Evening star., 1923-05-13
IF|[|BUSTERP PUTS
| STATE IN CHAOS
Rhode Island Crippled by
Lack of Funds, Due to
Legislative Tie-Up.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispa tch to The Star.
PROVIDENCE, r. l.. May 12.-Cha-
otic conditions prevail in Rhode Is
| land affairs. The state legislature Is
dominated by filibuster engineered
by the democratic minority, who de-
mand enactment of reform laws, Ia
thered by the democratic governor
and lieutenant governor, as well as
reform in all appropriations. state
departments are crippled through
lack of money, while heads or the
state prisons and hospitals say the
attendants will strike IL they are not
given back salaries. In the face or
| the latter threat the democrats are
standing pat and practically all state
business remains at standstill.
Lieut.. Gov. Felix Toupin, presiding
officer of the senate, is on the firing
line. He has assailed the republican
leaders with such ferocity that former
United States Senator Henry F: Lip
pitt and republican leaders threat
ened to institute impeachment pro-
! ceedings. His rulings and speeches
have aroused the state and his friends
| call him the Little Napoleon OF
| Rhode Island politics. They say ne
] will run for governor next year ana
| that Gov Flynn then will become
| candidate for United States senator
| in opposition to Senator Colt, repubil-
| can.
Struggle On Ten Weeks.
| The struggle has been in progress
ten weeks. The constitutional life OF
| the legislature is sixty days. After
| that time no compensation for mem
| bers is provided. 1t was expected TINS
| would force the democrats to quit.
! But they are standing by their guns
and the end is not in sight. This, too,
! in the face OF the desertion of two
! members in the senate. who now are
| voting with the republicans.
The filibuster followed the failure OF
! the democrats to get through the
+, legislature reform bills they promised to
| enact which resulted in a democratic
j victory for the state ticket last No
! vember for the first time in many
years. These included forty-eight-
! hour week for factory employees.
! the state laws, division of the state
| into senatorial districts. thus ending
| pocket borough" control. and abo-
! lition of the property-owning qualifi-
cation for voting in towns and cities.
! The republican house reported out
! the latter proposition. When il came
| TO the senate the upper branch killed
! il. The other three important matters
| were held in committee by the repub-
| lican majority for eight weeks. When
| they reported them out they proceed
! ed to defeat the forty-eight- hour bill.
| The other two are Enacted upon. Gov.
I Flynn threatens 70 call d special ses-
/ sion during the summer unless he
, gets this reform legislation.
Reading of Minutes.
! Each day the democrats have begun
, their tilibuster by insisting that every
| word Of the minutes of the previous
session be read. Democratic senators
| interrupt the reading of the Journal
to point out alleged errors. Omis-
sions are recited and speeches made
against republicans and political
measures. Whenever republican
senator tries to get measure
through he is questioned and cross
| examined. Often the lieutenant gov
ernor indulges in tart remarks about
republicans and party politics.
On one occasion. when Senator Cole
elected as democrat, but who de-
clined to vote with his party and has
| been read out of it by democratic
| caucus. took his seat the lieutenant
governor informed him that II he
again appeared on the floor "unste eady
on his feet" he would be elected by
the sheriff. and if the sheriff wasn't
able to put him out the National
4 Guard would be called to do it.