THANKS TO EFFORT THAT STARTED HERE, MULE NEAR GLORY

Missouri has many symbols from the Gateway Arch to "The Missouri Waltz." Some are government sanctioned Others are simply embraced as tradition. There is a state flower and a state bird, even a state tree nut and a state fossil. But there is no state animal.

That is where Missouri's 68,000-member strong American Legion comes in. Members of the Cape Girardeau American Legion have organized a statewide effort to designate the mule as the state animal. Their moxie and good-natured stubbornness -- of the legionnaires, not the mules -- has paid off. The project is gaining momentum statewide.

It isn't uncommon to find Cape Girardeau folks at the state capitol promoting the cause. Legislators across the state are learning the names of Charles and Lois Woodford, John "Doc" Yallaly and others.

Last week, mule lovers provided an hour of testimony outlining the reasons why mules deserve such distinction in Missouri. In addition to having some fun, these mule supporters have been downright educational. They pointed out Missouri has long been famous for mules:

-- A Missouri mule took top honors at the 1904 World's Fair.

-- Missouri mules were exported to Britain during World War I.

-- In World War II, some 6,000 pack mules carried Allied supplies in Burma.

-- In peacetime, the Missouri mule has toiled in the fields and forests.

When quizzed, most elementary school children and a good many adults think the Missouri mule is already the state animal. Rep. Mary Kasten of Cape Girardeau, a co-sponsor of the mule measure, sees the bill as a chance to right an injustice.

Melvin Bradley, a retired University of Missouri professor and mule expert, puts it simply: "Mules are hitched to Missouri as permanently as biscuits to gravy." The arguments have been eloquent, enlightening and fun.

The legislation appears to be on a fast-track for passage. Such a mule measure was last considered in 1983, when it passed in the House but died in a Senate committee. It seems 1995 may be the year of the mule in Missouri.

American Legion supporters are taking the task seriously, but with just the right measure of whimsy. Their effort is bringing smiles and cheers to Jefferson City, and in towns across the state.

Granted, the mule bill isn't exactly pressing legislation. But it has more merit than dozens of other pieces of proposed legislation. It is a kind of feel-good measure that won't cost big bucks or move mountains. Missouri won't be a better or worse place if the legislation is approved.

But it will have an impact. Several Cape Girardeans will go down in the state record books for their effort, and the Missouri mule will get its due. More importantly, its passage will demonstrate that if people care enough about a single issue, they can make a difference. Sure and simple, it is democracy at work.