The St. Louis Republic., 1901-09-27
SPEAKER CRONIN
LOSES HIS temper,
Angry Because he Has Been Iden-
tilted With the Hold-Up
of Bills.
SAYS HE is BEING RIDICULED.
Declares He Is Not Responsible for
Delay in Reporting Public
Measures, and Wants to
Be Let Alone.

Angry because he had been connected.
by inference with the hold-uo of the bill
providing penalties for the manufacture,
Speaker Jim Cronin OF the House OF Dele
gates exhibited pugnacious tendencies yes
terday afternoon. He intfmated that he Is
in no manner responsible for any holding up
Of public measures. implying that the chair
men of committees are responsible.
The Fifth Ward politician was In war
like mood. II oughtn't talk to you." he
said to the reporter Don't you think
man ever gets tired Of being rldiculed? You
said this morning in the paper that Kelly
claimed was one Of those who wanted the
bill held up. II you say that you're liar"
Tho reporter reiterated the statement
which appeared in The Republic yesterday
and Wednesday. to the effect that Mr.. Kels
ly. chairman of the Committee on Leglsla-
tion, had informed License Collector Whyte
that he was anxious to report the bill fa-
vorably. but some of the boys" were not
certain that all the counterfeit license tags
had been garnered In. Mr.. Kelly made the
remark before his departure from the city
several weeks ago. and he insinuated that
some of the boys" Of the combine had
friends who knew something about the boz
gus tags.
why don't you dig up a dead man and
publish his interview" Mr.. Crcnin inquired.
his eyes flaming and his voice defiant.
That's what Kelly is. You're printing
what he says and he's sick in hospital.
more than a hundred miles away from here.
Anybody who says ! had anything to Go
with this bil"s liar: l say people who
used those tags-manufactured them-ought
to be in the pen"
Mr.. Cronin was invited to visit License
Collector Whyte and ascertain what Mr..
Kelly had stated in the presence of wit
pess nesses Il ,n dons have to see WhSte OF any
would have come to me If Kelly had said
that. l amt done nothin'. I ain't to blame
because bills are held up. l amt chairman
OF any Of the committees.
II don't know nothin' about these bills.
Didn't know they were in the House. Never
heard anything about them: I never go to
gets tired OF being ridiculed?" Mr.. Cronin
assumed a threatening attitude toward the
reporter.
The bill providing penalties for the manu-
facture. use, sale or disposal of counter
felt license tags was passed by the City
Council. July Is, since which date it has
up. according to Chairman Kelly OF thu tn.
Committee on Legislation. in difference to
The wishes of several members OF the COM
bine. Mr.. Whyte formulated the bill, after
the counterfeittng cases had been taken be-
fore the Grand Jury. MIR. Cronin said yes
terday he did not know there was such "A
bill.
Another. important license bill, which the
Ways and Means Committee has had since
August 9. is that prescribing new rates for
restaurant licenses. The purpose of the
small restaurants and increase them for
large restaurants. Unless the bill soon
passes the rates for small restaurants will
be larger after November 1. The bill pro-
vides that restaurants accommodating 100 or
more guests shall pay $50 license for the
half year: so guests and less than 100. $o5 90
guests and less than 50, SIS: Is guests and
less. s.. Under existing ordinances the rate
for all restaurants is $50 for the half year,
The Committee on Legislation is composed
of Messrs. Kelly, Burke. Fontana, Troll and
Oberbeck. The Ways and Means Commits
tee comprises Messrs. Sweeney, Kelly, Han
nisaI, Williams and Koeln.