The Butler weekly times., 1895-11-21
Senator Vest on the Missouri Situation

Senator Vest on the Missouri Situation
Il have just come from Missouri.
The Democratic politicians there
are fighting each other, while Mr..
Filley looks on in profound silence
with beatifc smile upon his patri.
archal countenance. | spent week
in st. Louis trying to effect a COM
promise between the factions but
found that L could do nothing, and
was glad to get away. Some of the
belligerents were kind enough to
suggest that l was only actuated by
the desire to be re elected senator.
They measured me by their own
standards and could not understand
how any but personal motives could
influence public man. The masses
of the party are disgusted with the
personal wrangling and the quib
bing about ultra wires and the legal
power of the Pertle Springs conven-
tion.
THAT is an old question in this
country. The convention which
framed the present constitution of
the United States was called to
amend the articles of confederation
but Madison and his colleagues con-
cluded that they had the power to
make an entirel new constitution
because they represented the sover-
eighty of the people. In 1860 we
had striking example of the elestic-
ity OF the power of conventions in
our own state I was a member of
the jackson Legislature and drew
the bill calling for convention to
consider the relations between Mis-
souri, and her sister states and to take
such steps as might be deemed nee
sssary to protect the honor and
institution CT the state. Il quote
from memory, but this is the sub
stance. Under the act the conven-
ton alb ,lished the existing state gov
ernment aud established the Gamble
government, and if any voter in the
state ever dreamed of conferring
such power, l never heard of him.
But do not propose to discuss the
power of the Pertle Springs conven-
ton. 1t was regularly called, and
added - new members to the state
committee. Whether it did right
or wrong is not now the question,
but the real issue is whether we will
60 on wrangling over personal
hatreds and ultra wires until the
state passes into the hands of AR.
Filley for am indefinite period.
l. Now 1 would like to know
who is to be reformed and from
what is the party to be protected by
this disgraceful squabble in this state
committee? The extremists ough:
to be muzzled and the whole com
mittee, including the committeeman
selected at Pertle Springs, called
together and reasonable and fail
compromise can then be effected
If this is not done then another con
vention should be called to settle
the matter in dispute. The lunatic'
should not be permitted to turn the
state over to the men who plundereG
and prosecuted from 1868 to 1870
"The majority of the party must
govern in nation and state. l am {
silver man and haye always been one
but there are other issues besides
silver upon which I am democrat
I believe in the doctrines of Jefferson
strict construction of the constitu
ton, equality in all the benefits o
government, taxation in proportion
to the protection given the citizens
and no Capitalization of power.
shall fight for silver inside the part.
and if majority decides against nj
I will remain a democrat and centin
ue the struggle for the doctrines o
Jefferson. The Democratic party i
national and cannot exist on one is
sue. It is co-estensive with tn
Union and the whole autonomy o