The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1903-03-07
LETTER FROM THE CAPITAL.
Proceedings Of the Legislature, Political
Gossip, Men and Measures.


- NAa A1NNaN LANHNLM "a AAG AA Z 4
souri, legislature convened it was oou
seded that there was not really niue.
important work for the legislature out
side Of the usual appropriation bits
proposed insurance legislation, the tex
book question and possibly the ST
Louis police law which the republican,
we're supposed 10 want changed. /
was fondly hoped that the session
would be remarkably short and demo
cratic leaders bent every energy to ad.
vance business with the result that al
one time the session was advanced
two weeks ahead Of the corresponding
period las, session. However, as soon a.
the anti corporation legislation began
to come IN the republican lobby organ
zation began to get ID its work and
the large republican vote was lined up
IN a policy of introducing unimportant
blls-fool resolutions, and legislative
obstruction, the result has been at the
republicans who are guided by the
astute railroad lobbyists have been able
BY joining a few %disgruntled demo-
Gratis to block legislation and produce
legislative conditions seldom witness.
ed in the state. The democrats with
the exception OF sixteen members are
acting together and if The entire repub-
hcan membership sell out to the lobby
and are followed by d few democrats
the democratic party cannot be blamed.
In the matter of railroad legislation
IN the house 1t is practically impossible
to do anything for the reason that the
republicans are Under the thumb of the
corrupt lobbyists. There has been only
enc biliof mports &c reported fayorably
b the house RAILROADS committee and
that is a freight rate bill relating ex-
slrslvely to car load lots and reduced
prices from 8 to 20 per cent according
10 distel ce hauled AS this bill has
gone past the committee it may become
a law.
The senate is an entirely different
proposition all aroubd. The senators
are down TO business aud there is no
suggestion Of lobby influence possibly
because there is a big democratic ma
Iority and it would make no difference
II four or five fellows did sell out. The
party is responsible for the senate's
aclion because Of the large democratic
majority and If the house had a large
democratic majority they could Justly
be held responsible for their actions.
One phase Of the text book question
was practically settled by the engross-
nent Of the Robey proposed amend.
nent 70 the constitution providing a
levy of five per cent on the property
Of the state, the money SO raised to be
apportionsd back to the districts ac-
cordlng to school population and used
70 buy books and for other purposes.
The governor was strongly opposed to
"a IL
This measure because it contemplated I
evying more taxes, but the local option |
proposition advocated by him was
Ioted down. In connection with the I
Dgrossment Of the bill Senators Far |
rls and Rubey made especially eloquent {
speeches. Rubey quoted statistics show.
ing that in case this amendment was
adopted 50 of the ia counties in the |
state would get back more money than !
they paid in taxes. He commended that
Missouri was, indeed, a grand state {
and while the step contemplated was ,
Perhap a little in advance OF anything D.,
- rs. A
adopted by any other state, be believed
that Missouri was able and ready to
step out alone and lake a step in ad.
vance without waiting for some other /,
state 10 take the lead. Farris said he
stood for the poor boys and girls of bis
district, who, q great number Of them
not only did not have money to buy !
books, but scarcely had clothes sui
iicient. He said these boys and gals,
could they but have education, would
make citizens Of which the state would
DC proud. He was in favor of taxing
the corporate wealth of The state 10
furnish the boys and girls of the state
free books and more school.
On Thursday the gonernor submit
TOD a message on the st. Louis Blind
Asylum and in recommending the ap.
preparation as asked for by the asylum,
NJ u S vi