The Taney County republican. (Forsyth, Mo.) 1895-1992, 1915-02-25
With March 18th

House by two TO one. BIT the bill
was shorn Of most Of its drastic featur'
es before it vas put to vote. All
that was ldft oI it when finally offered
was the provision removing screens
from the front, thus exposing the in
terror Of dram shops to public view.
The vets, therefore, claim that it wasn't t
a test and they intimate that the drys
we're afraid to make the test. The
drys don't and can't claim that it was
much OF victory.
In advocating his measure Mr..
Feaster, in the writer's judgment,
made one faulty and not wholly sincere
argument. That was thiS-that the
bill was designed to put the saloon
business on the same basis as any
other legitimate businnss on the same
basis as any other legitimate business.
Now whether a man is wet or dry he
knows that the saloon business iin't
the same as any other legitimate busi-
ness, and it never can be. That
argument is just as fictitious as the
personal liberty" bombast OF the
vets. Wig don't the drys come out
candidly and say that the restrictions
and em5argoes they propose are not
for the purpose OF elevating the saloon
but ior the purpose # putting it out Of
business? And why don't the vets
cut out their hlbdub about personal
liberty and admit that they are in
favor Of the saloon because they want
a place 10 get a drink? Why the
piffle on either side?
The peniientiary problem must be
solved, Us vexatious thing now.
1t was expected, for instance, that
Friday would see the end o! The
Houchin convict labor contract. By
the terms Of his contract, Houchin
could cancel it on thirty days notice
and he bad exercised that option.
Meantime, conditions changed and
Houchin was anxious 10 90 on with
the contract. Early in the week,
though, it was said the penitentiary
management would terminate the
Houchin connection. There was a
change Of mind, however, and Houchin
will continue to operate convicts till
the contract expires -- sometime in
April. The last contract runs out in
June. The law now on the statute
prohibits renewal Or extension Of those
contracts. But something must be
done to keep the prisoners employed
and Tor the maintenance Of the place,
too. 1t is said the majority party will
hold conference next week to devise
machinery for enacting such legislation
as the state impera,ively demands.
The House has decided that hence
forth a bill may be advanced on the
calendar only by consent Of a eonsti'
tutional majority. The speaker has
announced, too, that hereafter a bill,
when moved and seconded for engross-
ment, may be retired to the informal
calendar only by constitutional ma
jority. Both rulings have been made
in the hope Of expedit:ng the work.
They have already begun to count the
remaining days, while the volume oI
business to be transacted is enormous.
Floor Leader Roney's resolution.
the senate concurring therein, that
the assembly adjourn sine die March
IS, is to be specially considered
Thursday. Should it be adopted il
means either prolonged session, o.
an extra session, or the rarest brand o
expedition the next two weeks tina
the capital has ever witnessed. There
have now been introduced in The
House 1926 bills.