St. Paul daily globe., 1889-01-09
SENATE DOINGS.
The Genial Solons Start Out With
a Rush.

Rush.
Short, sweet and pointed. Such were
the characteristic features of the open
ing days session of the senate of the
state legislature.
From an early hour the capitol build
ing reverberated with the hum of many
voices, which, as noon approached, in
creased in volume and intensity. Sena-
TORS and LEGISLATORS fitted hither and
thither. while an interesting public
swarmed the corridors and filled the
galleries. The senate chamber pos
seSSed little attraction to the searcher
after excitement, as it was generally
supposed that the graye-viSaged Sena-
tors would not rise above the level of
city alderman. But this was a great
mistake. Intellectually the senate is
very strong, and from little episodes
during the session there is latent power
enough to produce some racy discus
SionS.
Lieut.-Gov. Rice is president of the
senate. He was punctual in coming,
and as punctual in calling the senate to
order, which was done at IL o'clock.
But few senators were seated when the
gayel fell and the session Of 1889
opened, while, when the roll was called,
it was found that Senators FinSeth,
Goodhue county; Nixon, Graut county;
Hoard, Chippewa county; Kellar,
Stearns county; Schetfer, Ramsey
county; Shields, Meeker county;
Thacker Pope county: Whiteman, st.
Louis county, were absent Several of
the absenteeS soon after appeared, and
took part IN the election of officers.
Senator Compton performed the duties of
secretary during the initial business,
the first work of the senate being the
swearing in of new members. There
was only one new senator, Holmes, of
Detroit. wrO fills the vacancy created
by the retirement of Senator COmStOck.
of Clay county. With the nomina-
ton of officers from the Republican
party Senator Pope, of Blue Earth,
gracefully intimated that the Demo
cratic senators had decided not to oppose
any of the candidates nominated. There
upon the selection of officers went
through with a rush, as follows:
Secretary-O. L. Cutler
Assistant SecTetary-Bert W. Day.
Engrossing Cierk--W. c. Whlteman.
Sergeant-at- Arms-Clark Chambers
Asst. Sergeant-at-Arms-W. T. Zwichk.
Chaplain-Rey. E. r. Lathrop.
The election of these officials was fol-
lowed by a general swearing in, each
officer solemnly swearing to support the
constitution Of the United States and
the state of Minnesota. The selection
of subordinate officials followed, which
resulted;
Doorkeeper-Thomas Layard
second Assistant Secrstary-A. c. Swang-
strom.
Assistant Engrossing CIerk--William Gun
nerson.
Postmaster-O. S. Blake.
Messenger-ClementsA A. Nachbar.
nt +Oo
point two pages in addition to the two
already nominated. Up to this
point the officials had been elected
Without any discordant note. The spell
was broken, however. in the grave and
laborious duty involved by the appoint
ment of a second assistant sergeant-at-
arms and keeper of the cloak room.
August Ellis was first nominated.
Senator Hoard at once rose to his feet.
casting a withering glance round the
senate, ms eye fell upon the president,
gaze. There was blood in that eye
f'Mr. president" he said, 81 have a
nomination to make for this appoint
ment. and move that for the present the
nominations lay on the table," Having
thus expressed himself the senator sat
down and his proposition was accepted.
Later a resolution was read nominating
o. A. Strand as assistant sergeant-at-
arms and keeper of the cloak-room, and
E. Il. Carlson assistant keeper of the
cloak-roOm.
Mayor Smith, who represents the SEN
atorial interests of Ramsey county, had
been specially chosen the recipient of
attention from the Rev. w. Gray, late of
the Pilgrim Baptist church. He here
rose and moved that this resolution be
amended by the appointment of Rev.
William Gray, of the coored Baptist
church, as keeper of the cloak room.
Gray was member of the Republican
party, added Mayor Smith, twinkling
smile lowering over his face.
Senator Hoard was ready for the occa-
sion. Again rising ponderOuSly from
his seat, heaving his manly bosom he
pointmentS being made, and called the
president up on point of order.
The president meekly inquired into
the nature of the point the senator
referred to. as he saw no iTregularity.
Senator Hoard just thought there was.
he having moved that the appointment
of keeper of the cloak room should be
tabled.
The president was about to make an
explanation when the storm in tea
cup ended by the senators withdrawing
their nominations. During the sitting
of the senate a large number of the
general public had taken up their posi-
tion at the back of the chamber. This
made the room uncomfortable, and gave
it crowded appearance, while the
buzz of conversation distracted busi-
ness. President Rice appropriately re-
ferred to the rules of the senate. which
provided for those who were entitled to
the privilege of the floor. He would be
glad to impose this rule, if it was the
will of the senate. The expression on
the part of the senators was very. can
did, and the sergeant-at-arms was in
structed to allow none but persons en-
titled to do SO to enter the chamber
Senator Keller, of Stearns county,
seems to have particular horror of
"book agents and canvaSSerS,'' as he