Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-03-22
MISSOURrS ROTTEN LEGISLATURE
WILL ADJOURN TO-DAY.
DOMINATED BY THE LOBBY.
RECORD OF THE SENATE WORSE
THAN THAT OF THE HOUSE.
Many Good Measures Passed the Low
er Body, but the All Powerful
Lobbyists Choked Them to
Death in the
Senate.

Jefferson City, Mo-, March N.-(Special) }
There is no longer any doubt about the
adjournment of the legislature at noon to-
morrow. So far as the senate is concerned
the record made is a dishonoraDle one, as
a majority of its members were evidently
controlled by the lobby and its Doodle. The
record of the house, while being of gen.
eral incompetency, is much cleaner. Only
small number of the representatives are
either suspected or accused of having been
controlled by the lobbyists.
Where the house majority showed it's
weakness was in permitting the 'sandbag-
gers and lobbyists to overload its budget
with inconsequential measures. thereby
spending much of the time that should
have been devoted to considering needed
legislation in needless discussions in the
cor'mittee rooms and upon the floor of
the house.
The expose in The Journal of to-day of
the attempts by lobbyists 10 bribe clerks
insthe senate and house, to steal the ST.
Louis civic federation bill and the account
given therein of the attempt of B. T..
Robinson. one of the lobby-s pIuggers. to
shoot Colonel John Carroll. the associate
of Colonel Bill Phelps In bossing the
corporation lobby, because Colonel Car
roll had refused to give him promised COM
peEsation for acting as a go-between in
corrupting some of the senators and there
by causing bills that the lobby was op-
posed to. that were passed by the house. to
be killed in the senate, caused a great deal
of talk in this city to-day. Several MEM
bers of the house and others said they
heard the stCry of Robinson's attempt to
compel Colonel Carroll to divy with him
before they read it in The Journal.
1t was common talk in the all-night Sa-
looms at an early hour this morning: not
who were still in the city thought they had
succeeded in Silencing everyone who knew
the details.
Lobbyists are scarce in jefferson City to-
night. Colonels Phelps and Carroll are
gone, as are several of their subordinates.
Jasper county. represented in the senate
quota of these individuals. In addition to
Robinson, there were Fire Alarm" Flan-
agan. Van Ider and others from Carthage.
worked with Coonels Phelps and Carroll
in killing off the cent railway fare bill.
h b yder re eooS &
stock yards bill. the general franchise bill
and a number of other bills passed by the
handled by the lobby bosses, but how much
of this fund found its way into the pock-
cts of senators and representatives and the
iohby'S go-betweenS is not known.
As will be seen by the address and decla-
ration of principles of the state league, or
ganized by the farmer members of the
house. published in to-day'S Journal, these
men propose to prepare for the next ses-
sion of the legislature. Several members
to keep it strictly non-partisan, and that
they will organize subordinate leagues in
every county in the state for the purpose
of educating the people in regard to needed
legislation.
They say that they will do their utmost
to induce the Republican. Democratic and
PopuliSt parties to nominate only such men
for election TO the next legislature as will
Solemnly bind themselves to pass law
the first week of the neXt session that will
either cause men like Colcnels Phelps and
Carroll to remain away from Jefferson City
or land them in the penitentiary if they
come here attempting to enact corporation
laws. or prevent the enactment of laws
that are intended to limit the powers and
prerogativeS of corporations.
THE reason We got together last night
and promulgated our address and declara-
ton of principles said one of the officers
of the league. was because We realized
after an experience that We had with the
senate committee on railroads, one day
last week. that ma iority of the members
of the senate We're absolutely controlled by
the corporation lobby. We went before the
committee to ask that the cent fare bill
and the general freight bill be put upon
the senate calendar for final passage. Colo
mel John Carroll was seated at the table
with the members of the committee. In
stead of acceding to our request the mem
bers of the committee laughed at us. and in
doing so insulted us. Carroll seemed to be
more amused at our coming to the COM
mittee to ask that these important meas
ures be not killed than any of the senator's
who belonged to the committee. We re-
tired mad and disgusted.