The Taney County republican. (Forsyth, Mo.) 1895-1992, 1913-02-27
DEMOCRATS FORCING
REPUBLICAN IDEAS.
Republican Measures Approved
by Democratic Caucus.
Home Rule, Bipartisan Boards, Public
Utilities Commission and Other Re.
forms Assured By PartiSans Com
PEELED to Yield to Public Sentiment.

PEELED to Yield to Public Sentiment.
Jefferson City, February 24.-Com
PEELED by public sentiment generated
by the republican party the democratic
leaders are to give to the people sub
stantial reforms heretofore denied by the
democratic majority in the state senate.
It has been found necessary to resort
10 the caucus method to bring about
such radical change in the spots Of
the leopard, but, in the hands Of Major
the party lash has whipped into line
bourbon animals and they must now
stand hitched to republican measures.
As has been frequently stated by
your correspondent, it is the definite,
fixed purpose Of Governor Major and
other democratic party leaders to put
through the Legislative measures agreed
upon before the lawmakers assembled
in January. In order not to appear
dictatorial they have allowed wide dis
cussion OF the subjects Of legislation
agreed upon and have not attempted
TO hinder the introduction Of various
bills relating to those subjects; but as
soon as it became necessary to bring
things to a head the caucus was called
into action and there, BY majority
vote Of the democratic members and
senators, the bills drawn and agreed
upon at the beginning have beer la
beled and started ON the final processes
Of enactment. Democrats who could
not be held in line in the halls Of leg
islation have been whipped into line
in the caucus room. Whatever may
be said Of the merits or dement's Of the
! legislation thus assured there can be
no doubt OF its strictly partisan char
acter; nor can there be any doubt oi
democratic party responsibility for it.
It may also be said, with all candor
there can be no doubt that the demo
cratic majority in the senate has abso
lutely dominated the democrats Of botf
house and senate and dictated thC
final text OF every measure so far per
fected in the Legislature or in thu
caucus.
The principal measures already as
sured are measures heretofore recon-
mended By the republican party ant
some Of them enacted by republican
house-but every one OF them was de
leated finally by democratic maioritie
in the senate. The home rule bills
! the public utilities measure and sever
other important measures have bee
J before the Legislature at every sessio
J for the last eight years, but have me
their fate invariably in the senat
l chamber, simply and solely becaus
: they had not been approved by col
vention or caucus ol the democrat
party. When the democrats sto
: these ideas last fall and appropriate
them bodily as democratic they scugI
e to reap for the sake Of their party Il
D dpened grain which republicans h;
planted and plowed. But this is Il
democratic simplicity" 10 which M
ior and his henchmen have so Oft
. referred.
The democratic caucus decided Il
week to enact two home rule measur
for St. Louis. One is 10 create a
ar partisan board Of two police comm
<. sioners, one to be Of the party to viii
d the mayor belongs and the other to
Ut Of the party next in numerical strenl
ic in the city. The other measure is
III create a board Of two excise comm
US sioners, to be similarly constitute
W and to have sole jurisdiction over d!a
ITS shops. The mayors to be, exotic
ed member Of each board; so each bo
he will really have three members,
Ter clubing the mayor, who is to appc
IRE the other members. The police
sly puts the organization, control and mi
,o,,noa If tho r,niice dPnaYtment