Mexico Missouri message., 1903-07-16
.nstaneesof reeeiving boodIe.

1
All Of the offences be tells about
are barred BY the statute Of limita-
ton.
Lancaster says he has known the
Missouri senate since 1870, when
he first became a member Of that
body. Il was not until 1893 aud
1895 that he knew Of much hood
ling going on. Prior to that time
it was carried on under cover in
an irregular way, but in 1895 the
first boodler's combine was formed
and in 1897, when he was mem
Der of the senate, there was com
bine with nineteen members that
had a waiting list Of four other
senator's. The waiting list was
like the extra force on street car
line. On each division there are a
few men who work only when the
regular men are off duty. These
four extras, according to Lancas-
ter, were not allowed in the com
bination regularly, but when one
of the regulars was out hunting
driftwood", or on any other err
rand, the extra man took his place
and shared in the emoluments.
Lancaster says the combination
would hold meetings at night to
talk over the situation Sometimes
they wonld meet ut the Madison
hotel in the room Ut some senator.
AT other times they would meet in
the committee rouM back of the
Senate chamber. They talked OF
Doodle as driftwood' aud when
business was dull the conference
would sometimes appoint COM
mittee to hustle driflwoOd" That
committee would prepare a bill at
lacking some interest and either get
1t run thru the house and back to
the senate or introduce it in the
senate and have it go to a commit
tee. The members of the commit
tee would shake their heads when
approached by representatives of
interests involved and say they
could not help recommending the
bill for passage. The senator's
representing districts affected
would say they were against the
bill, but were afraid they could
not stop it unless some senator's,
were bought. The money would
be paid to some member of the
combine who would parcel it out
to his associates at the next meet
ing.
Lancaster says So, 500 to $4,000
was a good winters earning for
each member of the combine in
those days. He does not know
about the business transacted' in
more recent years.
The insurance companies were
usually easy. Lancaster says that
they were the favorite victims of
combine efforts. The most radi-
cal kind of insurance bills would
be introduced when "driftwood"
became scarce. The railroads
were compelled to raise money at
times, but they had men abound
the senate to represent them. The
stock yards interests were general
lily good for a reasonable amount
and packing houses contributed
with a reasonable amount of liber-
atty.
Lancaster's use of the word
J; drlftWood' recalls o story OF
several sessions since. A bill was
pending, hostile to a big in
terest, and as it had passed the
house aud was on the caIen dar fol
a third reading, the price for Kill
ling was pat higher than seemed
4. reasonable to the interest affected
1t was to be passed on a certain
( day if the interest affected did no
\ "come down with the money" anC
a senator came to st. Louis for Fl
nal effort. On the morning Of thl
date the bill was to have passe,
q be telegraphed another senator
q river is rising, driftwood coming
down fast Tie senator under
stood. With the telegram in hi