St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-03-19
He Refused TO SIGN.
Speaker Graves Would Not
Put His Name to a
Bill
Until After the Governor Had
Sent for Him and They
Confabbed.
Hon. Robert Dunn'S Wrath
and the Complications Of
a Local Bill.
Ramsey and Hennepin Flood
the House With
Bills.

Eyes, by Heavenl Yes, by Heaven! I'm
mad! I'm madl'
Hon. Robert c. Dunn, member from
Mile Laos, entered the house humming
that old air yesterday afternoon. lie
savagely hurled his coat at hook, hung
his hat upon the water cooler, frightened
the large belt which he wears around
his waist and rushed to his seat. The
speaker saw that Mr.. Dunn was mad
and recognized him at once. Mr.. Dunn
began TO speak in these tones so famil-
lar to old admirers of Macready THAT
curdle the blood and cause the marrow
to freeze"
A senate file annexing East st. Cloud
house Saturday. Mr.. Dunn was re-
corded as voting for it.
Il did not vote for it. | was not
here, and could not have voted for it..
/ say right here to Mr.. Searle, that it
was gross breach of trust, gross
breach of confidence and gross breach
of faith to the members of this district
to bring that bill in here when the
members of that district (the East st.
Cloud were absent. This bill proposes
to annex East St. Cloud to st. Cloud,
and l want it called back from the gov
ernOr. This bill would saddle the
municipal debt on this village, and [
understood that the voters were to have
a chance to vote upon it. | move that
it be called back from the governor"
Searle-I object.
Dunn move to suspend the rules.
Chair-The bill is is not before the
governor, but has gone to the senate.
There was temporary lull. MI.
Searle polkaed across the room to Mi.
Dunn, but the latter would not be pa
cited. A bill relating to affairs in his
own district had been passed during his
absence, against his wishes, against the
wishes of his constituents and by the
interference of an outside member. The
insult could not be overlooked. MI.
Dunn said to the GLOBE:
1.-The bill does not submit the ques-
annexation to the people as desired,
and it proposes to saddle on them part
of municipal debt of 100000. 1t was
a direct breach of trust on the part of
Mr.. Searle."
Quite a sensation developed after
this, when the bill was brought in
from the senate for Speaker Graves
to sign it. This he refused to do, the
first refusal on record. it is believed, in
this state. Section 81 of article of the
constitution provides:
ANY presiding officer refusing to
sign bill which shall have previously
passed both houses, shall thereafter be
Incapable of holding a seat in either
branch OF the legislature, or holding
any other Office of honor or profit in the
state"
Speaker Graves, as said, refused to
sign the bill. Then there was another
scurrying, and all of a sudden mes
senger comes up from Gov. Merriam'S
office and requested him to call upon
the governor.
Speaker Graves went down to the
governors office. and, after conSulta-
ton with him, then signed the bill.
Afterward, in response to an inquiry
made by the GLOBE, Speaker Graves
gave as his reason for refusing to sign
it that a strange person had presented
it to him, and that it was unsigned by
the lieutenant governor; therefore he
explained he had simply exercised care.
Nevertheless, as the senate officials had
received only blunt refusal, they were
much exercised. None of the present
legislators remember parallel case in
this state. Mr.. Dunn can only recover
the bill by the Senate's recalling it,
which he may try to do. AS it is he
feels that a gross injustice has been
done the DeOnle of his district