSsup-
port OF Martin. He said rejection Of
tine mouse amendment for legal uuaH-
ficauons for court judges would mark
Inc passing of the new labor court law.
| when you strike out the one pro-
vision this house put into the biiI 70
strengthen it," said Geddes, you be-
gin the weakening IL not the assa ssIna-
ton OF tne court. l want to say that
IL the governor had named three law
yers on tnls court year ago there
would never have been the row thar
has disturbed the state and aroused
suspicion against operation of the
law.
To Settle Differences.
This is court to settle differ
ences and determine justly the rights
between men. When you are sick Won
don't go to the minister or the mer-
chant. You go to the doctor. Telf
me any reason why you should not
put lawyers this court WIN
should a lawyer be al the head of the
II; ;estock department? Why should a
minister be named secretary of the
board of agriculture? Would yoI,
seiect farmer Tor mead of the board
of health? Then why this dread and
fear about lawyers who are to serve
on this court ?"
Jeffrey Was Responsible.
Jeffrey, OF sedgwick. was probably
partially responsible T. bringing
Speaker Harvey into the debate. He
severely criticized the course of the
speaker in appointing three member.
opposed to the Martin Amendments q =
house conferees
II do not understand" he said, why
three men who opposed the MartiF,
amendment should have been named
as house conferees and why with the
| majority in favor of the house. we
yielded SO readily and gave away a
demand twice expressed by this body
Why should these men vote away the
majority expression of this house 9r
| Speaker Harvey. who later urged
] adoption of the conference report. de-
clsred that in his opinion the conn
mittee did not exceed its rights
Neither. he declared. was the confer
ence committee selection in any man.
ner irregular or subject to criticism
Her Maiden SDcech
Miss Nellie Cline of Pawnee county
made her maiden speech She de-
lfended the Martin amendment as did
Mrs Ida NJ. Walker of Norton county
Piper of Montgomery, who had
worked with Martin during the early
fighting today spoke for the confer
ence reDort. Among Legislative oh.
! servers Pipers course today vas con.
strued as evidence Of a peace pact he.
| tween administration leaders and the
Judge Wark followers. Judge wark.
IT Is believed. is due for one Of the ap-
tcontinuei on page Ski