The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-02-24
House Sends to Engrossment Judge
Hawkins's Measure Proposing
Certain Drastic Changes.
F0RBIDS ANOTHER MARRIAGE.
ReappOrtiOnment and New Con
gressiOnal District Discussed
by Politicians - Action
May Be Postponed.

1 Bf y STAFF CORRESPONDENT.
jefferson City. Mo-, Feb. 2;.-The House
sent to engrossment to-day the bill of
Judge Hawkins of Marion Relating 10 I'll
vorce, alimOny and the custody of chill
dren."
The bill differs from the pre- sent law in
that 1t makes divorce suits ,riab,e by Jury
and in that 1t forbids the guilty party in a
divorce from contracting marriage within
I'VE years, and il the court believes the
guilty person unfit to contract the mar
rfage relation, the prohibition is to be made
perpetual. The innocent party TO the di-
vorce is also prohibited from marrying
within one year after the date of :i;e de-
cree. The bin was reported favorahly last
week by the House judiciary Committee
and sent TO engrossment to-day without
much debate An extended debate will
probably meet the measure when Z comes
up. for final passage. Judge Hawkins Viii
defend he measure earnestly.
Reapportfonment and the new congress
sional district have become absorbing
topics here although the Committee on
Apportionment have not yet put their map
into a bill for presentation in the House.
Every politician at the capital is figuring
on the new districts. Representative Lock-
er, a member of the House Apportionment
Committee. presented TO -. committee
map i'm which he asserted E--secn out IL
the sixteen districts would lc Democr ltic.
He brought Monroe. Missouri's banner
Democratic county. down to the Arkansas
line in this map. in order to overcome the
Republican maJorities in Stone and Chris
tian counties.
Chance for Jim WhitecOtton.
That would give Jim Whitecorton Il
chance 10 run for Congress in the oZarks,"
remarked one OF the politicians VINO
amined this map.
As the new sixteenth District is pro-
posed ii would contain an abundance OF
congressional material. Among the possi-
bilities would be Frank Farris of CraW-
ford, James Il. Harrison aES IL. II. Hohen-
schild of Phelps, ex-senator Mansfield of
Wright, Bob Lamar Of Texas. n. =. Phil
lips of i.aclede. John o. Holmes of Marics.
Doctor DelxeIl of Webster and Hepreserta-
tive Organ of Dent.
The present proposal Is to place ST. Louis
County in Champ Clarks district. the
Ninth. Those who are figuring declare that
his district has majority enough TO easily
overcome the Republican majority IN 81.
Louis County.
Congressman Shackleford of the Eighth
tionment Committee. He declares that :he
proposed plan would make his district Re-
publican.
Il counted in my majority at the last cleo
ton Il considerable number of PopulistS.
he declared. Those who are figuring did
not take this fact into account"
The committee has added to Governor
Dockery's old district. the Third. Nodaway
County. in order to equaltza the popula-
tion.
The committee has barely launched on its
work, with over half the session expired.
1t is not unlikely, considering the number
of conflicting interests that must be hay
monized. that the reapportionment may go
over until the next General Assembly, and
that Missouri may elect Congressman-at-
large at the next general election
JOHN G. LEBENS. ,