St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-10-01
WITH THE PEOPLE.
A Strong Stand Against a Very Bad:
Measure.

NIcdSutcs
In the house it was moved by some
one who favored the original bill that.
the senate bill, which had not been
amended, should be substituted for the
house bill; which motion prevailed.
The senate bill having been taken up
and the above amendments moved. one.
of the most protracted and heated dis
cussiOns of the session followed. 1t
lasted all the afternoon, until after
dark, the lobby of the house being
filled with state officers and other spec
tators. | had prepared myself in ad-
vance with the data to prove, and did
prove, that the bonds of other states
at per cent were worth a pre-
MUM, and | had caused an exam
ination of the finances and income
OF the state to be made to show
that it was wholly un necessary to post
pone the first payment of interest until
1884; that it was both wrong aud uil-
neceS Sary for the state to add the inter
est of the full sum of the old bonds and
coupons up to 1884 to the principal, and
that it was especially wrong to calcu-
late that interest at z per cent, when ae-
cording to the claim and proposition of
even Mr.. Chamberlain only 5 per cent
had been demanded. do not now re-
SO41SSV NC1 IttlHty WANluCl MI. MC-
Cracken took any part in the discus
sion in the house on the amendments.
He at any rate was just as earnest as [.
If he did not, no one aided ME in the
discussion or in the preparation for it
or in any way in the contest which was
made; while on the other side there
were very numerous speakers. Ali
those who finally approved the bond
bill stood uniiinchingly at every step.
The bondholders' attorneys were in the
house during the whole time to be con-
suited by any one of that side. The
amendments were voted down, or at
at least all but one. When the vote
was taken [ was exhausted and nearly
discouraged. Mr.. Fletcher (the speaker
of the house, at once came to me and
addressed me substantially in these
words.
You ere right. 1t would be an outrage on
the people to permit that bill to pass in It's
present form and 1t shall not pass until your
views substantially have been Incorporated
into it, After listening to your argument
there can be no doubt as to the matter
am astonlshed that the senate passed it In
that form or that any one should oppose
cause might be misunderstood if did not
Between this time and the meeting of the
house tomorrow morning | shall see tho
governor and Mr.. Chamberlain and induce
them, If I can, to assent to these amend
ments do not wish to oppose the govern
or. if possible to avoid 1t. But if / cannot
induce him to consent 1 shall have to follow
my own convictions of right and vote for the
amendment.
He told me at the same time thai
while was talking he had spoken to d.
M. Sabin. John F. Norrish, and, be-
Ieve, s. G. Comstock, who agreed with
him. NJ. Fletcher had that night the
promised interview with the governor
and MIR. Chamberlain. In the morning
he Informed me that the amendments
insisted on by me would, in part, be ac-
cepted by them. They would not agree
then absolutely that the bonds SHOULD
draw only 4 per cent interest, but they
would promise that when issued the in
terest should not be higher than Az
per cent, and perhaps not higher than 4.
Insisted that this should be incorpor-
ated in the act, but Mr.. Fletcher in ]
formed me that this would not be
agreed to, as the governor must
have the credit of making this
saving to the state when the
bonds were Issued. He also informed
me that it would not be agreed that 1
should offer the amendments myself;
that they must be given to some friend
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