Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1908-08-27
The Lobby and Stone.

when the enemies of Senator Stone
seek to underestimate his influence
and to belittle his public achieve
ments, it would not be amiss for
Missourians to be once more re-
minded that it was Stone who be-
gan the fight against legislative
boodling and corrupt lobby meth
ods-not that his friends really
need to be reminded, for they re-
tain a strong remembrance OF
Stones fierce struggle with the
railroad lobby in the legislature OF
1895, and how he measured swords
with it's representatives in a clash
that resounded throughout the
state. That was thirteen years
ago and the intense feeling against
the lobby, which has ever since
manifested itself, had not yet be-
gun to be aroused. So it was
many times more difficult for a
Governor to stand and do combat
with so insidious foe of the pub
lie welfare as the organized lobby.
I! 1t took infinitely more courage
then it would now, for the people
have in more recent years become
better informed as to the real mis-
sion of that potent agency con-
stantly at work against legislation
in the public interest Neverthe-
less, Stone undertook the task,
and set the lobby chiefs and lobby
tools to squirming and wiggling
while they heaped denunciations
upon him and swore to wreak ven
geance upon his offending head,
| II it took a generation. Itwas the
keynote and Stone sounded it in
no uncertain tones.
In 1895, the House of Represen-
tatives was Republican, and large
lily under the absolute domination
of Republican bosses, notably
Chauncey l. Filley, then in the
hey-day of his power. Coeval
with the rule of Filleyism was the
supremacy of the railroad lobby.
The twain were inseparable and
united in opposing the wishes OF
the Governor. He called upon
them to enact what was known as
"the fellow servant law" but they
Ignored his injunctions., In the
regular session the lobby won out
easily, but found that the Govern
or was not so easily to be beaten.
ION the eve of the sessions ad-
iournment, he sent a ringing mes"
sage to the General Assembly de-
claring that it should not adjourn
until agreeing to and passing 9
law "that will make fraud at elec'
ton more difficult and hazardous
nor without agreeing to and pass
! ing some law defining fellow-se
wants, and providing for the liabil
ity of employers for injuries to one
servant occasioned by the negli'
gence of another" The former
he declared was of the highest i'm
portance, while the defeat of leg
islation of the latter subjec
"would be peculiarly unfortunate
since it would be practical ac
knowledged concession to influ
ences that cannot be potent in leg
, islative councils without detri
ment to the public right and safe
ty." These were plain words
clearly spoken, and capable o
} but one meaning. Still the Re
publican Legislature, subservien
menials of "Boss Filley" and tn
> lobby allies of the Republican
, party, merely smirked and turne'
/. it's head away. They adjourne'
without any action. In fort
G night, the Governor called an ex
= ira session, limiting it's power t
Z the enactment of three things
= first, fair election law for Kan
/ City and st. Louis; second, fel
I low servant law; and third, an an
ti-lobby law. He called upon tn
y Representatives and Senators t
= formulate "such legislative enact
= ments as may be necessary an
! expedient to prevent the mainte
nance of an organized lobby at tn
capital of the state, either to oh
q struct or promote any legislativ
s act, and also to regulate the man
ner of presenting any question al
fecting legislation by persons in
terested therein before the Genel
al Assembly, or any committe
70 thereof" In his proclamation h
l. denounced the lobby as dis
4 grace to the State, declaring ths
= the "public safety and the hone
i of the State are at stake" Th
1t following paragraph is taken frol
l his message to the General Al
q sembly when convened in extraol
! dinary session, which proceede
y along the lines laid down in h
IL proclamation:
is "Because the people of tn
% State do now and then deem
wise and provident to enact SON
law to prevent abuses, and for tf
: better government of such corpt
Q. rations, they are regarded as en'
If mics, and every proposal to ena'
d such law is resented as decla
d ration of war. And so to protet
1t themselves against the peop
N who created and support them, tn
,r corporations organize a band {
l. crafty Diplomats q coterie
l. skillful manipulators in the art
it lobbying, and maintain them
T. the capitol of the state. The
Q corporate agents, employed to ii
1. flnance nlhlic officials. have grow