Article September 1, 2013

State government

Godfrey Sperling, Jr.

Originally published in the January 11, 1963 issue of The Christian Science Monitor

James O. Monroe, veteran State Senator and publisher of the Collinsville, 111., Herald, at last has identiﬁed himself as the legislator who anonymously stirred up so much comment in 1937 with his analysis of morality in the Illinois Legislature.

In those days Mr. Monroe, just now retiring from the Senate, wrote in the American Mercury magazine: "Is your district representative in your State Legislature crooked? Does he accept money to vote for or against certain measures? And, if so, has he a good chance of getting away with it?

"As a state legislator myself," he continued, "I must confess that the odds are about even on afﬁrmative answers to the above questions. . . .

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