The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-03-10
LOOKS OMNIBUS
FOR CIVIL SERVICE
Yates's Measure Generally At
tackled Because All Power Is
Placed in His Hands.
OPPOSITION EVEN IN RANKS.
Advocates of Reform Are Afraid
of Governors Bill and Lead
in the Fight Against
OPPOSITION EVEN IN RANKS.
BY A STAFF CORRESPONDENT.

| Springfield, ILL., March Sit looks ominous
| tonight for Governor Yatess civil-service
| bill, which comes up on second reading to-
morrow morning in the House OF Repre-
| sentatiyes. Amendments will be in order
| and are ready-a bakers dozen at least
| the purpose of which are either to kill the
| measure or to take from 1t all that which
seems calculated to benefit Dick Yates. For
| instance. the very first section OF the Gov
errors bill proclaims that within thirty
days he, the Governor, shall appoint three
Civil Service Commissioners.
This Senate is not mentioned. nor any
other brake upon the Governors inclina-
ton. The Commissioners then, other sec
tons recite, superintend the entire reorgan-
ization of the States army of employees.
The State Auditor. the Attorney General,
the Secretary of State, very naturally are
asking: Where do we come imp
That's the point. They don't come in. If
civil service Is the thing, then the Governor
considers it quite proper to get in on the
ground floor and he has taken steps to
do SO. With his own Commissioners, he GER
tainly would be off with a safe lead.
TROUBLE AHEAD.
But even now the others are barking at
his heels.
AT first The rtention was to pass the
Governors bill, hand it to him like a hot
potato, defects and all. But the impression
grew that the Governor might make good
with 1t; that he undoubtedly would make
himself politically solid whatever happened
to anybody else. Hence the premonitory
note OF fight which was sounded tonight.
James A. Rose. Secretary of State, and j.
:. Mccullough. State Auditor, were much in
evidence lobbying against the bill as 1t
stands. and the other officials already have
put in their knocks
Upon the proposition the House will he
divided by the lines entirely new Sherman
to the surprise of everybody. stands square
iy with the Governor. He states that he is
this time, efforts to amend with suspicion
That he will demand the closest scrutiny of
the moves of the men who offer amend
ments. He wants civil service. He thinks
the Governors bill might be improved, but
does not wish to lose the principle in fight
ing for a detail.
SHURTLEFF BOLTS.
Edward D. shurtleff. chairman of the
the administration refuses to accept civil
service in any shape. though made a party
issue Issue He lands hard on the Governors |
la tiers satirical suggestion that every can
didate for office. or everybody suspected Of
oeing willing to be a candidate, be subject
ed 10 an examination and that the Gov
ernor. particularly, as he is to be the ex- |
ecutive head of the whole civil-seryice sys-
tenn; be required to pass an examination. in |
GLIDING every branch of human knowledCe.
from the three Rs to integral calculus
Civil service. says Shurtleff has been
more more productive of hypocrisy in politics |
than any question of recent years Let us
begin at the top in requiring examinati tons |
IN our country, when the swine begin to |
per on the SHOUTS of the hogs and nut ring.
IN the noses Of the sucking pigs. We ring
the. WHOLE outfit and begin with old ones
about does not begin with the scrubwomen
In ..f 1Ir State Institutions;
we are to have reform. let US have a
Tor office to submit to an examination be-
fore the Supreme Court
PROPOSED AMENDMENTS
The coming amendments that are to be
seriously follow:
of stas the the sfs,s the
and the Attorney General, the commission;
second. making the commisslonerships
examinations 1t. is proposed to hold;
fourth, cutting down the proposed commits.
sioners' salaries from $1,000 to 5000, or
may use for expenses.
The Democrats, according to present
plans, wi, viii not not =, vote They may take
row, but on its passage. If the bill remains
n any sense the Governors bill, they will
lay low" They maintain, that while bound
pound to further a civil-service scheme of
which the Governor is the chief beneficiary.
Turing the very brief session of the House. |
rus None asked that one OF his innumerable
remedial bills. the one prohibiting tele- |
,raph or telephone companies from trans
hitting messages to poolrooms or bucket
hops, be made a special order for Wednes- |
lay. Not voice was raised in objection |
md the bill Is a special order.
STATES MONEY.
Hoyt King, representing the Executive
Voters League, has issued another report,
showing still another of the various meth
IDS in which the legislators are careless
With the States money. He calls attention
o the fact that two contests of election
rave been held before the Elections Com
nittee. and that. If previous presidents are
ollowed. these Will cost at least the tidy
'um of 500. This is for attorney fees
lone.
A contest when made, because of the GU
nulative-vote system, is brought against
hree men.
Each is allowed an attorney at $3.50 and
he contestant an attorney at the same
gure. One contest. 81. ZOO; two contests g.
co, an inducement to bring contests AS
was both contests were thrown out ON
he ground that the petitions did not make
prima facie case, but this does NOT AFFECT
he price. You cannot return soiIsd goods
ere
In 1889 the expenses OF all committees
'ere onl; $500. Since that time the Elec-