The Taney County republican. (Forsyth, Mo.) 1895-1992, 1915-02-04
ALEITER FROM G. B. MITCHELL
fancy cOunty's Representative Tells Of
His Impressions Of the DOings at
the State Capital.

than ever before. The lobbies OF the
leading hotels were packed night and
day. Beds we're mighty scarce lsst
week. OF course about 49 out Of
every fifty applicants had 10 60 home,
and they went away irothing at the
mouth, cursing the Democratic party
and swearing vengeance.
From Democratic sources come a
lot of talk about retrenchment in ex'
penses at this session OF Legislature.
The party has been hearing from the
country. Something must be done
to placate opposition to extravaganza.
Something has been done, and here is
what it is: The house has given it
self l09 clerks, one to each Demo
cratic Representative. Not clerk
was allowed the 65 Republicans.
The Bull Moose party, represented
by J. H. Somerville, Of Mercer county,
gets one stenographer and one clerk,
and the choice OF a place on any or
all Of the committees at the disposal
Of the Democrats. In fact, Mr.
Somerville is now lined up with Dem
ocrats, he having attended their eau
Gus after having turned down an in
vitation from the Republicans.
Besides the 100 clerks for the in
dividual Democratic members, the
House official family allow themselves
"a additional clerks for the Democrats.
And that is not likely to be all ad-
ditions being made from time TO time
in the future after the retrenchment
spasm has paased away.
The rs Democratic Representa-
tives--one having died since the
election IA stenographes, while
the IS Republicans have beeu al
lswed four. Besides this there is a
great army OF minor officials, all OF
which with the exception OF four
pages, have been appointed by the
Democrats.
In the Senate, where theie are 26
Democrats and 8 Republicans, con
ditions are even worse. The Demo
cratic Senators gave themselves l3O
clerks, FIVE each Democratic Senator.
The Senate has "a sienographers, one
for each Democratic Senator and the
Others for the Democratic official family.
Each Democratic Senator costs the
State over $2l.00 day for clerk and
stenographer hire. Nor is this all.
There is in the Senate, as in the
House, a great army Of minor officials.
And what do the Republican Senators
get? They get their official per
diem salary, and they are allowed 10
vote. Thatss about about all.
Nor is Democratic extravaganza
limited to the Legislature. All the
State Offices are loaded down With
useless clerks. Many who only come
10 Jefferson City to draw their checks
are on the State pay rolls. This is nc
party secret. Everybody is Jefferson
City knows it, and many are openly
crying out that it is great outrage.
The report Of E. P. Deal, State
Treasurer, has caused tremendous
sensation in the Democratic quarters
Deal is a Democrat, and this report
shows that seventeen state depart
ments fer 1918 and 1914 cost $751;
900 more than they did during the
years Of 1911 and 1912, which va!
when Hadley was governor. This
report was issued after Governor Majo
had read his message TO the Legis
latuae, claiming that he had con
Quoted his administration more eco
nomicallay than his predecessor
Hadley.
The moment Deals report becam'
public, the Democrats Of the Hous'
lost interest in everything else. The,
held caucuses and tried TO bu!idcz
Deal into making a supplemental
report discredting the original figures
But Deal is an honest, consideration
man, and he told them he was nigh
and tiat he was not going to chang
the figures q his report. He aske
them to investigate the state office
and they replied, No, thank you
Mr.. Deal"
And there the matter would hav
elded il it had not been for tn
Republicans. In the Senate, Bronso
offered resolution TO print 34.OO
copies of Deals report, and Settle
the House introduced a resolutions
to print $4,000 copies for distribution
The Demociats sent these resolutier
to the committees where they will II