The Taney County republican. (Forsyth, Mo.) 1895-1992, 1913-02-20
THAT ARMY OF CLERKS.
An Unfair Comparison Of the Present
Democratic House with the Repuh.
lican House Of 1909.

III dHoWCllus uCNSpopNl SiltiSISibs
OF the action Of the democratic house
and senate in employing about twice
as many clerks and helpers as are
needed for an ordinary session Of the
legislature certain democratic papers
have called attention TO the number Of
clerks and assistants employed by the
house in 1909. The figures
given by democratic editors concern
ing the number of clerks employed
by the republican house in 1909 are
doubtless correct. The session OF 1909
was a revising session, lasting 100
days, as provided by the constitution.
Every line Of existing law had to be
read and many existing statutes had
to be amended. Such work requires
the employment Of a large force Of
competent men 10 assist the members
OF various committees in examining
laws for revision, in drawing bills for
that purpose, and in enrolling and en-
crossing such bills. At the revising
session this tedious extra work cannot
be done by such force as is usually
employed at a regular session. An ex-
animation Of the records will show that
the democratic senate Of 1909 en-
ployed more extra clerks than the re-
publican house. AT every revising
session the number Of clerks greatly
exceeds the number employed at a
regular session.
As to the special clerks or helpers
the republican house was compelled to
look beyond the force employed by
the superintendent Of the capitol,
whose employees and their pay are un.
der the control Of the Commissioners
OF the Permanent Seat Of Government,
who, in 1909 were democratic state
officials, with the exception Of the
governor. The superintendent in
charge OF the state house was the en-
ployee OF those commissioners. There
was a lack OF janitor service, due
doubtless to the disposition Of the
commissioners 10 give the republican
house nothing more than they deemed
necessary; so the house compelled
TO look out for its own interests-put
men on its own pay roll who ought to
have been supplied and paid out Of
the fund appropriated to the Commits
sioners OF the Permanent Seat Of Gov
eminent. There was no lack OF jan
itors or janitor service in the senate
chamber because that was the dem
ocratic sanctum sanctorum. There
we're no extras" on the senate pay
roll who ought to have been on the
pay roll Of the commissioners.
The audacity Of the editors who make
comparison Of the present house with
that Of 1909 is almost as fresh and
vigorous as the audacity which has
characterized the new democratic re-
gime from the day the result Of the
November election was made known
Missouri has never witnessed such un
blushing, indecent and audacious par
tisan proceedings and partisan boasting
1t is a note worthy fact that the
present general assembly is employing
more stenographers. SteDographer'
are very helpful to the members anC
senators who have any correspondence
A competent stenographer is wortl
twice as much in the service Of tn,
legislature as three incompetent clerk
unless the competent stenographe
is rendered incompetent through tn
audacity Of a democratic statesman
a thing not at all unlikely in som
cases. The primary object 81 the com
petitive examination OF stenographers
adopted by the present legislature, wa
not so much 10 secure the most con
petent as 10 dispose Of large numbe
Of worthy young women recommends
| by country members girls who hav
not had the experience Of stenograpi
ers employed in city Law Offices an
in public Offices, but who, nevertheless
might render more efficient service
the country members. II one repuI