The Richmond climax. (Richmond, Ky.) 1897-1914, 1912-01-17

IcNIIltU luAl Eli DloWn anu 49,
friends would try to have the joint
Democratic caucus nominate Finley
Fogg for prison commissioner. he be-
ing a candidate and this being the term
at which an election for that ONCE
is scheduled to be held.
But the prison commission seems
to have given up the fight. They say
they have not quit the contest and
have merely adopted another plan Of
action. It is believed that change In
the method Of electing- the commits
sioners is certain, and there win not
be any effort TO prevent some change.
Harvey McCutchen. member Of the
commission, gave out a statement
which indicated to many that he had
quit the fight and would accept what
ever was done. Mr.. McCutchen says he
has not quit, that he is standing by his
guns and that he meant only what he
said in his card. In that card he said
he favored the election Of the prison
commissioners by the people, declaring
that this was the method favored by
the Democratic platform, which urged
that the people be given a chance to
say what they wanted.
In the makeup Of the committee to
which will be referred railroad bills,
the railroads operating In Kentucky
were given a black eye. as the men
who compose the house and senate
committees are known to be antagon-
istic to the railroad, or certainly not
favorable to them. Time was when
the railroads had committees favor
able to them. In one session OF the
Legislature. that Of 1908. not meeting
Of the railroad committee In either
house ever was held during the entire
session. and not single railroad bill
was reported.
But it is to be different this year.
In the house OF the chairman Of the
railroad committee is Representative
Williams, who was a conductor on the
C. & o. railroad and one of the lead
ing members Of the trainmen's union.
He comes to the legislature pledged
to try to establish certain reforms in
railroad laws, and viii try to have en-
acted a new employers liability law
which will help those injured in rail-
road accidents.
Lieut.. Gov. McDermOtt, presiding
officer Of the senate. sprang a new one
on the senate last week that has
caused more talk than anything that
has happened during the present ses-
sion. He proposed to have the senate
adopt a rule providing for the formal
and ceremonious entrance OF the pre-
siding officer and his stan. the working
force Of the senate. He suggested that
every morning the employees OF the SEN
ate gather in the private once Of the
lieutenant governor, and at the hour
appointed to call the senate to order,
the procession start for the senate
chamber. The sergent at arms was to
lead the way. followed by the presid-
ing officer Of the senate and with the
clerk and assistant clerks following
The sergeant at arms was to announce
to the senate:
The lieutenant governor Of Ken
lucky, the presiding offcer of the SEN
ate. is about to enter with his retinue."
The senators then were to stand
with heads bowed while the lieutenant
governor entered and took his seat
This plan did not meet with the ap-
prevail of those senators TO whom It
was mentioned. and the proposed reso-
luton was not offered in the senate
Gov. McDermott was serious in max
ing the suggestion, but did not mean
to convey that he thought he was bet
ter than the members OF the senate.
He merely wanted all the decorum nee
essary carried out in the senate
The senate was all stirred up by
reason Of adoption Of a rule to exclude
lobbyists from the floor of the senate.
The rule was so drastic that every
body was excluded. The way It ap-
piled was shown by a conversation
which was had between a senator
and Finley Fogg, a member Of the
prison commission. The senator COM
planned that more ministers had not
attended the senate session to open
the proceedings with prayer. Mr.. Fogg
said:
The reason they don't attend, is
because your old rules are so strict
they can not get in"
When two of the state officials were
refused admission to the senate floor
and the clerk of the house also was
denied admission, there was a storm
Of protest and the senators went to
work to amend the stringent rule. DR..
@. F. Crecelius. the Secretary Of State,
was denied admission when he went to
the senate with commissions of nota.
ries public, to have the appointments
confirmed by the senate. The rule
excluding lobbyists from the floor of
the senate still prevails but the rule
has been so modified as to permit state
officials and former members Of the
legislature to enter.
The adoption Of the rules in the
house was marked by the first clash
Of the administration and anti-adminis-
tration forces. an outcropplng Of the
race for the speakership. In this fight
the speaker was defeated by the man
who was his opponent. The follow
ers of Harry Schoberth, OF Woodford
county, united with the Republicans
10 beat the rule In the house requiring
two-thirds of those present voting in
favor of a change to amend the rules
or suspend the order Of business. Mr..
Schoberth opposed the twothirds
rule wanting It left so that majority
could change the order as between The
men classed as strictly administration
and those known as insurgents.
Kentucky is to have new mansion
for the governor II a bill offered by
Representative Hamilton, Of Frank
fort county. is passed. The bill. one
of the first introduced, appropriates
$4,000 for the erection Of a mansion
and specifies that the mansion shall
be located on the ground adjoining the
capitol.
We sold for Amo Prewitt his entire