Potosi journal. (Potosi, Mo.) 1894-1929, 1899-02-15
NO RETRENCHMENT.
State treasury Will Contin-
lie to be Plundered by the
Democratic Legislature.
Special TO the Post-Dispatch.

n.-The House has disposed of th'
clerical force question in the man
ner that was expected. The itcl
for patronage was stronger tnal
the sense Of duty to the people.
There was never any chance tha'
the force would be reduced. Such
move was feared by almost eve
ry member of the House. Il
touched each one intimately. With
a very few exceptions every Dem
ocrat was afraid to vote for a re
duction because his appointcos
might lose their positions. 1t was
a case of personal interest against
the interest of the whole people,
and, as usual, the personal interest
won.
Many a member has a trouble
some conscience, however. All
are not hardened by the lust fol
plumber. Things were said in the
Democratic caucus which bound
the majority to oppose reduction
which will rankle long time in
the breasts of those members who
have accusing conseiences. Nepot-
ism was roundly denounced, and
those who have relatives on
the force show, by their eagerness
to defend themselves to any one
willing to listen, that they do not
feel easy.
And they were all compelled to
record themselves as indorsino and
sustaining the wild extravaganza of
the present clerical force. That
record will rise to haunt those who
at the next election seek to be re-
turned to the Legislature. Many
of them writhed under the necessity
of voting. Some fled. A few tried
to explain their votes. But all cx-
plantations were weak. They made
the cxplaincrs mere objects Of pity.
Even Whitecotton's explanation.
elaborate, carefully thought out,
skillfuly stated, should have been
left unsaid. When he got through
it was after all a confession that he
had acted contrary to his con-
science, because lot of other men
had voted such action the will of
the majority. Whitecotton and
the other Filipino leaders have un-
doubtedly weakened their cause by
their action in this matter. 1t is
possible that they were led into a
trap by design of the ''regulars, .
and forced to live up with them on
this question in order to break
the back ofthcir consistency.
The announced policy Of the
Filipinos was to workfor ccono-
my and local elf-government.
Economy was thrown to the
winds by the action of Friday.
And Mr.. Whitecotton emphasized
its abandonment by himself and
insurgcnt companions by telling
the world that he had allowed him
self to be forced into doing some
thing that his conscience told him
was wrong. Nobody knows all
this better than Mr.. Whitecotton.
He bitterly regrets his action. He
freely admits his regret. He sees,
probably with clearer vision than
some others, that the extravagant
course of the majority in the
House will work no good to the
State Democracy.
If the ''regulars' could force The
Filipinos into line on the clerical
force question by a caucus, what is
to prevent the same thing being
done on the question of increasing
State control over the cities! The
Filipinos having allowed one of tn.
planks of their platform to be tori
from beneath them, will they not
permit the other to be taken from
them, leaving them hopeIcssly a
the mercy of the ''regulars?'
These questions are being asked by
those who set great store by tht
Filipinos.
The Republicans are enjoying
the situation. They all, to man
voted for Il reduction by 50 en-
ployes of the present force. They
have voted for economy.
The Republicans also had a goo(
object lesson of the amount Of de
pcndcnce they can place upon thu
Filipincs as allies. With the Filipi
nos votes they could have reduced
the clerical force and taken all tht
credit to themselves. There was
IN. autcropping of newborn Re