The Irish standard., 1891-04-25
OUR LEGISLATORS.

OUR LEGISLATORS.
The Minnesota legislature has adj
iourned, and it's members have returned
to their homes to renew life's struggle
in their respective spheres of business.
It was perhaps the most abused legisla-
ture that ever convened in the state
capital. For the first time in the history
Of the state the Republican members
were in the minority, and this was of it.
self sufficient to bring down ON the ma
jority the maledictlons OF the Republican
state press, How well this portion OF
the programme was carried out need not
be entered into IN detail here. From
the time the legislators put Mr.. Champ
lin in the speakers chair until he de-
clared the house adjourned sine die, the
Republican organs of Minnesota poured
out their walls of wrath on the heads of
the Democracy and Alliance, Notwith-
standing the men. who went to St. Paul
to do good, and not mischief, perse-
vered, and their efforts were not in
vain. AS @ result of their hard and
earnest work we are to enjoy some long
needed reforms. Take for instance the
work of the Hennepin delegation. They
went to ST. Paul pledged to do their con-
stituents bidding. The first thing they
did way to abolish the police commits
sion. and Notwithstanding the unsavorl-
ness of that body, and the hatred that
our people entertained for it, there
were "a few Republicans so determined
in defeating the bill of the people. that
they waited on the governor with the
view of having HIM interpose his objec-
tions. In this, however, they failed, for
the governor thought the question Of
police control should be with the people.
It was at this time that This same COVER
nor said that he could not interfere in
matters purely local; that his idea about
such things was that the maj ority should
rule, etc. Gov. Merriam started out
we'll, but he forgot his promise about
not wishing to interfere in matters pure
~ local when he vetoed the Minneapolis
charter bill. Here was measure that
the people of Minneapolis demanded,
and vet the governor put himself above
the people, and said ''you cannot have
it, No one denies that the governors
action was due TO political reasons, and
that it was to prevent the Democrats
from getting any credit for wise and jul
dicious legislation. The Hennepin dele
CATION was not to be beaten in their
efforts to enact wholesome laws by the
governors partisan action. They turned
their batteries on the fee system, which !
has been in force for years in this |
county. Two years ago the Republicans
promised before election that, if sue
cessful, they would wipe out this system, |
and substitute salaries instead. Did
they do as they promised, when they |
went to ST.. Paul? No, they did not.
They never made an effort to pass such |
a BILL and nevertheless they had the
cheek to come up last fall again and ask
for an endorsement. The Hennepin
delegation did not forget their promises
to the people when they went to st.
Paul. They put almost all the county
officers on salaries, thereby dong away
with the Ubiquitous fee system on which
former county officials grew fat and
wealthy. This of itself was more than
any Republican delegation from thus
county did in the past ten years. The
Republicans made many promises be-
fore election, but fulfilled few of them;
while the Democrats made few and tried
to keep them, but it was not their fault
that they did not. A partisan governor,
who cared more for the opinion OF John
Day Smith than all the Hennepin Dem
ocrats that sat in the capital, interfered.
that John Day Smith did not
think proper could not go Though hisI
did not exceed 100 votes in his
district, yet the. governor Of this great
state preferred to- eonsult him In prefer
ence to those whose maj critics ran up
into the thousands: 9 queer state Of af-.
fairs But for al that. the Hennepin
can point With pride 70 snanYI
ssa II 81 IF III 81 II 80 sssa# aSs