The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1908-08-15

W4idJ WAS huOWQ as the fellow
servant law but they ignored
his iniunctions. In the regular
session the lobby won out easily,
but found that the Governor was
not so easily to be beaten. On the
the eve of the sessions adjourn
ment, he sent a ringing message
to the General Assembly declar-
ing that it should not adjourn un-
til agreeing to and passing a law
that viii make fraud at election
more difficult and hazardous, nor
without agreeing to aud passing
some law defining fellow-serv-
ants, and providing for the liabil-
ity Of employers for injuries to
one servant occasioned by the
negligence of another The for
mer he declared was of the high
est Importance, while the defeat
of legislation of the latter subject
would be peculiarly unfortu-
nate, since it would be a practi-
cal acknowledged concession to
influences that cannot be potent
in legislative councils without
deJriment to the public right and
safety" These were plain words,
clearly spoken and capable of
but one meaning. Still the Re
publican legislature, subseryi-
ent menials of Boss Filley'' and
the lobby allies Of the Republi-
can party, merely smirked and
turned its head away. They adj
journed without any action. In a
fortnight, the Governor called an
extra session, limiting it's powers
to the enactment OF three Things:
first, a fair election law for Kan
sas City and ST. Louis; second,
a fellow-seryant law; and third,
an anti-lobby law. He called upon
the Representatives and Sena-
tors to formulate such legisla-
tive enactments as may be nee
essary and expedient to prevent
the maintenance of an organized
lobby at the capital of the state,
either to obstruct or promote
l2ny legislative act, and also to
regulate the manner of present
ing any question affecting legis-
lation by persons interested
therein before the General As
sembly, or any committee there
Of" In his PROCLAMATION he de-
nouced the lobby as a disgrace to
the State, declaring that the
public safety and the honor of
the State are at stake. The fol-
lowing paragraph is taken from
his message to the General AS.
sembly when convened in extra.
ordinary session, which proceed
ed along the lines laid down in
his proclamation;
Because the people of the
State do now and then deem it
wise and provident to enact some
law to prevent abuses, and for
the better government of such
corporations, they are regarded
as enemies, and every proposal
to enact such a law is resented
as a declaration of war. And so
to protect themselves against
the people who created and sup
port them, the corporations or
ganize a band of crafty 'diplo.
mats, a coterie of skillful man
ipulatOrs in the art of lobbying,
and maintain them at the cap.
itol of the state. These corporate
agents, employed to influence
public officials, have grown in
numbers and audacity until they
have become a positive nuisance,
a menace and a disgrace to the
state. Not only do they intefere
in legislation which refers exclu-
sively to railroads, but they dc
not hesitate to thrust themselves
oficiously into important mea.
sures which relate wholly tC
other subjects. The bad and long
continued example of the rail
road lobby has become infectious.
Others have fallen under its per.
nicious influence, until now the