The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1885-12-04
MANKAro FREE PRESS.
FRIDAY. DECEMBER a. 1885.
NO EXTRA SESSION
Gov. Hubbard Finally Relieves
Public Suspense by a Letter
to Duluth Citizens.
In Which He Sets Forth HIS Reasons To-
Nat Converting the Legislature.
He Sums UP the Situation and Shows the
End will Not Justify the Means.
STATE OF MINNESOTA,
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT.,
o.. D.,r Nov cSth 1891

81. i htL, WV ~oefht ho''' |
To the Village Council of Duluth, MINI.
GENTLEMEN: ! am in receipt OF the
resolutions passed by you on Oct. 10Th,
1855, requesting that the Legislature be
convened in extra session for the pur'
pose of making a reapportionment of the
state for the legislature before he next
Copies of said resolutions were,
in accordance with n of them, sent to
the common councils ofthe various cities
and villages likely to be interested there
i'm, with the invitation of your body to
Join i'm your request. Printed petitions
asking the same and on the same
grounds have been circulated for the
signature of individuals. The subject
had been much discussed before you
and the Duluth chamber Of commerce
took proper means, as before mentioned,
to ascertain public opinion.
have delayed answering the resolu-
tons because | was unwilling that my
conclusion should seem to forestall ex
preston of the public wish, and more
because, although on the sufficiency OF
the reasons urged in your resolutions
nv opinion has not wavered, there were
other contingencies which might force a
different conclusion. IL experience
showed definite and serious defects in
the laws relating TO the inspection,
weighing and handling of grain, or for
the regulation of railroad companies, or
if the railroad and warehouse commits.
sioners found their powers insufficient
for the successful discharge of their du-
ties, | should consider the prompt
amendment of these laws desirable, per-
haps ut the cost of an extra session. But
il is vet too soon to determine what
amendments are essential.
The facts alleged as the grounds of
YOUR request are undeniable. The pop
ulation of the state has increased very
uneaually since 1880, 30 that the appor-
tionment upon the census of that year il
no longer Just and equal, The inequali-
ty may be expressed by saying that
eleven districts have now each n rep
resentative more than their population
entities them to, three have each two
more representatives, and one has n
senator In excess. On the other hand.
three districts should each have one
representative, one should have two
representatives, one a senator and two
representatives, n two senators ana
five representatives, and one three SEN
ators and. two representatives, more
than they respectively have at present.
This takes no account OF minor mequall-
| =. ..l.ol An nnnnrfinnnnn nnut1 rQ-
move by uniting counties now separate.
This Inequality ought to cease at the
first opportunity. Absolute equality OF
representation il impractiGable, but the
right to representation equali2ed as
nearly ana AZ frequently as practicable
is undoubted Should ] make a practi-
cable opportunity at the expense OF an
extra session!
The constitution of the state author
ICES the governor to the legls-
lature In extra session on "~extraordin.
ary OCCASIONS" The constitution itself
anticipates I'm ,qUal increase OF popula-
ton with resulting inequality in the ex-
listing apportIonment, anu authorizes
the taking of a census TO ascertain the
fact and a reapportionment every tive
years at the next session after the census
If found proper. In TACT, inequality. in
| TtDICftI tdtIO III VIZ ~r
been found to exist after every census,
as wa from the first expected. Can
that be called San extraordinary occa-
sion' which occurs according to habit
and expectation
An extraordinary reason Tor q Calico
session has been found in an assured
probability that the next legislature
will not reapportion. The next is the
one of which this work is constitutional.
ly expected. 1t is not to be presumed
that any legislature will.neglect it's duty
but if any Discrimination does exist for
this particular duty, to call the present
legislature together would furnish each
an excuse for neglecting il as being the
duty of the other.
Your resolutions speak of a practical
Acknowledgement of portions of the
state till 1888, unless 'reapportionment
be made before the next election. They
will only wait for their full representa-
ton through one session of the legisla-
ture, which the people in their. consti-
tuition have not deemed intolerable.
might find an extraordinary reason
for a session next year, if any fear was
entertained that the counties now I'M
der-represented would suffer in any
respect by awaiting the usual time. 1t
has not been observed that h new or
weak counties have hitherto been neg
lected or oppressed. A good test is the
distribution ofthe internal revenue I'M
proyement fund. The legislature dis
poses of the fund at its pleasure. The
present legislature distributed about
$50, 900 belonging to that fund at its last
session. OF this amount twelve districts
having forty-fve members of the legis-
lature took nothing at all; twelve other
districts, all now over-represented, v
ing fifty members obtained less than
$40. 900: the five country districts, nov
under.representsd, having thirteen
members, were voted more than S33 600.
The sentiment Of the people, even in
those parts of the state where popula-
ton is most disproportionate to re-
presentation, appears to be that the ad-
vantage to them OF immediately IN
creased representation is not worth the
cost.
1t is not surprising that those parts
which will gain nothing are opposed to
the expense. 1t is not strange that the
financial representatives Of the great
cities which must pay 80 great a share
of the cost should fail to approve. am
advised that the city council of st. Paul
has adopted the resolutions OF your
body. The city council of Fergus Falls
has passed similar ones Several edi-
tors through their newspapers have
asked for an extra session. A petition
of the strongest character by thirty.
three representative men of Otter Tail
county, and other petitions bearing 224
signatures have been presented to me.
These form the total demand, the weak
ness of which is doubtless due to the
abstract and ideal nature of the advan-
tage To be realized.
But If the favorable expression had
been more general, | could not have
Justified to myself the action you request;
You viii remember that was obliged
at the end of the last session to protect
the credit of the state by vetolng APP
preparations amounting 20 Sl74,OOO
! which there was reason to believe the
| treasury would not be able to pay. 1t
is moi YET certain that too much was
not, after all, allowed to pass. is
| certain that the expenses of an extra
session could not be paid without an
| other state loan.
l.. +. HUBBARD,
Governor.