The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-04-27
Unfavorable Action Friday Bomb
in the Camp of the Meas
ure's Advocates.
SHERMAN FAvoRs CONVENTION.
Speaker Says Illinois Constitution
Is One Hundred Years Be
hind the Times-AdvO-
Gates Revision.

-! to amend the organic law. 1t furnished an
opportunity for some brilliant oratory on
both sides of the chamber, which was most
attentively listened to by about two-thlrds
the full membership and number OF citi'
zens of Springfield.
The Senate held short session. passed a
| few bills and hurriedly adjourned to prevent
| the Introduction of discussions to relieve
committees Of further consideration of the
| cigarette and Particle claims bills.
| AS suggested in Fridays Republic, the
Republican Headers in the Senate have
| mapped out line of action on all appro-
priation bills, and they mean to use every
| means of carrying out their programme.
They are maintaining the closest secrecy as
! to their intentions, but the outline given
| III Fridays Republic serves as an index to
what they expect to accomplish
Drainage Action = Surprise.
The unfavorable action on the Chicago
| drainage legislation in the Senate was a
surprise. There are other surprises in store
for next week. and expect to be compelled
| TO record personal encounter or two be-
tween members before the hour of sine die
adjournment. This will occur some time
Friday night and will be a turbulent quit
ting About half the members are in ILL
f:4mor from one cause or another.
southern Illinois Democratic Senators re-
quest me to deny statements in Chicago
papers that they have taken any sides for
or against Mayor Harrison Of Chicago in
tne Iactional fight against Senator Maho-
ney. Ihe Chicago Mayor is universally re-
specie specaea ana s very popular throughout the
state n the Democratic ranks.
Inc citizens of Springfield who are push
ing the arsenal bill propose to invoke the
assista nee of Governor Yates to pass the
ting his support the bill will likely pass the
senate as 1t came from the House. 1t has
not yet been reported to the Senate, being
held while a poll is taken to discover the
number of its friends in the upper body.
The House. at its night session. read all
the propositions for amendments to the
Speaker Sherman for a Constitutional Con-
ventton. Then it resolved into Committee of
the Whole. with Rinaker in the chair, and
npeaker ~ sas sherman 81 made a vigorous speech
In forcible language, the idea Of amending
the instrument according to the lines laid
down by itself. declaring he would be 100
years old before the people could vote aloEe
on the propositions Of the Chicago Civic
Federation. He asserted the Illinois Consti-
tuition was 100 years behind the times.
Chicago Behind st. Louis.
I'VE are even behind ST. Louis" he pas
sfonately declared. "St. Louis manages its
municipal affairs much more effectively
than Chicago. which is hampered in many
thority should be enlarged and the business
of the State Legislature not crowded, as 1t
is. with Chicago affairs"
Mr.. Crafts made an eloquent speech, op-
posing a constitutional convention and pr-
ging the adoption of his amendment, rad
ically changing the revenue laws and en-
larging the powers Of the Chicago mu-
Mr. Trautmann followed along the lines
of Speaker Sherman for new convention,
ton Of the Mckenzie resolution limiting
Cook County to one-third of the total MEM
hers in the General Assembly. He cited New
same condition now confronting Illinois. and
overcoming 1t by limiting the representa-
ton Of the large cities.
Mr.. Wombacher Of st; Clair made splen-
in favor of new constitutional convention
The sentiment Of the members appeared
to be strongly to s M
the matter. but action on the resolutions
was postponed.
In Favor of Epileptic Colony.
Notwithstanding adverse action by Repub-
lican leaders In the Senate Thursday against
House Appropriations Committee decided
Friday afternoon to recommend for passage
the bill. 1t was reduced from sS50CO0 to
1.630 acres Of land and improvements; $2o-
600 for dormitories and other necessary
buildings. and 10000 for maintenance IN
''Notchcliffe" comprises over 1,6O acres
in Jersey County, constituting the homes Of
two wealthy citizens Of st. Louis-Henry
Semple Ames and Henry s. Turner. The
improvements on the land cost. approx
imately, $4,000. and include one building
containing twenty rooms; macadam roads;
graveled walks and driveways. artificial
lakes golf grounds and tennis courts.
The JUL 5-per-cent tax-limit bill. which
has been the subject of frequent and pro.
will now go back to the Senate for concur
renee in the House amendments As amend
ed. the bill limits the taxes to per cent
equalized by the State Board Of Equai:sa
tion, exclusive Of State taxes. village
taxes. levee taxes. school building taxes.
district school taxes. high school t1xes and
taxes. and also bonded Indebtedness taxes
in cities whose honied fudehte tness exceeds
10 cent OF the ar o.
ing laws taxes are required to he extend
ed. and taxes level pursuant to the man,
date or 1udgmsas ,,, o. ,.,ays any court OF record
TIE passage of this bill by the House is
one section Of the deal by which the Cook
County kickers agree to vote "a for apporttion
demanded the measure to limit their tax
alton in Chicago, and they compelled the
bad Indians to help Sherman out with his
apportionment scheme. and In return Sher.
man and his faction promised to give Chi
cago the tax limit bill and one or two other
measures.
storm Over Drainage Affairs.
After q brief but stormy session, which
was characterized by display Of most
bitter feeling, the Senate Committee on Wa
terways and Drainage decided to report to
the Senate the annexation and bond bills
of the Chicago Drainage District. with the
recommendation that they do not pass. This
action was taken after a majority Of the
members Of the committee had signed an
agreement to the effect that the bills should
be reported with favorable recommenda-
ton. At the conclusion Of the meeting
Chairman Milchrist declared that he would
report both the action OF the committee
and the agreement to the Senate. He de-
clined to entertain a motion made by Sem
atOr Gardner to abrogate the written agree
ment.
President Alex. ]. Jones Of the Drainage
Board asked leave to say few words in
explanation of the bond bill. but Galligan
and Mahoney holly protested and insisted en-
bill.
The Senate failed to pass the Juul bill.
which requires hotels and lOdgtng-hOuse
keepers to make reports to Election Com
missioners. The Democrats opposed the bill
to man, and the vote stood q to 7-five
votes less than enough to pass 1t. The mo-
tion to reconsider was postponed until next
Tuesday.
The Senate Committee on Education re-
ported favorably the House bill to legalize
The Committee on Insurance reported IA
vorably the bills introduced by Hunter of
Winnebago to allow mutual wtndstorm In
surat,ce companies to extend their Tertiary
The COMMITTEES on municipalities reported
favorably the House bill which provides
that Park Commissioners IN Peoria, Quincy
and Springfield may be appointed instead Of
elected.
For Benefat of Volunteers.