The state republican. (Jefferson City, Mo.) 1871-1896, 1895-02-14
MISSOURI LEGISLATURE.


ing the state fund commissioners to
cell 8 percent bonds sufficient to
take up the certificates OF indebted
ness represented by the seminary
and school funds and bearing inter-
est at and 8 per cent. or these
certificates "a, ,909, 900 bear 9 per cent
interest and s23l, 900 per cent, and
the combined annual interest amounts
to 418o,090. According to the re-
quirements Of the resolution the in
terest saved is to be appropriated to
the various counties for common
school purposes. Mr.. Davisson esti-
mates that the state is paying s9t, 800
more of lintarest Annnauy tnan IT
should, and that under the proposed
change $48,280 would be saved al
accordingly go to the schools.
The house buried the pharmacy
law beyond all hope Of resurrection.
It was taken up for third reading
and passage. Mr.. Short, OF Phelps,
secured the floor and made long
and bitter speech against the bill,
and he was followed by Mr.. Tubbs,
of Usage, who went to even greater
lengths In denouncing the measure.
Mr.. Spencer, Of st. Louis, made q
great effort to turn the tide, and
ssid and did everything possible to
save 1t from defeat, and he was ably
seconded by Mr.. Short, Of Cole.
But the house was obdurate, and de-
feated the bill by vote of SO to 81.
Not satisfied with this victory, Mr..
Tubbs induced the house to table a
motion to reconsider the vote. This
bill was recommended by the state
association Of pharmacists.
In the house q bill introduced by
Mr.. Higbee was sent to engrossment
by a vote OF 80 to 81. 1t relates to
criminal cases and as amended and
engrossed reads:
At the time Of filing the information, or
within twenty-four hours thereafter, the
prosecuting attorney shall file with the
clerk OF the court brief statement Of the
substance Of the testimony Of each wit
ness for the state, with the name, resi-
dence and occupation Of each witness,
which shall remain in his Office as a record
and be subject only to the inspection OF
the Judge OF tho court, the prosecuting
attorney or his clerk; the defendant and
his counsel or his clerk and the clerk Of
the court must, within two days after de-
mand made, furnish defendant or his
counsel copy thereof without charge or
permit defendant or his counsel or clerk
to take copy thereof.
Among the prominent members
who opposed the bill were Messrs.
Watson, of Christian, Avery, Of Lin.
coin, Schooler, of Charlton, David
son, Of Marion, Young, Of Texas, and
Gmelich, Of Cooper. From the on
slaught made by so many able men,
bers OF the house, 1t seems strange
that the bill was not defeated. Its
friends, Messrs. Higbee, of Schuyler,
Moran, OF st. Joseph, Sullenger, of
Gentry, Hart, of Putnam, and others
made it appear that the law will less.
en- criminal costs, prevent perjury,
and tend to better enforcement OF
the criminal code. They cited the
Iowa law, which the one under con-
sjderation was modelled after, and its
satisfactory working. On this point
Mr.. Schooler offered some figures to
show that the criminal costs OF Iowa
exceeded those OF Missouri, while a
much larger per cent Of prosecutions
fail In Iowa than in Missouri. MIR.
Gmelich, of Cooper, made the strong
est speech Of the long debate. He
raked the lawyers over the Goals for
their inability to agree on any meas
ure regarding criminal laws and
criminal costs. In his opinion the
proposed law would put the state In
the same position In regard to pros
ecutions as the man who would un-
dertake to play poker with his cards
constantly exposed. It is now Diff
f1cult matter to obtain conviction in
view OF the loop holes afforded by
the continuance and change of venue
law. Innocent persons charged with
crime are always anxious to obtain Q
speedy trial, while guilty ones pursue
an opposite course. The prosecution
is invariably handicapped with q
young, poorly paid and inexperienced
attorney, and the speaker was not In
favor Of adding additional complica-
-tions. Mr.. Watson believed tie
proposed law would result in making
1t almost impossible to convict any
one possessed of means enough to
employ good lawyer.
The senate committee on educa-
ton reported favorably the bill aboi.
ishing the state normal schools at
Kirksville, Warrensburg and Cape
Girardeau. BY the terms of the bill
!. the property owned by the state In
these towns will be sold to the re-
spective cities in which the normali
are located for $1,000. II any one
Of the three cities in which the NOR
NAL schools are located fails to &C
eept the property, the governor d
directed TO advertise It for sale t<
the highest bidder. There are now
attending the three state normal