Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1899-02-19
MIssOURrs SPEAKER HAS SOME OF
THE QUALITIES OF A MULE.
NEWSPAPER men STILL BARRED
OFFICIALS DIGNITY THE TROCHA
OF THE LEGISLATURE.
Efforts Made by Fairminded and
Fearless Legislators to Have the
Muzzle Taken From the
Press Are Futile-COn- ,.
duct Excites Pity.

JEFFERSON CITY. Feb. 1s-(special)
Weyler ]. Wards attempt to suppress
newspaper reports of the proceedings Of the
house is still the talk Of the capital city.
Many criticise him severely for his arbi-
trary action of yesterday in refusing the
newspaper correspondents the freedom OF
the floor. No one attempts to deny that
Weyler j. Wards action was due to his
anger at criticisms which have appeared
in almost every newspaper in the state.
1t is impossible to describe truthfully the
speakers side of the legislature in COM
plimentary terms. But the speaker does
not take this fact into consideration.
Forced by the accident Of circumstances to
rule body when he doesn't know how. he
naturally enough makes grievous blunders.
If the peoples money were not being Law
ishly squandered the state at large would
enjoy the episode Of Weyler ]. Ward.
AS it Is senators and representatives alike
are laughing to-day at the plight of the
speaker. He does not seem to realize that
by his new policy of Recommendation he is
bringing even more prominently before the
people than heretofore the clerical steal,
the nepotism and the misrule of the state
house ring.
Newspaper Row Was Vacant.
When the house met this morning there
were no reporters present. Newspaper
row remained without an occupant dur
ing the day. A quorum Of members was
not present either, but this did not seem
to make any difference to Speaker Ward.
He readily overruled the point Of no quor-
um. The felicitous conditions were promot-
ed by the absence of the clerical lobby.
Mr. Homer Hall, Of Grundy, promptly
called up his resolution to grant the privi-
| lege of the floor to newspaper correspond
ents.
Speaker Ward attempted to rule the reso-
luton out of order, but thought better Of
1t, after a time, and allowed the house
to consider it.
Mr.. Hall made strong plea for the
reporters. He called attention to the fact
that all their desks were vacant-a rebuke
to the discourtesy Of the speaker. He said
| that it was a mistaken idea that news
papers had heretofore been represented on
| the floor through the sufferance or courtesy
of any one. The reporters were there. he
| said by reason If the inherent right OF the
people to know what the legislature was
doing. He asked II the house was afraid to
| have its proceedings made public. He
| warned the members that the people would
| mot tolerate any interference with the free
| dom of the press. He directed attention to
| the fact that 1t is absolutely necessary for
| the reporters to go about among the mem
| hers and make inquiries In order to get
the accurate proceedings. He said that this
was a courtesy that had always been ex-
| tended to the press, and defied any one to
| cite an instance where any press repre-
sentative had ever violated his privilege.
Speaker Looked Mulish.
| During Halls speech Ward looked mul-
| ,sh and downcast. He had the air of q
| whipped boy too stubborn to admit his mis-
| take.
Mr.. McRoberts, Of Lewis. tried to get
| the floor to speak in behalf Of the newspa-
ner men. but the speaker would not permit
him to do so.
During the whole proceeding Ward acted
| in a very arbitrary manner, paying nc
heed to the little common points OF parlia'
Hubbard. of Barry. offered a substitute
| to Halls resolution, proVldlng that HsWs.
paper men be not given greater privileges
| than the members enjoy.
Under Wards peculiar interpretation o.
rule So" the members are not permitted
go about on the oo 10 bq5 the o theme
Made q Cheap Display.
As a matter of fact there is nothing II
the rule that would warrant such an IN
terpretation. Ward merely resorted to
trick in order to make cheap display Of
authority against reporters who have beer
| printing the truth about him. AT the TIME
when the SergeaNt-dl-dfluS WaS St,tie
| the reporters away from members desks
| a number of representatives were movint
| about on the floor engaged in conversation
with each other. No attempt was made Z
| arrest them or otherwise to interfere witt
The sergeant-at-arms stated expressl!
that he was instructed by the speaker t
| enforce the rule against reporters. IN
| preliminary question which the officer al
| ways asked was: 49,
"Are you newspaper MANI"
| Upon being answered in the affirmative
the serseant-at-arms proceeded to enforce
! the sneakers orders. The very evident In
| tention being to bar reporters, Hubbard
substitute would have been negative con
Object Was Revealed.
| This being the case, the true purpose o
the speaker to muzzle the press was re