The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1884-09-12

first district. The question was which
district should take it up. He believed
that the first dist, let should take the
chance upon seating the new senator.
In any event, that district would have
a representative, and now TO allow it
to claim another representative would
be wrong, because he believed Mr..
Fletcher would hold his seat. He be-
lieved the two senators would both
make one in fact. Mr.. Muff said that
he was not inspired from selfish mo-
tives, Notwithstanding the fact that he
was q candidate from the city of Man
kato. He believed that district repre-
sentation should be done away with,
inasmuch as there are five districts and
only four representatives.
Mr.. Ira b. Reynolds arose 10 answer
Mr.. Muff, at which juncture the follow
ing letter from Attorney General Hahn
was read:
st. Paul, Mimi, Aug. Is, 1884.
WIN. THOMAS, ESQ,
Mankato, MINI.
Dear Sir:-In reply to yours relative to the
question whether the acceptance by Senator
L. G. NJ. Fletcher of the position of school
director OF Mankato, operated as vacation
or his Office as state senator. would say: The
constitution (sec. 3, art. ~ provides that
"euch House shall be the judge of the elec-
ton returns and eligibility of its own MEM
bers." In view of this provision, II would be
obviously improper for me to give Il decision
senate
.
me for an official opinion. You cam no doubt
readily see that an opinion given to you, be-
ing necessarily unofficial, might In such case
prove very embarrassing. For these reasons
must respectfully decline TO comply with
yonr request. Yours Truly,
W. } HAHN.
Mr.. Reynolds said regarding district
representation he was opposed to it. He
believed that inasmuch as the county
had TO vote upon all the Legislative meRs
bers, the county should select them.
He also believed that senator should
be selected. He did not think it fair
to try and saddle Mr.. Fletcher upon
his district. His section had come here
solid with sixteen votes and should
support their man. 1t was not neces-
sary to send a lawyer to st. Paul, they
were as liable to be fools as anyone
else. He believed they could send men
down there who would not promise
both and all sides, and be a farmer.
He also believed that they could send
a man down there who would not be
wheedled by Mr.. Cole.
Mr.. Barr said that he had decided
convictions that the Office Was not va
can't.
Mr.. ]. w. Vance said that there had
not appeared any evidence that va
cancy existed, although there was a
possibility that such was the case. He
had talked with senator of acknowl-
edged ability, and had been given the
names of fifteen senators who were in
a like boat with Mr.. Fletcher.
On motion to proceed to ballot for
senator, it being lost, a division of the
house was called for. subsequently,
and after several amendments, counter
amendments, subtractions and divi-
sions, a motion was finally made TO
test the matter by rising vote as to
whether the convention was of the
opinion that there was vacancy. FL
nally this was all declared out of order.
A motion was made upon the ques-
ton as to whether or not there exists
vacancy in the Office OF senator.
Mr.. Vance stated that there were
delegates here who were conscientious
ly of the opinion that there exists va
cancy and others who conscientiously
believed that there is not. He believ-
ell that all should have a chance to ex
press themselves by ballot.
Mr.. Nathan Bennett moved that the
first district take Mr.. Fletcher and al
low the other districts to settle upon
the four remaining ones. He after
wards corrected himself by saying that
he meant the second district. This ex
PLANTATION raised good laugh on Ben
nett.
Finallya vote was taken upon wheth-
er or not there existed vacancy in
the senatorship, and the following is
the result of the ballot:
vacancy. ......42
No vacancy ........ ...39
The vote was announced as declaring
the Office vacant, in the opinion of the
convention, and motion was made
that the convention proceed to nomi-
nate senator.
Mr.. Cal Smith nominated J. T. Will
liams for such office, and no other name
being presented his nomination was
made unanimous.
On motion Mr.. Bennett moved that
the other four districts be allowed to
select their representatives.
Mr.. Jas. Morrison said that this dis
trict representation was an old estab-
lished precedent, but he believed it
time to do away with it. DIR. Frisbie
took the same grounds. He WAS, in a
former convention, favorable to dis
trict representation, but was now
against it.
Mr.. Warner spoke in favor Of district
representation. He did not believe
that after man had carried a MAORI
ty of delegates in his district he
should be forced to further fight against
a minority candidate.
Mr.. Howard came before the. con-
ventiOn and stated that by consent of
his friends and solicitations of many he
desired to withdraw from the canvass,
and very gracefully extended thanks to
his friends in various portions of the
county who had so earnestly worked
in his behalf.
Mr.. Cal. Smith desired to break the
backbone of this district representa-
ton business, and declared if it
was to continue, the county should
be divided into legislative districts.
Mr.. Osborn said that the city had
been given the Auditor, Probate Judge,
Attorney. State Senator, and now he
believed that the country should be
allowed to name the four representa-
tives.
"Can" Piper believed the same.
Mr.. Muff said that he had explained
his position, and simply because the
city had been given a Senator, upon
the very slight chance of his seat, the
city should not be Invested of her right
to representative. Mr.. Muff pleaded
his cause with earnestness.
A substitute to the original motion,
to proceed to nominate at large, was
put and lost.
The original motion, that the LIST,
Bird, 4th and 9Th districts be allowed to