The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-01-21
Capital Punishment May Be
Restored in Kansas.
Recommended Today by House
judiciary Committee.
|D0 NOT LIKE PRISON REFORM
To Hear Buster Brown Amend
ment to Cigaret Law.
Submit Measure for Change in
Senatorial Districts.

Representative Piper's capital pun
ishment bill has run the first gaunt-
let 1t came out of the house judiciary
committee today with a recommends
ton for its passage. The measure
t, will doubtless be considered on the
floor early next week.
Piper's measure seeks to restore to
the governor right to sign a death
warrant in certain cases. There has
not been a legal hanging in Kansas
in many years. Even when the death
penalty law was on the statute books
governors refused to sign a decree OF
death.
Against Prison Reform Policy.
But Kansas seems to be bracing her
feet against the prison reform policy
which begins to work the day afters
the jury brings in a verdict. In cer-
tain cases, number of legislators be-
ifeve, the death penalty could well be-
applied. Its use would be discretion.
airy with the governor
such cases as the BisseI1 case in To-
peka, the Nellie Byers case in south-
western Kansas. the Snowman mur-
ders In Ellsworth county. the Wick
aroused various communities. In
practically all of the cases, crimes
were committed by degenerates.
Recommended For Passage.
| When the capital punishment bill
was proposed there was a feeling that
1t would never get out of the commit
Tee room. But the house judiciary
members have recommended its pass-
age. Whether the bill becomes a law
! is quite another matter.
members of the public welfare COM
the Smith siobber bill. The Eil-
county member would bar smoking
cnew1ng and splitting in and around
churches and school buildings in This
state. 1t is the first lily white bill
presented during the session.
Fun Promised Next Week.
i When the bill comes nm for oon
Isioeratlon next week it will afford a
haf hour of fun for the members
Amendments covering spoofiing an
church and school steps, sticking
chewfng gum on the pews and using
nar, me pulplt and cloak rooms for beauty
pariors may be proposed. Provisions
AGAINST wearing of cosmetics to church
ana school in this state may also be
asked in order to give the measure full
scope IN its scheme of reformation.
Late this afternoon the committee
VIII hear arguments on the Buster
Brown bill to amend the cigaret law.
Several bushels of petitions protesting
against any change in the law have
i been received.
Miss CASTOR May Attend.
1t is probable that Lucy Page CASTOR
VIII appear before the committee in
Opposition to the Brown bill MISC
Lorraine E. Wooster may also appear
When Browns bill was introduced IL
was given a joint reference to the
judiciary and welfare committees
i Only five bills were passed this
morning on third reading. Most inn
portant on the list was the Jolliffe bill
providing a felony for bank officials
who falsify records and reports.
The legislative apportionment COM
nittee today submitted its bill for
lchanges in state senatorial districts A
number of changes are proposed. Reno
county gains an independent eena-
itorial district, while four counties
which now have senator's of their own
are attached to adjoining counties.
To Change Senatorial Districts.
| Coffey county is placed with Linn
land Anderson in the Seventh district.
iwhile Usage county loses its senator
land goes with Franklin to comprise the
ISixteenth district. Washington and
Marshall counties-now separate dis
ttricts-are attached and made the
Nineteenth district.
I The Elk-Chautauqua district In
wiped out. Elk is joined with Lyon
and Greenwood in the Twenty-fourth-
tChautauqua is placed with Cowley IN
the Twenty-seventh district. Pratt and
kingman counties are separated from
Reno and attached to Barber and Har-
per counties. The new district would
be the Twenty-sixth. Reno county
would become the Thirty sixth district.
House members are in session in
committee of the whole this afternoon.
lThey will proba bly, adjourn until Nom
day morning.
| Just before recess the house adopted
la resolution giving representative hail
to members of the old Douglass house
for their reunion the evening of Feb
lrtra