The weekly tribune and the Cape County herald. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1914-1918, 1917-01-05
WET MISSOURI
SENATE LEADER
REBUKES DRYS
Morton Says "Cranks" Can
Not Dominate Upper
Legislative Branch.
FARRIS, WHO is WET,
IN CHARGE OF HOUSE
Drys Are Defeated in Every Con-
test at the Opening of
Legislature.

jefferson City, Jan. 4.-By tn
shrewdest flank movement within tn
memory Of veteran politicians here
the "dry" majority of the Forty nintl
General Assembly Wednesday nigh
was showed under by the VETS" IN,
victory of the Old Guard constituting
q virtual throwing of the gauntlet be
fore Col. Fred D. Gardner, Governor,
elect.
the men who sought to gain contro
of the House and Senate on a platform
Of support of Gardner'S program
were whipped into submission by the
sheer political sagacity of Frank Far,
ris and John F. Morton of the House
and Senate, respectively.
Gardeners friends here admit that he
will have to lay his cards on the table
before the faction in power will take
4 step in the direction of putting
through Gardner legislation.
Senator Morton Thursday delivered
scathing attack on the hackers of the
"dry" movement in a statement con-
corning his selection to lead the Sen
ate.
The caucus demonstrated that this
is i Democratic Legislature and a
Democratic Senate. We will not be die
tated to by lot of temperance crankS
who cloak themselves and grow fat
under the mask Of temperance. We
will give every good measure its Just
consideration" he said.
The Senate and House, at meeting
Thursday morning, officially elected
those chosen at Wednesday nights
caucuses. The Republicans put up
their formal states, which were entire
ly "wet."
All the political string pulling kg<wn
to the veteran statesmen was used at
the eleventh hour. What was admit
teddy q victory for the "drys" on Tues
day night was switched into an over
whelming "wct" victory a few hours
before the calling of the two Demo
cratic caucuses of the House and Sen
ate on Wednesday night.
Political and personal friends OF
Farris and Morton kept the long-dis-
lance telephones and the telegraph
wires busy with messages to the
doubtful legislators. With the ra-
sult that Farris, the "wettest" man IN
the House, got more votes for House
leadership than his two dry" adVer-
saries combined, and Morton, leader
of the liberal senators, majority OF
one.
Morton will appoint the important
committees of the Senate. In these
committees the "dry" legislation is
slated for a slow death. All other leg
islation not in conformity with the
Old Guard idea of what should and
should not be win find a similar rest
inr Mace in the Morton committees.
They will be so formed as to be I'M
der the complete domination Of the
faction that controlled the caucus
This would have been sufficient check
on "dry" legislation to thwart any at,
tempt of the Anti-Saloon League and
others to get through their pet meas
ures. But added to this Senate condi'
ton now is the complete DOMINATION
of the House by Farris.
Robert S. McClintic, who was de-
feated for the Senate presidency pr'
tenn by Morton, campaigned on plat
form in favor of Gardeners program
If this condition had not existed be
fore the caucus fight, the men who &C
tually won out would probably not b
seriously opposed to Gardeners plans
Rut with the McClintic issue clearl!
defined and McClintic beaten, Morton
and his powers will have to be glvei
some very definite information by Col
Gardner if the latter expects to get HI
program through.
The Senate roll call on the first bal
lot resulted in a vote Of IL to Is as be
tween Morton and McClintic. On tn
second ballot, Senator Bates switches