Journal of the Senate of the State of Missouri

Senator Major introduced Senate bill No. 1, entitled

An act to repeal section 7988 of chapter 143, article 1 of the Revised Statutes of Missouri of 1889, an to enact a new section in lieu thereof, numbered 7988, relating to school directors, their qualifications, and persons eligible to be elected as such; how and when chosen, and defining who is a qualified voter at such election; Which was read first time and 75 copies ordered printed.

The President announced the following Committee on Clerical Force: Senators Major, Hohenschild, Farris, Schweickardt and Burkhead.

On motion of Senator McClintic the Senate adjourned until 10 o'clock tomorrow.

THIRD DAY-Friday, January 6, 1899.

The Senate met pursuant to adjournment.

The President in the chair.

A quorum present.

Prayer by the Chaplain.

The roll was called and the following Senators responded to their

The Journal of yesterday was read and approved.

Senator Busche introduced Senate bill No. 2, entitled

An act to create the office of dairy and food commissioner, providing for his election, term of office, duties, salary, expenses, office, disposition of fines collected, annual reports, etc.;

Which was read first time and 75 copies ordered printed.

Senator Busche introduced Senate bill No. 3, entitled

An act to provide against the adulteration of food and drugs;
Which was read first time and 75 copies ordered printed.

Senator Busche introduced Senate bill No. 4, entitled

An act to amend section ten (10) of an act entitled "An act to provide for the election of justices of the peace, clerks thereof, and constables in cities which now have or may hereafter have a population of 300,000 inhabitants or more, and to define the jurisdiction of said justices and the practice in the courts thereof, and the duties of said justices, clerks and constables, and to fix their salaries and terms of office," approved April 23, 1891;

Which was read first time and 75 copies ordered printed.

Senator Busche introduced Senate bill No. 5, entitled

An act to amend section 110 of article 5, chapter 1 of the Revised Statutes of 1889, entitled "Administration of the estates of deceased persons;"

Which was read first time and 75 copies ordered printed.

Senator Busche (by request) introduced Senate bill No. 6, entitled An act to prohibit the manufacture of wearing apparel, purses, feathers, artificial flowers, cigarettes and cigars in tenement and dwelling houses, except by the immediate members of the family living therein, and to label the same in certain cases; and providing for penalties for the violation of this act;

Which was read first time and 75 copies ordered printed.

Senator Farris introduced joint and concurrent resolution No. 1, Submitting to the qualified voters an amendment to the Constitution providing means to raise revenue to construct and maintain roads, highways, streets and alleys, etc.;

Which was read first time and 75 copies ordered printed.

Senator Farris (by request) introduced Senate bill No. 7, entitled An act in relation to the operation of street railway cars in the city of St. Louis, Mo.;

Which was read first time and 75 copies ordered printed.

Senator Matthews introduced Senate bill No. 8, entitled

An act to amend section 31 of an act providing for and regulating fees and emoluments of certain officials, etc.;

Which was read first time and 75 copies ordered printed,

Senator Matthews introduced Senate bill No. 9, entitled

An act to repeal section one and two of an act approved April 11, 1895, providing for the terms of county assessors and for other purposes, and enact two new sections in lieu thereof;

Which was read first time and 75 copies ordered printed.

Senator Matthews introduced Senate bill No. 10, entitled

An act providing for the appointment of an attorney to act as amicus curiae in certain divorce proceedings, fixing the compensation thereof and declaring an emergency;

Which was read first time and 75 copies ordered printed.

