Weekly graphic. [volume] (Kirksville, Adair Co., Missouri) 1880-1949, 1892-11-04
Mr.. Lane in Kirksvllls.

ALbhSI VI w iJoOlo az
dressed the kirksville Republi
can club, in the skating rink
The speaker WAS a member of the
last General Assembly, and as
such, was appointed one of CON-
mittee to visit the State lnstitu-
tions of learning, and the insane
asylums and reform school, and
examine into their management.
After addressing himself for a
short time to national issues, he
directed his attention to State af-
fairs. He asserted that he be-
lieyed the masses of both the
great parties to be honest. But
while this was true, he declared
that the affairs of the great State
of Missouri, were not in the hands
of a Democratic party, but IN the
hands of political ring tina. was
more powerful than the Assem-
bly, or Governor. He then went
on to show how the penltentiary
ring paid the State 40 cents a
day for the labor of each convict,
when each convict was earning
the members of the ring 50 to
50 so per day. He also showed
that members of the Legislature
had their wives in Jefferson City
during the session, drawing sala-
ries when they did no work. He
cited one particular instance
where woman was in the COM
mittee room as clerk for one hour,
and never sharpened her pencil,
yet drew a salary for the entire
session. He then passed to the
State institutions, which his COM
mittee visited, and gave an ac-
count of the extravaganza and
crookedness found in all of them
with few exceptions.
At the Nevada insane asylum
the committee found that the
State was charged IS per day for
its own teams. At Fulton they
found that ali the vegetables
grown by State help, were charg-
ed up against the State. Thus
making the State pay the highest
market price for its own vegeta,
bles. At st. Joe, like condition
of things existed. In the Reform
School at Chillicothe, the commit
tee found eight little girls occu-
plying finely carpeted rooms and
learning to play the piano, at an
expense of $1,000. He said it
Would be far cheaper to take
these eight little girls and board
them at the Lindell Hotel in st.
Louis, rather than continue to OPP
crate such an Institution that only
gave additional power to political
tricksters.
In referring to the !. Kirksvllle
Normal, the speaker stated that
the committee found that con-
tracts had been awarded without
advertising for bids, and as con-
sequence extravagent prices had
been paid for work and material.
AS an instance he showed that
a contractor had charged,
Sl.25 foot for putting up
six-inch galvanized iron down
spouting, when there would have
been big profit in the work at 25
cents a foot; and other things had
been paid for in the same proper
ton. The speaker stated that
when the committee visited
Kirksville on its investigating
tour, Judge Ellison secretary of
the Board of Regents, admitted
there had been extravaganza, but
put the blame on Judge Erwin,
who he said had charge of the
business. Judge Ellison denied
having made the statement, but
when the speaker reminded him
that the statement was made in
the presence of Mr.. W. t. Baird
Of the First National BaRk and
Mr.. johnson Secretary of the in
vestigating committee, the matter
was dropped. The speaker cited
these things not to show that the
Democratic party as a party, is
corrupt but that the political
ringsters were fleeing both Re-
publican and Democratic tax-psy-
ers alike.
After Mr.. Long had spoken the
chairman courteously allowed
Judge Ellison an opportunity to
reply to the charges of extraya-
gance. When the Judge took the
stand to reply it quickly became
evident that a program had been
prepared. The Judge was angry,
and if he made any effort to con-
ceal his anger, 1t was unsuccess-
full. He denounced his Democrat
lc friends who had given the in
vestigating committee information
in regard to the Normal contracts.
as villains, and declared the re-
port of the committee false. The
bitter denunciation of his Demo-
cratic friends and the declaration
that the report of the committee
was false were received with yells
and stamping by the crowd that
many believe, had gone there. at
the instigation of Judge Eli