The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1895-05-04
FROM The GOVERNOR.
A Personal Letter from Gov. stone 70
Senator Ballard, OF Henry County, Writ
ten to Show Why an Extra Session of the
Legislature Should BE Held.

A 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 legisla-
ture, is as follows:
JEFFERSON CITY. No, April 10, 1s95.-DEAR
SENATOR-I want to write you frankly as a
democratic senator, concerning the extra SeS-
sion. l mean this as a friendly talk OF one
democrat to another.
want to say in the first place. that 1 called
the legislature because it seemed to me to be a
duty both to the state ana to the party. hr:
taken the Whole responsibility OF this myself.
and DO not wish To cvade it or to ask anyone to
share it. As to the personal aspects OF the
situation. I am wholly indifferent. As to the
public and party aspects OF it, l feel a profound
interest.
L As to the election law, 1 assume that no
honest man wants a law on the statute books
which offers both a temptation and an oppOr-
tunity for the committing of fraud. l assume
that every honest mai wants an honest cleo
ton, and, therefore, is in favor of an honest
law that will tend to accomplish that result.
Election machinery should be constructed
wholly with the view to preventing fraud and
of securing an honest expression of the will of
the voters at the polls. lam opposed to any such
law under which crimes can be committed
Us have been committed under the law row in
force. There is 4 wide-felt belief. for which
there is, unfortunately, abundant good reason,
that frauds on u large scale are perpetrated in
the cities under the present law. 1t does not
matter that both parties are equally guilty OF
these frauds. The point 1 make. and which 1
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. 1t ought not to be driven into
doing what it is manifeStly its duty to do.
II democrats in authority do not show solicit
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
democratic party should not put itself in that
attitude before the people OF these great cities.
l am a partiZan politician, as emphatic and ag-
greSSivc as a man dare TO be along correct lines.
When l go to st. Louis or Kansas City 1 am
usually surrounded. as other visitors are, by
the politicians of those cities. Those city
politicians are sui gencris." As a rule they
are not scrupulous rs to the means so that they
accomplish the ends. l like the politicians
t4AA N"N nv "a N~A 49, - -s 'N-1S
OF right or my judgment on public duty or par
ty policy to them. Follow them and so per
cent. of them will lead you into any extreme.
The party can not afford to do that kind of
thing. As an organization, the party must
stand forth for that which is right.
=. l will now discuss the merits Of the fel-
low-Servant'S law. This much L will say:
There is no principle involved in fellow-Servant
legislation. One man might properly oppose
such u law. another favor it. and different men
divide as to the scope and terms Of a measure.
There is no great vital principle involved. 1t
is not ditficult to state a case where a right Of
action ought in all good conscience to be main
tanned 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 will
at once say that damages ought to be paid
proves that legislation of this character, within
proper limits and restrictions, should be enact
ed. Why should it not be: Why is 1t not done:
Do you believe for a moment that if Phelps,
Carroll. Flanagan, etc, did not oppose the meas
ure; if the tremendous influence OF railroad cor
porations did not obstruct-do you believe for
i moment that this long-continued demand of
twenty-Odd thousand voters in Missouri, sup
ported by several times that number OF SYM
pathizerS, would not have long since been en-
acted into law: II during the session just ad-
iourned, the representatives Of the railroads
had announced to the senators and representa-
lives here that they had no objection to the
passage of such u law, do you doubt that such
= law would have passed: You know,
senator, Us well as 1 know the
tremendous influence exercised by the
lobby here. Are you willing to have this
continued indefinitely in Mis-
souri,: l can not believe you are willing to have
it. Missouri is 4 doubtful state. Look at this
The managing head of every prom
inent railroad in Missouri is republicans
Brown. of the Burlington, NettletOn, Warner,
Hays, Morrill,, etc. They have some men un-
der them wit are democrats, but these demo-
Gratis are drawing large salaries and hold their
positions is the SubordiGateS of the managing
heads. 1t is a fact, well known already. that
these railroads are far more liberal con-
trihutors to republican than to demo-
cratic 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 also permit them by
adroit manipulation to put Us AMI leave US in
an attitude of hostility TO their wOrkingmen,
and be thus enabled to swing their army Of
workingmen into line with them in opposition
to the democratic party: We are at
al - AA4N1bN wv N"A BNA Al YIN
cratic party on top. Why should any
democratic senator or representative stand
on the other side! Is il for the good OF the
democratic party? Is it for some great vital
principle: No thoughtful man would say that.
course, the railroads and the railroad lobby
will fight for that side. Why: Because they
think it may save the railroad companies "A
few dollars. That is the whole of it. Inc
democrats of the lobby will serve the railroads
without regard to its effect on the party. IL the
issue is between the democratic party and the
railroads, which side will Phelps and Carroll
and the others take: Very truly yours,
WIN. J. STONE
THE GOVERNOR INTERVIEWED.
Gov. Stone, while in st. Louis, wa
interviewed by a reporter for the Globe
Democrat.
do you wish to express an opinion in regard
to your private letter to Senator Ballard, in
which you stated There is no principle in-
volved in fellow-servant legislation"
..Therei is not one word in that letter which I
would wish to retract. lido not regret the pub
OF the letter, except it this way, that it
been misconstrued, intentionally perhaps,
on the part OF some. Irepeat it now. that there
is no principle involved in fellow-servan legis-
That is, there is no fundamental
principle of government involved. 1t is not a
vital issue in other words, although without
doubt it is q question OF the highest impor-
lance. Such is the true meaning = OF the fol-
lowing sentence. There is no principle
in fellow-servant legislation This
view of the case is apparent to any unpre,u-
diced and intelligent person who reads my IT,
fira nmpnpuicafin IN SNpofnr laI1arl