Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1915-02-11
From Representative Griffith
Jefferson City, No., Feb. i, 1913.

thrS OF inquiry IN regard 10 GER
tain bills introduced in the leg
islature that | have decided to
answer the inquiries through
the county papers, and perhaps
by this means be able to give in.
formation to many that other.
| wise we would not be able TO
reach. First, | will answer in
regard to the school book bill.
There is quite an interest in
regard to this matter in many
| parts of the state, and especially
in the southern half of the state.
! Many of us came here with
! drafts of bills on this subject,
numerous of which were intro.
duced. When they came before
the committee they were numer
Gus and so nearly alike that the
committee decided to go over
the lot and select the best fea.
lures in each bill as far as prac.
tical and by this means bring
out a committee substitute for
the whole, which will be done.
| There will be no trouble in pass.
ing this bill in the house, but we
cannot vouch for what the sen
ate will do. There was a good
text book bill passed in the
house two years ago, but it was
killed in the senate. Many OF
the members would favor free
text books, but a majority seem
to think there would pc no hope
.'of passing such a bill. The bill
spoken of above proposes ii uni
formity of books in every part of
the state except a few of the
largest cities, which books shalt
be used in all grades up TO and
including the eighth grade AL.
50, this bill proposes to let out
by contract TO the company
making the lowest bid a.
contract for a period Of five
years. Also, it proposes to take
the book business out Of the
hands of the county commits
sion and put it in charge oil
the state board, who shal! be .ap !
pointed for this purpose. These
are only a very few of the rough
outlines of the bill that is likely
soon to be before the house for
consideration.
Second In regard to the pro-
hibitiOn measures introduced:
There has been some question as
to the conStitutionality of one of
the MOST important; an iuvesti
gatiea is being made in regard
to the matter, hence the delay.
We want to be sure we are right
before we act. We are hopeful
oF passing some very useful
measures during the present
session of the legislature, of
which at present we cannot
speak particularly.
Third: Another bill that is
attracting much attention is the
Springfield bill, or prize fight
ing bill. | have received many
letters protesting against, and
asking me to work and vote
against this bin. | do rot think
this bill will ever reach engross.
ment. If it does | shall be very
much disappointed in the mem.
bers of this house. For the
most part | believe my col.
leagues here to be real manly
men, men who have come here
with the best interests of their
people at heart, and who are
really interested in good legisla'
ton and forward movement and
moral improvement, and surely
we cannot afford to go on record
as making progress backward
towards the dark age of barbar
ism.
We are very glad, indeed, to
get letters from the good people
at home. Don't hesitate to write
in regard to any bill. There are
so many of them, and our time is
taken up so much with commit.
tee work and other things it is
well to remind us. There is no
evidence that counts like the
voice of the people from home.
Often while a member is making !
an appeal to the house in sup.
port of or against a proposed
measure he holds in his hand
the letters or petitions of the