Potosi journal. (Potosi, Mo.) 1894-1929, 1899-03-01
4 SpIASti t)E
ECONOMY.
House Decides TO Eet
90 Clerks SO.
COULD HAVE. SP AIRED
TWICE The NUMBER.
Comes Too Late to Save the
Session From the Patron
age Scandal.
Special to the POst-Dispatch.

4
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo-, Feb.
23.-The clerical force scandal
again came to the surface this
morning on the Dalzell resolution
Topping off 50 clerks. Ellis Of
Bates offered an amendment pro-
viding for q reduction Of 43 in the
force.
The debate on the question last
ed more than an hour. All at
tempts to defer the question were
howled down. Speaker pro tenn,
! Coltraine, who was in the chair,
had a hard time controlling the
members. The members shouted.
howlcd and interrupted speakers
with impunity.
An attempt was made to refer
the matter to the Clerical Force
Committee. Pope of Cole brought
cheers by saying the committee
failed once to settle this matter sat
isfactorily and the House would
as well settle it now and on the
floor.
George L. Lee Of Carter Coun-
| ty declared that the clerical force
was a scandal.
''Thc people have found it out,
too" he said. ''You can't fool the
people. This House was organized
on the principle of Il division Of
spoils among those who were sue
cessful in the House. | have a
daughter on the force. but l will
vote to reduce it, if l know that
she is to go home"
Whitecotton of Monroe made
startling charges. He said:
81 blush to say in the presence
of the minority that grave mis-
take was made in the organization
of the House. And | want to say
further and | wish it to 60 out to
the people, so that they may
know the causes for this condition,
that in the beginning there
was q scandal. l say that COM
mittee chairmanships were sold by
the Speaker for clerkship appoint
ments. | blush to say this, and it
probably never occurred before.
This is part Of the scandal. And
the ncpotism is another part of the
scandal. 1t seems that some mem
bers came here for the purpose of
putting their arms into the treas
ury up to their elbows. l have no
relatives on the force. 1t is wrong
and there should be some way to
prevent it. l appeal to the men
who consider personal interest, |
appeal to them for once in their
lives to act like patriots"
! While Whitecotton was speaking
Dayis of Pike who has Il relative
on the force, tried to get an adj
journment.
Barnett Of Pettis thought the
Fortieth General Assembly had
so far shown itself good for moth
ing except to draw s. day fol
each member. He appealed to the
House to settle this question and &C
to work.
The previous question was call
ed for but was defeated on a roi1
call.
| Davis of Pike offered a substi,
tute for the whole matter, provid
ING that each member desiring tC
place himself on record, as being
opposed to the clerical force scan
dal, be permitted to do so by with
drawing his clerk OF clerks ans
sending them home. It was rlllct
out Of order.
johnson of Cooper offered Il sub
stitute for the whole matter, pro
viding that the chief clerks dis
charge 25 clerks, the enrolling
!; clerk, five clerks and one janitor
, the encrossing clerk, five clerk
and one ianitor; the doorheepec
: two employees who receive s.. .
. and two ian:tors at -: the scr
geant alarms, one messenger ant
one messenger clerk, and tn
speaker. oac page-in all 10 EN-
ployes.