The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-08-04
GOLD BRICKS AND BRASS .TACKs.

GOLD BRICKS AND BRASS .TACKs.
Reorganization of the House of Delegates is threat
ened because the Honorable Thomas s. Stops who is
supposed to represent the Ninth Ward thinks he has
received too many gold bricks and wishes to the
brass tacks," and because e. NJ. Block of the Eighth
Ward is tired Of getting "salve." What gold bricks,
brass tacks and salye have to do with legislation and
good government the voters do not entirely under
stand but IL the significance is impressed upon them
emphatically, they may be able to comprehend the
procedure now defined by Messrs. Stops and Block.
The first point to be determined is whether Stops
was elected to get brass tacks and Block to push back
the salve whether they elected to make good
laws, defeat pernicous bills and in general obey the
will Of the people If Stops was elected to get brass
tacks, there was certainly reason why he should
get gold bricks II Block elected for any other
purpose than to egslate 1t certainly wrong that
salve should have been administered to him.
As well rs the voters Of all Of the twenty eight
wards can remember. there were in the party plat
forms no clauses relative to gold bricks brass tacks
and save However it is possible that these features
Of legislation embraced in mental reservations
or else they may have become vital in the last month
or two. From all appearances they seem to be pre-
yaing issues for Mr.. Stops has stated in inter-
view I'm tired of being handed gold bricks They've
got to show the brass tacks Mr. Stops enlivened
his assertion by the assurance that he Is with Butler
clear down the line"
Mr.. Block is more modest in his bravado than Mr..
Stops. There is this much about It,, is decara-
ton attributed to Mr. Block if my vote does not
ganize the House, surely tie 1t up, and that is
one thing certainly will do"
Whieit is unfortunate that gold bricks, brass tacks
and save should enter into the affairs of the House at
critical moment when the bill providing for munich
pal garbage disposal plant is pending, we may hope
that they will not prevent the passage Of the bill at
very early date Antagonistc Delegates in the House
must not defy public opinion by blocking legislation
by STOPPING to tactics which have been warmly
and universally condemned.
Gold bricks brass tacks and salve may have no con-
necton with the disposal Of garbage At any rate the
people Of St Louis expect that the municipal garbage
disposal plant bill shall be passed, whether the pres
ent organization continues whether there be reor
ganzation; whether certain Delegates receive gold
bricks or whether they receive brass tacks.
For their own good Messrs. Block and Stops ought
to postpone the until after this bill shall have been
passed They might, also with advantage, defer as
sault until pending improvement bills shall have
been passed After that the gold brick brass tack and
salve questions may be brought up for consideration
It Is likely, even then, that the administration and
the citizens will not be affected by the trouble I'M
less public patience be too sorely taxed in which case
public opinion will become vigorously assertive.
The garbage problem must, by all means, be set
ted The people desire that the city sha build, own
maintain and operate garbagedisposal plant and a
garbage-collection system. Among the twentyeight
Delegates in the House there should be majority in
favor Of bill which has the earnest support of virtu
ally all Of the people The House should heed public
opinion and pass the bill this week.