The Taney County republican. (Forsyth, Mo.) 1895-1992, 1915-03-11
State Capital Pickings.
Facts and Gossip of the DOings of
the General Assembly Now in
Session at Jefferson City.
BY BART B. HOWARD.

The emasculation Of the Public
S.rvice Commission bill, the engross
ment by the House OF the Gardner
Land Bank bill, the alliance between
some eighteen boiling Democrats and
the solid Republican minority into an
impregnable filibuster and two more
decisive demonstrations by the farmers
that they are in the majority were the
highlights Of the week.
The House gave the better part OF
two days to the Public Service Com
mission bill before killing it. OF
course the bill was engrossed but it
might as we'll have been killed because
the one purpose it was designed to
serve, namely relief for the railroads,
was defeated. Representative Dam
ron Of Iron County introduced TIE
amendment which emasculated the
bill. II required the Public Service
Commission to make thorough in
ventory Of railroad properties before
allowing an advance in passenger rates.
In arguing for the adoption OF his
amendment Mr.. Damron charged that
the railroads had subsidized the country
press of the State which is contempt
uously characteriz d as little two-by
four newspapers,
As amended in committee the bill
named three cents a mile as the max
imum rate and provided for a two and
one-half cent rate to become effective
Immediately on passage. Conell OF
Randolph offered a substitute amend
ment, making the maximum rate two
and cne half cents mile and en-
powering the Commission to increase
the rate in its discretion but enjoined
the Commission from exceeding the
maximum OF two and one-hall cents.
1t was intimatsd that a railroad attorney
wrote the Corell amendment, but
but Speaker Boyd demolished that in
uendo by taking the floor and announc
ing that he himself had written the
Couell amendment, in his own Office,
without suggestion from anybody con
nected in any capacity with the rail
roads. Inasmuch as Speaker Boyd
had not been accounted friendly to
the railroads but on the contrary,
rather hostile, his announcement
d xed the opponents Of railroads relief
At the time Of speaker Boyd's declar-
alton there was a motion before the
House. made by Mr.. Damron, to con
slider the vote on the Correll amend
ment which had been adopted the day
before. The motion to consider was
lost. Later Mr.. Damron offered his
mendment requiring ply sical valuation
before making an advance in rates.
There was no appropriation for making
the inventory which, it is estimated,
would cost million dollars would re-
quite from FIVE to ten years. In other
words, the bill, as engrossed, author
ICES the Public Service Commission to
increase passenger rates to two and
one half cents a mile, and, by the
Damron amendment, makes it impos-
sible for the Commission to exercise
that authority in any degree.
The Gardener Land Bauk bill was
engrossed by the House by the big
gest roll cal majority Of Of the session
I3l to 10. Representive Simpson oil
Of Lewis was in charge OF the measure.
He explained it had been written by
Col. Fredrick D. Gardener Of St. Lours,
who, in its preparation, had gone
abroad to study rural credit plans in
other countries and had conferred OF
couesponded with practically all the
worlds authorities on this subject
Mr.. Simpson said he regarded the bill
as the most constructive piece o
Legislation ever presented TO tht
Assembly in Missouri's history" HI
said the press, city and country, wa
practically unanimous in supporting
the measure.
A number Of interesting points wer,
brought out in the discussion. Per
haps the most dramatic was Simpcon'
assertion that those debentuae ond
issued against farm mortgages were
safer investment, even than govern
ment bonds. He cited Belgium 70
illustration. Here is a country,
said Simpson, which as a nationa
organism is apparently destroyed
Whether it is ever aagin the independ
ency OF Belgium is admittedly doubt
iul. lit isn't its government bond