The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1895-06-08
COY. o N VIEWS.

Law, and Holds the Lobby Responsible,
for the Failure to Pass n Fellow-Seryan
Law.
Gov. Stone. on being asked his opip
ion as to the work if the extra session
said:
Il called the Legislature in special session
Tor two principal reason-Ul for the enact.
ment OF an honest election law. and () for q
light against tie lobby. l have appealed L
senators and representatives 10 enact o good
election law and TO make war on the railroad
lobby. have begged both democrats and re-
puollcanS, as MissourianS, TO do this in the
name OF good government, I nave also ap-
pealed TO democrats to make these fights as a
matter OF party pride. and republicans have
been appealed to in the same way by men
prominent in that party. Every appeal poSSi-
DE 10 arouse men to duty has been made. Al
election law has been enacted. There are
provisions IN 1t which ! think it would have
been better to have left out, but it is a law
which will make future election frauds dinicult
and hazardous. 1t was hard work 10 get even
that much, but the people OF st. Louis and
Kansas City can now have honest elections il
tney want them. The failure OF fellow
servant and anti-lobby legislation is a victory
Tor the lobby. l knew when I submitted the
subject Of fellow-Servant legislation to the
IeglSIature II meant a desperate fight with
the LOBBY. To pass that bill meant the COM
plete rout and overthrow Of the lobby. 1t meant
us utter destruction. For that very reason I
wanted the fight made before the people Of the
state II The battle was won, then an evil in
huenee would be driven from the capital: il
lost, the people would have All object lesson for
future guidance. 1t is well that they should
know what influences operate here Good ad-
mlnlStratlon and the public safety require that
the people should be thoroughly aroused to the
dangers menacing them. They can protect
themselves If they Will. II We are Indifferent,
the case Is hopeless"
Asked as to who he thinks is respOn-
slble for the defeat of fellow-servant
Legislation, the governor said:
The lobby, Of course. There is no doubt OF
that' Ihat fact can not be obScured. whatever
effort may be made to disguise it. Two forces
nave been in opposition here for a month. The
LOBBY has been on hand. ~inSOlent. defiant. az
gresSlVe. The enemies of this force have Strug-
gled to overthrow it. The anti-Iobby senators
and representatives have made a hard fight for
honest government. The lobby won. after a
desperate struggle, but I believe they will find
that It IS a short-lived and dearly-bought VIC
tory"
When asked about the political effect
OF the fight, he said:
That Is a consideration which sinks below
the higher consideration Of the public right:
but, to be frank. l do not see how any party adj
vantage or disadvantage can accrue TO anyone.
What are the facts: The senate is democratic
at this time by three majority. In that body.
therefore, the parties are about evenly bal
anced. The house is republican by a majority
OF twenty-fOur over the democrats. AT the
regular session no election law was passed. At
that session the senate passed a general fellow
servant bill and sent ii to the house weeks be-
fore the adjournment. The house took no
action on fellow-servant bills until about
a week before adjournment. The house
then passed a bill which reached the SEN
ate Monday before the adjournment Sat-
urday. That bill was a straight rail-
road fellow-Servant bill, with a proviso to the
effect that no railroad employees should enjoy
its benefits II he or any organization to which
he belonged ever interferred with the railroad
Companies in the employment Of men or con-
Quoting their business. That bill would
have destroyed the railroad organizations or
else have been worthless. Neither bill would
have been Of much practical value. The house
killed the senate bill and the senate killed the
house bill. AT a special session the senate
passed a general bill and sent il to the house.
There was a fierce struggle in the senate. The
lobby was opposed to any bill, of course. but
favored the general bill rather than the Spe-
cial. The anti-lobbv senators were never able
70 !OTCt al ulTeCL vote on the Straight railroad
bill. The general bill was thrust in as a sub
stitute, and passed. For n month the house
took no action on fellow-Servant bills. They
were introduced at the beginning Of the session
and referred to committees. There they slept
for a month. Democratic representatives Of
fered resolution after resolution TO require the
committees to report the bills TO the house,
but all such resolutions were voted down by
the republicans, as the journal will show.
For IraalC fha hnnrn r,. tai ,3,o,-us..
day after day without doing anything, and
refusing to consider fellow-Servant bills.
After the senate had passed a general bill the
house suddenly beStirred itself. A special bill
was then reported and passed. That bill
reached the senate Friday last. But the SEN
ate, after passing 4 general bill, had adopted a
Joint resolution To adjourn on Saturday. and
had sent that to the house Immediately after
sending its general bill, so that both the senate
bill and the adjournment resolution were pend
ing in the house at the same time. Now, as /
have said, in this state OF the case the house
passed a special bill and sent il to the senate
on Friday. but under the constitution the bill
could not be acted on in the senate
before Monday as it requires three days
to pass an original bill. The adoption
by the house Of the senate reso-
luton to adjourn to-day operated, therefore. to
preclude any action by the senate on the house
bill. The senate could not have acted on that
bill before nex: Monday This morning the
house met at 10 O'Clock. took up the general
bill passed by the senate, and amended il by
a special bill. That was sent over
to the senate about II o'clock. Then the house
adopted the joint resolution to adjourn at IL
That left the senate about an hour in
which to print. examine and pass the bill. and
also to wind up its business preparatory to
adjournment. 1t was utterly impossible.
as everybody knew, to secure 4 vote
in the senate within an hour. After
the amendment was printed the sem
ate had just fourteen minutes left until ~
one opponent Of the bill could easily
talk an hour out. In this way both houses
have dealt with the question. Tn people
can easily tell to what extent either has acted
in good faith. I simply state the facts. without
The executive branch OF the gov
eminent has been for special legislation. That
branch is democratic. So far as the executive
department is representative of the democratic
party. il opened the fight for this legisla-
ton, and stood by it to the end. The senate is
almost evenly divided. OF the senators who
the legislation. there was a fair di-
vision between democrats and republicans. 1t
was not treated as a party question in that
body. In the only test vote taken. eight demo-
Gratis and six republicans recorded themselves
in favor Of a straight bill In the house, on
the vote to pass 4 straight bill. there were
nays. or these. there we're six
democrats. one populist and fourteen repub-
licans. The bulk OF the democrats Of the
house have stood in favor OF legislation.
They sought in vain to force the bills from the
committee in time for deliberate action. and
voted against the final adjournment, so as to
give the senate time to act on the house bill
and to compel action thereon. Such is the his
tory Of this transaction, 1t is quite clear that