Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-11-02
Three DisreputabIe Acts
by Illinois SOIons at
One Sitting.
FAVOR OF INTERESTS"
Approve Treasury Interest Grab,
: Water Power Steal and
Kill Primary Law.

Springfield. ILL.,. Nov. 2.-Embolden-
ed by its success in the butchering of
reform measures, the senate combine
turned the chamber into a shambleS
yesterday. killing outright the state
treasurer's bill, providing that interest ,
on state funds shall go into the public
purse instead of into the pockets OF
political grafters.
This CORY performance took place in
face of the fact that State Treasurer
Smulski has demonstrated the size cf
the revenue the state would derive
from the interest on its own money by
turning into the public Golfers $4,000. !
covering a period of nine months.
This is at the rate of about S1OO.-
000 for the treasurer's term of two
years but. Notwithstanding the size NJ
the sum. the senators killed the bill.
which would have made it obligatory
upon all treasurers hereafter 10 do
what Mr. Smulski has done i'll fulfill
ment of his campaign promises.
Ignore salary Increase.
lItN lllS Ulll III the tdtF
of the further fact that bill has been
passed raising the salary of the treas
urer from $4,000 to $4,000. to become
effective after the next incumbent is
elected and taken his place
Two votes were necessary to kill the
bill. One knocked out the emergency
clause. the roll call standing 2S 10 l..
IL senators not voting. The second
roll call on the bill with the emergency
clause struck out was lost by one vote.
the affirmative poll numbering %. the
negative and those absent or not
voting 2l.
Helps Power Company.
The notorious senate combine also
rushed to the succOr of the Economy
Light 4 Power company yesterday
and stuck its butcher knife into the
deep waterway project 1t slashed the
emergency clause out of the ''navigl-
bility" bill--the vital section-thus
giving the company exactly what its
LOBBYISTS have been fighting for
time To build a dam at Dresden
Heights and acquire property rights
before the state can take steps to stop
the work
The action is expected to sound 4
death knell for the constitutional
amendment allowing the state to issue
10000. 900 bonds and to construct Il
deep sea way from Joliet to Utica
but it means many dollars in the
pocket of the Economy company.
One peculiar feature of the vote was
the fact that on the roll call Thursd -
night 80 senators voted for the 'navi-
gability' bill. There was just one
vote shy. so further action was post
pOned until yesterday, when remark
able change in sentiment had come
over the members. Several who had
pledged themselves to support the bill
hopped over when the final action
came.
Query. "WhO Got It:'
Curiously enough, the senators last
night. while maintaining that they
were actuated by the nobest and pm'
est of motives in carving the meat ou
of the bill. chuckled and snorted as j
rejoicing over great victory. So die
Congressman Howard Malcolm Snaps
of Joliet. who has steadily trod th'
statchouse Hobbies like a gTiZZle(
ghost ever since the Economy peopl
began to get representation in TIL
third house" at the capitol. But tn
friends of the deep waterway idea tak'
the opposite view, and. with significan
shrugs. hint that fitting and EXPIRE
sive epitaph for the "navigability' bill
would he who Got It?
Predictions Verified.
For the bill was passed, just as tn
lobbyists intimated it would be; bu
it was stripped of its vital feature tn
emergency provision.
And this means that the compan
can finish its dam at Dresden Height
before the bill becomes operative Jul
/. 1908. and will then posses sue
property rights that it may cost tn
state millions TO oust it,
The Oglesby primary bill staggere
through the senate in the decrep
shape into which the senate, aided b
Postmaster Daniel A. Campbell of Oh
cago dubbed it Thursday in ordi
that Speaker Cannon might escaT
taking his presidential candidacy b
fore the people of his home state.
obtained a vote of 40 to 8. the pr
gressiye element voting in the affirm
atiye after voicing the hope that I'll
house next week will refuse to giN