The Taney County republican., 1911-01-12
THE DEMOCRATS
HOLD A CAUCUS.
The Bosses Slate Goes Through in
the Organization of the House
at jefferson City.
rnl BILL PHELPS IS 0vERRULED

colony of former chompions who faile(
10 come back" when he was rul
down by the steam roller, pushed b.
the Democracy of Missouri, at tht
party caucus last week.
Bv tactics characteristic of the ole
guard, A. L. McCawley, Col. Phelps
personal candidate, was defeated fol
chief clerk of the House by J. Kelly
Pool. Democratic advance agent, by a
vote of Q to 1. Twenty-three were al
Phelps could line up, as against forty
three for Pool, and twelve votes were
cast for Frank ]. Dawson.
A flank movement on the part oi
the old guard, shortly after the caucus
was called to order, threw the Phelps
crowd off its guard. 1t came in the
form of a resolution calling for a secret
ballot. This gave the legislators who
wanted to break out of the Phelps
camp, but who were afraid to do so in
the open, the opportunity they sought.
After the resolution had been jam
med through against the protest of the
McCawley men, Representative Fay Of
Rails County asked that roll call be
taken to get the exact number of
members present. According to Nc
Cawley hackers, this move was made
toprevent the opposition from casting
more votes than there were lawmakers
present.
After an exchange of some repartee
between Chairman Simmons and Fay,
arull call was taken. But the secre-
tary rushed through the roster with
such rapidly that an adding machine
would have been necessary to keep
tally. This was the first victory for
the old guard.
The Phelps men then began to
skirmish for re-enforcements, in the
meantime keeping close vigil on the
members aboard the McCawley band
wagon, but who wanted to get off.
Col. Phelps rushed half way across the
House chamber to consult Frank H.
farris OF Crawford County. They
chatted for sevaral minutes, and the
carthage colonel returned to his seat,
out Ferris remained standing and kept
his weathered eye on the members
Who were suspected of being ready to
flop.
four tellers aided the secretary in
sdnerlng the ballots. AS the returns
were shouted over the assembly hall,
1ol Phelps kept close tab until he
'eahzed that he was down for the
count. He threw his tally sheet on
'as moor, removed his specticles and
somoed his gotee with his fngures in
amanner which reflected his disgust.
lhe manner in which their defeat
Was trought about was denounced by
9e ulends of McCawley and Phelps,
ano they say Col. Phelps will seek re-
senge in defeating Bourbon legislation
panned ey the Old Guard lawmakers
u an effort to harass Gov. Hadley and
"aer Republican officials.
ne victory of the Pool crowd resur-
'.'s the Dockery-Stcne-Sieber wing
" .ne democracy, and unless the anti
IN 'uard faction in the Legislature
sui'es with the Republicans in urging
= aggressive legislation, the Forty-Sixth
0eneral Assembly, which convened
trce. GO
- .ne defeat of the Phelps men was
su0Wed Immediately by rel luke to
' FOLK element of the party. Cyrus
n.y. ~, an editor of Tsney County, who
. oeen touring the state with Lon
d.. a,is IN behalf of the Folk-for-presi-
0om' was jammed under the
r.. 'oller when he opposed Baxter
a.. .sn arkansas City for assistant clerk
=. ,4e House. M. Ray, who announ.
.e, MS candidancy fer doorkeeper,
'sai the assi.talt secrtaryship, he