Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1895-05-02
FROM THE covERNoH.

-
Senator Ballard. OF Henry County, Writ.
ten to Show why m Extra Session Of tbs
Lekislature Should BE Held.
personal letter written by Gov.
Stone to Senator Ballard, of Henry
county, on the advisability of calling
an extra session of the legislature, was
published by the senator in his home
paper, the Montrose Democrat. several
days ago. The letter, which has caused
considerable discussion in the 1egisla-
ture. is as follows:
JEFFERsoN CTTY. Mo-, April IS, iso5.-DEAn
SENAToR-I want to write you frankly as .
democratic senator, concerning the extra ses-
sion. mean this as . friendly talk Of one
democrat TO another.
want to say in the first place, that called
the legislature because it seemed to me to be .
duty both 10 the state and to the party. Ihave
taken the whole responsibility of this myself.
and Go not wish to evade it or TO ask anyone TO
share it. As to the personal aspects Of the
situation. am wholly Indifferent. As TO the
public and party aspects OF it, I feel . profound
interest.
1. As to the election law, / assume that NO
honest man wants law ON the statute books
which offers both . temptation and an oppor-
tunity for the committing OF fraud. ! assume
that every honest man wants an honest cleo
AASAS~e
law that will tend 70 accomplish that result
Election machinery should be constructed
wholly with the view to preventing fraud and
OF securing an honest expression OF the VIII OF
the voters at the polls. am opposed to any such
law under which crimes can be committed
as have been committed under the law now in
force. There is q wide-felt belief, for which
there is. unfortunately, abundant good reason,
that frauds on q large scale are perpetrated In
the cities under the present law. II does not
matter that both parties are equally guilty OF
these frauds. The point make. and which
consider unanswerable, Is that fraud ought not
to be made easy, but as difficult as possible.
The democratic party Is the dominant party
OF the state. It ought not to be driven into
doing what it is manifestly its duty to do.
II democrats in authority do not show solici-
tude and willingness to correct the evils
against which honest men Of all parties are
complaining, then it would look as il we are in
different, or, what is worse, that we expect to
profit by the opportunity for wrong-doing. The
party should MOI put itself in that
attitude before the people OF these great cities.
am partizan politician, as emphatic and a2-
gressive as man dare to be along correct lines.
When go to ST. Louis or Kansas City am
usually surrounded, as other visitors are, by
the politicians OF those cities. Those city
politicians are '.sui generis." As a rule they
are not scrupulous as to the means SO that they
accomplish the ends. / like the politicians
and the workers, but can not yield my sense
Of right or my judgment on public duty or par
ty policy to them. Follow them and 80 per
The party can not afford to do that kind of
thing. AS an organization, the party must
stand forth for that which is right
2. will now discuss the merits Of the fell
law. This much I will say:
There is NO principle involved in fellow-servant
legislation. One man might properly oppose
such q law, another favor it. and different men
n n n
There is no great vital principle involved. It
Is not difficult to state q case where right OF
action ought in all good conscience to be main
sained by an employe against his corporate
employer. Cases might also be stated where
the right to maintain an action ought not to
exist.
These things, however. concern only the de-
tails Of legislatian- The fact that it is easy to
state cases where the moral sense Of fairness
and the conscience of right thinking men Sill
1t once say that damages ought to be paid
proves that legislation of this character, within
proper limits and restrictions. should be enact
I'D. Why should it not be: Why is 1t not done?
Do you believe for moment that If Phelps,
Carroll, Flanagan, etc., did not oppose the meas
IRE; If the tremendous influence Of railroad cor
porations did not obstruct-do you believe for
} moment that this long-continued demand Of
swenty-odd thousand voters in Missouri, sup
ported by several times that number OF sym-
pathizerS. would not have long since been en-
acted into lawf II during the session just adj
ourned, the representatives of the railroads
had announced to the senators and representa-
ives here that they had no objection to the
passage Of such . law, do you doubt that such
} law would have passed. You know,
senator, as well as know the
obby here. Are you willing to have this
condition continued indefinitely in Mis-
souri,! I can not believe you are willing to have
t. Missouri is Q doubtful state. Look at this
situation. The managing head Of every prom
neht railroad in Missouri is republican
Brown, of the Burlington, Nettleton, Warner.
Hays, Morrill,, etc. They have some men un-
Ter them who are democrats, but these demo-
Gratis are drawing large salaries and hold their
positions as the subordinates Of the managing
heads. It is fact, well known already. that
these railroads are far more liberal con-
to republican than to demo-
,ratic campaign funds. Next year we
will find these leading men throw
ing the power of their influence to help the re-
publican party. Shall we alse permit them by
In attitude of hostility to their workingmen,
md be thus enabled to swing their army of
into line with them in opposition
20 the democratic party? We are at
! disadvantage. We can put the demo-
'ratic party on top. Why should any
democratic senator or representative stand
IN the other side? Is 1t for the good of the
party? Is it for some great vital
principle: No thoughtful man would say that.
)f course, the railroads and the railroad lobby
will fight for that side. Why? Because they
hfnk it may save the railroad companies
ew dollars That is the whole of it. The
democrats OF the lobby will serve the railroads
Without regard to its effect on the party. II the
ssue is between the democratic party and the
ailroads, which side will Phelps and Carroll
md the others take: Very truly yours,
WIN. J. SToNx.