Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1921-01-20

itios from the court and restore con-
idence Of the public In II, by making
It impossible for o member Of the
court to use his position for his own
political ends. Il provides that a
member OF the court shall be ineii-
gible to hold any other Office during
his incumbency or for ONE year there
after.
| Topeka, Jan. 17.-with the inaug-
ural address and biennial message
Of Gov. H. J. Allen furnishing fair
ly good index Of the more impor-
tant bills to be placed before the
legislature this term. the law max
ers today started the second week
of the thirtieth legislative session.
The administration measures out
lined by the governor. which in all
will number forty-odd bills, are ex-
pected to begin to dow into. the hop
pers Of the two houses this week.
New comers In the house, who
number about half that body, were
hardly acclimated in their. new posi-
tions before they found themselves
.in the thick Of the fray" which
waged about the first measures in
troduced. Judge +. L. Martin OF
Hutchinson, who conducted a stead
fast fight in the special session OF
1920 against enactment Of an indus
trial court bill, was first to take up
the gauntlet against an administra-
ton measure. Countering Governor
Aliens plan for dividing the Indus
trial and utilities branches Of the in
dustrial court, Judge Martin filed a
bill providing for "home rule" for
municipalities. This bill provides
for return to cities the control Of
utility franchises and agreements
which city councils possessed before
the creation Of the state public util-
tiles commission by the legislature
of 1912. After considerable spirited
debating in which Martin and other
supporters Of his measure sought to
force the house to make immediate
action on the bill, their plan failed
and the bill was referred to the util-
tiles committee.
Was a Bonibshell
More animated still was the con-.
troversy over the resolution Of Rep
resentatiye w. P. LambertsOn OF
Fairview, speaker of the 1919 house,
recommending that the state appro-
pirate no means for highway con-
struction for the next two years. In
view Of the Importance the good
roads proposition occupies on the
current legislative program, the
Lambertson resolution lost, go to 81,
as an indicator which trainers OF the
good roads legislation must take into
consideration. Reasons presented by
those who sponsored the plan to
postpone good roads activities for
two years were, "high cost OF ROAD
building, present financial condition
of the farmer, and low price OF
farm products"
Has q Basketful
Representative x. M. Geddes OF
fered an interesting list OF bills IN
the house. He wants the parole
powers Of state officials (the COVER
nor and the parole board) restricted
so that it will be impossible to
parole a person sentenced for muir
der, forcible assault, arson and rob-
berry or theft Of motor cars or
trucks; while in another bill he de-
mands that judges Of the court OF In
dustrial relations be prohibited from
becoming candidates for office while
they are serving as judges, or with
in a year after they retire from
such office. In state house circles
the aim of the latter bill is apparent.
For some time two judges Of the in
dustrial court-Huggins and Reed
have been mentioned as possible
candidates for governor in 1922. Mr..
Geddes pointed out that the "pres-
ent rivalry has tended to disrupt
the court"
The senate wound up the first
weeks session early, without a
single bill having found its way to
the hopper. This was said to have
been probably unprecedented In leg
islative history. A number OF SEN
ators have expressed themselves as
being opposed to pile of needless
bills.
Topeka, Jan. 1s.-Forty- four bills
in the senate and twenty three In
the house was the record Tor the
brief sessions each body held yes.
terday afternoon. The house con-
yened at 2 o'clock and the senate at
4. There were many vacant seats
in each hall when the meetings were
called to order. Senators and repre-
sentatiyes who had gone home for
the week END vacation had been un-
able in some cases to return In time
for the opening session.
Naming of both senate and house
committees was practically complet-
ed at the afternoon sessions. Speak
er Harvey announced number OF
changes in house committees, besides
reading the new ones. Chairman OF
several house committees called
meetings and competed their organi-
zations..
None Of the administration meas
ures has been introduced in either
house yet, and few important meas
ures are in the hopper.
Both houses viii set to work In
earnest today,it is believed, and It
fs doubtful if there will be much rest