Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1921-05-19

tBy Hon. Frank H. Farris. j

reference of certain legislation passed
by the recent Legislature to the peo-
pie for their approval or rejection.
If the people as a whole understood
the merits of these various bills as
well as those who advocate their ref
erence, there would be no room for
discussion. Opposition comes from
two sources, namely: partisan Repub-
licans, and weak-kneed Democrats,
who are either holding some position
in the state government under Gov
ernor Hyde, or who hope to be ap-
pointed to some position under Gov
ernor Hyde's administration.
An analysis of these bills will reveal
that it is nothing more nor less than
the same policy that was put in opera
tion when the Republicans came into
power in Missouri after the war.
Elections were then farce. "Count"
Rodman decided the elections regard
less of the vote of the people. Have
the people of Missouri forgotten how,
without law and without right, the
Judges of the Supreme Court of Mis-
souri,, elected and installed into office,
were removed forciDly by the Police
Department of the City of st. Louis,
under the orders of Thomas @. Fletch-
or? If they have, we ask them to re-
fer to the record, solemnly written,
In the preface of the 35th Missouri
Supreme Court report. In keeping
with this policy, this administration
in removing duly elected men to
Office, are not counting them out, as
Rodman did, nor ejecting them by
force as Fletcher did, but they are
legislating them out. The means may
be more gentlemanly, but the ends
are just as damnable.
The Constitution Of Missouri, Article
6, Section %, says: "The Judges of
the circuit courts shall be elected by
the qualified voters of each circuit,
shall hold their Office for the term of
six years." and yet, the Legislature of
Missouri by its recent act has legislat-
ed every Circuit Judge in Missouri
out Of Office, for the purpose solely of
removing Democratic Judges from
the bench.
1t has also legislated all OF the
Justices of the Peace and Constables
elected in Kansas City by vote of
the people, out of office, 80 that Gov
ernor Hyde may appoint their sue
cessors and appoint Republicans.
The other bills to which reference
is sought, are so-called Consolidation
Bills, which do not change one jot
nor title of the law as it now stands,
except that it increases the number
of officers to enforce it, and enlarges
the number Of employees, and there
by increases the expenses of their
administration.
The so-ca1led Budget Bill places
practically the expenditure Of two
thirds of the revenue appropriated
for the administration of state affairs
in the hands of one man, and imposes
upon him power and duties which If
properly executed will require the
employment of an army of clerks, the
expenses of which cannot be foretold.
The Agricultural Bill does not
change the law affecting the subject
of agriculture nor any incident there
of, but it does create new offices; and
while it abolishes the Office of State
Warehouse Commissioner, yet it puts
the inspection of grain under the
Commissioner Of Agriculture, with
the same employees at increased
salaries; and the only purpose OF it is
to secure control of the Warehouse
Department, so that the Republican
administration can appoint the grain
inspectors, weighers, samplers and
other officers employed therein, posi-
tions now held by Democrats.
The result Of it all means the re-
moval wantonly and without cause,
of men elected or appointed to Office
before their times have expired,
simply because OF their politics. 1t
means an increase in the number of
officers and employees to be appointed
by a Republican governor. It means
the expenditure of million dollars
more Of money in the next biennial
period in the administration Of state
affairs than has ever before been re-
quired, and than is now necessary.
II you are opposed to these pro-
positions, then sign these petitions
for Referendum, and by SO signing,
the matters and things will be pre-
sented fairly and squarely to the peo-
Y pie at the next election. Genral dis
cussion OF their merits will be invoked,
aud the people will then thoroughly
understand and appreciate that the
men who are responsible for the
reference Of these lills will have done
i public service.
e -, .t;t;o,,. drn ,,ouy haf,ru cir-