The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-02-24
Brief Sessions, Held as a Mere For.
mality, Only Add to the
States Expenses.
PAY ROLL FAR BEYOND LIMIT.
If All the employees Should APP
pear at Once, Legislators Would
Be Crowded-Draw Money
Without Giving Service.
pr CORRESPONDENT.

BY a STAFF
Springfield, H., Feb. 2S.-Both branches OF
the General Assembly. twelve Representa-
tives and two Senator's being present, held
another ive-minute session this afternoon
at which practically nothing was done. but
which cost the State. aside from the pay OF
the members, just $500.
This total time and waste of money-the
latter in open violation OF the statutes.
which limit the daily pay roll expenditure
TO S21S. 50-promises to put far in the back
| ground all former records.
BY statute the House is limited to forty
one employees. Frank W. Burton Oem.) OF
| Macoupin County. in Democratic caucus al
the beginning of this session, offered a reso-
luton providing that the Democrats 81
mand the constitutional requirement a
two-thirds' vote. before permitting an in
crease of the pay roll beyond the statutor!
limit. The resolution was adopted. II
seems to be forgotten,
Some of the Democrats who are not in
olined to remain supine under sucn Il con
dition of affairs are asking questions, es-
pecially the members from southern IN
nois. They do not hesitate in the ~least-in
fact. they point to it as a very obvious
fact. that somebody is getting pie"
The Democrats are in a position to Sc
cure a good position TO get their share
of these political fruits. if such raids on
the Treasury are to oe made, but most OF
them admit that they have not received the
SA.6AtcSL NoliSidei
PAY ROLL is LONG.
From time to time Speaker Miller has
asked unanimous consent to add certain
names to the House pay roll. No voice III
opposition was heard. The list has grown
until now, House and Senate combined. II
is within three of last sessions high marx
-S34. as against 337. 1t takes no prophet %
predict that the increase of four VIII come
ABOUT, unless the IS soft nr snap up rs eH .pa ns-
sembly by the Legislative Voters League,
an organization having its headquarters II
Chicago, and which bears a potent scourSe
In quietly examining into the situation. the
truth has been discovered and put iorth py
the league in array OF figures si5niicant
and formidable.
Assembly. since organizing January Z. has
spent just 5000. OF the S34 persons on the
pay roll, 40 are put there by the Senate
ninety-siX by the Secretary OF State, ano
| ninety-eight by the House. The roll was
made up a week ago. yet some of the men
on it never saw Springfield, but receive
| from & to s. a day for pursuing the ever
| tenor OF their way in their various homes
and at their regular employments.
HOW PIE is CUT.
The league points out the method in
which the distribution of jobs is made. II
is to allow each Senator and Representa-
| tive Gin good ~standing), not q fixed number
| of appointees. but a fixed amount OF
land il allotted reads the report. "sa,
$12 worth of patronage a day, he may pu
on the names of six policemen at s. a day
or four policemen at g a day, or make an!
other combination. He may divide 1t VI
among his h~enchmen and make 1t go round
No check is kept on the names except to re
Quire Identification at the Auditors ofic'
when the warrant is called for. If the %
were required to be on duty in the Hous,
the crowd would 80 obStruct 1t that thei
presence would be intolerable."
1.-THE members would not dare go on rec
ord as ~favoring this ruthless expenditure o
~ nnnax-- mil hr thasv pnnefiftynr Z
as taxpayers. The extravaganza is admit
ted by Secretary of State Rose, officials i;
the Auditors office and decent members o
the Legislature. to be unnecessary and per
niciouS."
GROWING STEADILY.
This increase has been climbing since 1859
Then the Senate pay roll was almost SIS,
coo for 40 days. In 1901 it was almost Sal,
COO for 16 days.
Those who have followed this session will
| remember that in no week was more thar
three days work done. The Constitution
reads five days at the minimum" Thi'
| is overcome by making Monday and Frida,
! a pretense as a legislative day. The Assem-
bly, convenes at 0 o'clock Monday-thete Is
| never a quorum. 1t convenes at 10 O'Clock
Friday-there has not been 4 quorum this
year, and seldom is.
Senators stringer and Bailey were in theil
seats when the Senate met this afternoon.
hand, and adjourned the body in one min.
ute from the time he took the chair. In the
HOUSE ITS QUESTION OIL quorum WAS nOl
raised, and Representative Stewart, by
unanimous consent, introduced two resolu-
tons.
The first provided that at the next gen.
eral election n constitutional amendment be
submitted allowing UNIVERSAL suffrage. The
second would require of Senators Culiom
bill, which has passed the national House
and is now before the Senate. This re-
auires that all intoxicating liquors, manu-
featured in one State and shipped in an
other, shall be liable in the latter to all the
restrictions placed upon products by the
State law.
MINERS ARE ACTIVE.
All the legislators who were here attended
the reception rendered John Mitchell, presi-
dent of the national body of the United
Mine Workers of America tonight in the
Representatives Hall. The meeting had no
direct connection with politics. but the pres
ence of Mr.. Mitchell and other of the mine
workers means that the several bills urged
by organized labor and the mining inter-
ests now before the Assembly viii receive
the direct support of the organization. The
miners especially want the removal of the
limit on death damages. 1t is probable that
the limit will be increased TO $40, 900, pos
SHY to $1,000.
The session this week will again be char
acterized by the introduction of many new
bills. The time limit for original measures
is rapidly approaching. and the calendar,
accordingly. will be de,uEed. The Chicago
members Gnaln as.t in tonight were each zach welisioaded
Singing Lurton." who campaigned by
singing songs. since he felt his owe as
an orator limited-has an amendment to the
revenue law, the purpose of which Is to d.
vide the tax on land and the tax on money
for which the land Is security. The bill
provides that the person holding the land
shall pay a full tax. but that the proportion
representing the mortgage shall be credited
to him on his note.
An anti-Sundav theatrical bin similar to
that now before the Missouri LEGISLATURE
and in force in New York, will be introduced
here tomorrow by Representative Kieeman,
II would close all places of amusement on
Sunday. The active opposition of the pro-
prietors is expected.
q HASTINGS MacADAMs.
Scott County Delegates Selected.
REPUBLIC SPECIAL
Winchester. ILL.,, Feb. &C. S. Doyle. ].
NJ. Riggs, John H. Workman, Sylvester Allen
and LANES Collins hare been selected dele