Senator Miller introduced joint and concurrent resolution No. 2, entitled

An act in relation to the revision of the Statutes of the State of Missouri;

Which was read first time and 75 copies ordered printed.
Senator Major offered the following resolution:

Whereas, It has been repeatedly reported and charged in the public press that there exists great corruption and dishonesty in various departments of the city and State governments of the city of St. Louis; and

Whereas, It is desirable, for the good name and fame of the State of Missouri, that if such charges be true the guilty should be punished; and if not true the charges and rumors should be declared false; therefore, be it

Resolved by the Senate, first, That the President of the Senate be, and is, hereby directed to appoint a committee of six Senators, whose duty it shall be to investigate and make diligent Inquiry into each and every department of the munielpal and State government, including the police department of the city of St. Louis, the office of excise commissioner, the board of election commissioners of the city of St. Louis, and as to the conduct and management of the same by the officers, clerks, or other employes therein, with a view to ascertaining whether any such department or departments have been conducted contrary to law, and whether such officers, clerks, or other employes have been guilty of any violation of law in their

said positions. Said committee shall have power to investigate the last election, and also primary election in said city, and any matter touching the administration of the government of said city, and of all the departments, officers, clerks, or other employes thereof.

Second. Said committee shall have power, to summon and compel the attendance of witnesses, and to compel them to answer all legal questions; to demand and enforce the production of books and papers; to employ counsel learned in the law to assist the committee in making said investigation, and also such clerical force, clerks, sergeant-at-arms and assistants, and officers to serve process, writs, subpoenas, and messengers and stenographers as may be necessary to the speedy and efficient discharge of its duty.

Third. That said committee be required to make diligent inquiry into the matters and things aforesaid, and make report to the Senate at the earliest time consistent with a full investigation, with such findings and recommendations as the facts warrant.

Fourth. That all expenses of said committee and all expenses of said Investigation shall be paid out of the contingent fund of the Senate, when properly audited by the Senate committee on accounts.

Which was read and adopted.

Senator Busche moved that when the Senate adjourn it adjourn

to 3 o'clock p. m. Monday;

Which was agreed to.

The President announced the following as the Committee on Per

manent Rules of the Senate: Senators Morton, Orchard, Young, Walker and Rollins.

FOURTH DAY-Monday, January 9, 1899.

The Senate met pursuant to adjournment.

The President in the chair.

A quorum present.

Prayer by the Chaplain.

The roll of Senators was called and the following answered to

their names:

Absent-Senator Marshall-1.

Sick-Senator Martin-1.

Journal of Friday read and approved.

Senator Rollins offered the following resolution:

Whereas, A committee of six has been constituted to investigate the government and municipal affairs of the city of St. Louis; and

Whereas, It is to be desired that the very greatest good may be accomplished by said committee, and that the committee may not be hampered by the accusation that its appointment was fostered for political purposes; therefore,

Resolved, That said committee shall be non-partisan, in that it shall be constituted by the appointment of three Democratic and three Republican members of the Senate.

Which was read.

Senator Rollins moved the adoption of the resolution.
Senator Morton opposed the adoption of the resolution.

Senator Farris raised the point of order that the resolution seeks to amend a resolution already adopted, which cannot be done until · vote by which resolution was adopted is reconsidered.

Point of order was overruled.

Senator Busche asked that before proceedings went further that Senator Drabelle of St. Louis be sworn in, so as to participate in the proceedings of the Senate.

Senator Drabelle was then sworn in by the President of the

Senate.

The resolution was then voted upon and lost.

Senator Hohenschild then introduced the following resolution: Resolved, That the State Auditor be requested to verify and the State Treasurer to pay the Lieutenant-Governor's certificates issued by the committee on accounts to the officers, members and employes of the Senate of the Fortieth General Assembly, including the temporary clerical force of the Senate until the passage of the bill appropriating money for pay and contingent expenses of this General Assembly; and further, be it

Resolved, That the President of the Senate appoint a temporary committee of three to audit and issue warrants for the stationery, per diem and mileage of the members of the Senate of the Fortieth General Assembly.

Which was read and adopted.

Senator Drum called for regular order.

Senator Dowell introduced joint and concurrent resolution No. 3, providing for a joint committee of seven members from each House to devise a plan for revising the statutes;

Which was read and 75 copies ordered printed.

Senator Miller introduced Senate bill No. 11, entitled

An act to create a board of pardons and appropriating money to defray the expenses thereof;