The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-03-02

jefferson City. No., March AFTER being
in session fifty-two days the House has
passed twenty-five bills. Not since 1889 has
such a record bean made by the lower
branch OF the General Assembly. Whether
this week will mark an Improvement In
conditions Is problematical.
In the session of 1859. the Republicans
pursued their present tactics of hampering
Democrats In every possible manner. They
stood out in solid body against anything
which the Democi ats wished. They were
under the leadership then of John H.
C'Fire Aiarm'D Flanagan Of Carthage.
Singularly enough. Fire Alarm" Flana-
gan is or hand to-day. He spends nearly
all of his time in jefferson City fraterniz-
ing with his fellow Republicans. He Is
their good angel
Flanagan is helping William II. Phelps
manage his railroad interests. ne stands
between the Republicans and Phelps when
transportation is being discussed. He has
helped organize them and now has reason
10 view results with complacency-
WORK WITH FILIPINOS.
AS long as the Republicans and the Fill
pinos are united there will be TO railroad
legislation. The unfavorable reports of the
House Railroad Committee which seems to
be dominated by Phelps. will be sustained
on final passage.
All of which explains In part. at least. the
tatics OF the Republicans. Taking advan-
tage OF the Filipino movement. they are try
ing in every way to embarrass regular
Democrats by wasting valuable time on
inconsequcntial legislation. Long speeches.
dilatory motions and other filibustering
methods have succeeded in making the pres
ent session one OF the most remarkable on
record.
Undoubtedly. whitecotton did not help
matters Friday night. when he took the
floor against the report of his own Appro-
priations Committee In fixing the militia
appropriation at $4,000. The committee.
to be consistent. was forced to vote against
Whitecotton. The committeeman felt just
flied in supporting their report. Governor
Dockery, while before them. had recon-
mendcd a liberal militia appropriation.
though he id not specify any particular
amount.
As soon as Whitecotton had taken the
floor and in reply to taunts asserted that
he was willing and anxious to be known as
watchdog of the treasury" the Republi-
cans and Filipinos seized the opportunity
and again showed their superior organiza-
ton and manipulation.
DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS.
Just what will be done by the Democratic
caucus Is problem which Is difficult to
solve. II conditions do not change by
Tuesday or Wednesday. 1t Is possible that
an Official caucus declaration may be made.
reading the Filipinos out of the party. This
will not he done except in a case Of last
resort. After every other effort to bring
the recreants back TO the fold has failed,
the voice OF the caucus may be heard.
This may be done when the appointment
Of a Calendar Committee ii taken up. Leg
islation cannot be advanced until this COM
mittee Is named. Usually the majority
caucus names the committee In conjunction
with the Speaker. If such a thing were at
tempted now. the motion would be defeated
by the Republican, Filipino combination.
COMBINE HAS A COMMITTEE.
II is said that the combination has it's
own calendar committee ready to spring as
an amendment II the subject is ever
brough. up. On vote against the Whitecot-
ton forces the combination committee would
be named and legislation dictated by 1t.
Just what good the Caucus Steering Com
mittee can do remains to be seen. II con-
sists Of Whjtecottop, Davidson, Eyersole,
Duncan. Leonard. Stewart and last, but not
least. Long. The last-named has already
Identified himself with the Filpinos and
is standing solid with Graham. Davis and
Reinmiller. all Of whom are from the Fiji
tenth District.
Graham of Jasper is one of the Fifteenth
District members and lays his present Do
sition at the door of Whitecotton In an
authorized interview he says:
GRAHAM EXPLAINS SITUATION. |
wish to say that my statement made |
In regard to the motives of tie Democrats
who have failed TO act with the majority |
of the party refers only to a part of that |
number. No man outside of Southwest |
Missouri has sufficiently understood my !
position or that Of any other member from |
that section to correctly explain our action. |
I'VE are simply attempting to support |
the interests Of our constituents My /
people expected me to vote for the initiative |
and referendum, and cannot support a eau |
Gus amendment that emasculates the meas |
IRE. Ny people are against the proposed |
textbook commission and no man on earth |
can make me support It.
L am opposed TO the present Speaker Of /
the House, because think he is using the |
House as little machine to boost his |
gubernatorial chances, because think he |