St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-02-17
A Rampant Discussion, in
Which Names Are Freely
8 D Used by Takers.
The Short Session Largely
Occupied in the Little
q Free-fOp-AIl.
Many New and Old Measures
Among the Bills Of the
Day.

trOduceQ resolution FeaulHS. ho-
solved, That the appointment of Eric
Olson as clerk of the state prison and
reformatory committee be declared ir-
regular and void" The resolution went
over under notice of debate from Mr..
Ringwald.
The routine business of yesterdays
session had Just been cleared when
Speaker Champlin requested MIR. Fur
long to take the chair. Mr.. Furlong did
so, when Speaker Champlin took the
floor and called up the resolution. He
pointed out that there was no complaint
against the clerk or the prison commit
tee in the resolution. but that the aD-
pointment was irregular. ThlS, rightly
or wrongly, the speaker took as refec-
ton upon bin. He proceeded to inform
the house that under the rules it was the
speakers duty to appoint clerk for the
committees allowed one in accordance
with the recommendation of majority
of the members on the committee. The
rules provided that the state prison and
retormatory committee should be al
lowed clerk. A majority OF the mem
bers reported to him that Eric Olson be
appointed clerk, and accordingly, under
the rules, his duty was to make the APP
pointment. There was nothing irregu-
lar so far as he was concerned, and for
that reason he was not inclined to sit
quietly and allow such a resolution to
pass.
Speaker Champlin took a seat oD the
floor of the house, and MIR. Lomen in
quired if there was motion before the
house. The speaker rose. but he was
shoudered out by Mr.. Stone, of Ram
sey, who moved that the resolution be
indefinitely postponed. Mr.. BJorge
seconded.
Mr.. Lomen replied. The resolution was
not intended as reflection upon the speak
er-none whatever. The speaker had no
means of knowing whether the appointment
of clerk of the prison committee was neces-
sary or not. He introduced the resolution
for but one purp0se--that was that clerk
for this committee was entirely unnecessary,
at least for the present. There was nothing
for him to do. He never thought OF calling
into question the action of the speaker; 1t
was merely question OF economy-the
clerk was not wanted.
Mr.. Long, of Hennepin, considered a
clerk was neceS sary.
Denounced by Nilsson.
Mr.. Nilsson, of Ramsey. member of
the prison committee vigorously de-
nounced the resolution. There was as
much need for a clerk on the prison
committee as any other committee. The
resolution was fine piece OF spite
work. The appointment of Eric Olson
as clerk did not appear to suit certain
senator and ex-senator, and for that rea-
son an effort was being made to GUST
him. He protested against senators
coming upon the floor of the house and
lobbying against the appointment of any
employe.
The fun now began. Mr.. Missions
vigorous accommodation raised the party
feeling Of members. The scent of
battle reused those members who had
ueen pouring over news papers or their
correspondence, and the galleries filled
with spectators, ever eager for some
thing exciting.
MI. McAllister. of Hennepin, out of a
score of members who jumped upon
their feet as the gentleman from Ram
sey sat down. succeeded in catching
the speakers eye" Mr.. McAIlister has
an awkward way of calling IA spade a
spade" and he at once raised the ire of
the Republicans by declaring that the
opposition to the appointment Of Mr..
Olson was because he had been stern
opponent to the tactics of that party.
Mr.. McGrath, of Winona-Yes; he
has been thorn to the Republican
party for years.
MIR. Bell. of Ramsey. attempted to
staye off the storm by few oily phrases
in the direction of belittling the ques-
ton. The house was getting into flu
rore over little matter.
Speaker Champlin. however, and ma
turaIly so, did not look at the matter as
very small one. His honesty of pur-
pose has been impugned, and any one
who has been spectator or in any way
attended at the sessions of the house,
must concede that kindlier and just a
man never sat in the speakers chair.
Mr.. Champlin, therefore, called the at
tention of the house to the exact nature
of the question raised by the resolution.
1t had nothing to do with Eric Olson or
the prison committee; it boldly called
into controversy the regularity OF the
appointment.
Cut Expenses.
Mr.. Gildea, of Pipestone, ignoring the
question raised by the speaker, en-
larged upon the expenses they were in
curing for employees. There were forty
men below the speaker drawing pay,
anu the last legislature was just two
ahead of this number. He offered a
substitute to the resolution.
Before the substitute was read Mi.
Bjorge, of Otter Tail, jumped up and
declared that the gentleman from Ram
Sey and his supporters merely raised
the objection against the appointment
of clerk for the prison committee be-
cause the appointee was Eric Olson.
Mr.. Greer, of Wabasha, forcibly de-
MED that the resolution was partiZan-
inspired by the Republican members.
He only knew of Eric Olson through
the columns of the Great West, and
certainly, if the statements contained
therein were true, he was not entitled to
a position from that house. No ref1ec-
ton was cast upon the speaker. whose
conduct in the chair he spoke very
highly of.
Mr.. Mcclure, of Lac Qui Parle, asked
why did not the minority members of
the prison committee protest when the
appointment was made?
There was no answer forthcoming, so
Mr.. Capser, of StearnS, got in an eX
PLANTATION. 1t was that he did not claim
Eric Olson's appointment to be irregu-
lar; it was simply an unnecessary one.
Upon the question of economy, he was
opposed to it. The last legislature was
condemned for its pr0higacy in the
number of its employees, largely by the
Alliance party, and yet they were going
to commit the same mistake. Mr.. Cap
ser also replied to a remark that had
been dropped. to the effect that the OPP
position to Olson was instigated by
boodlers. The legislator from Stearns
denounced the insinuation, and. raising
his right hand, he exclaimed: Il wish
all your hands were as clean OF Doodle
as NINE"
MIR. Stone interrupted by calling for
the reading of the substitute offered by
Mr.. Gildea. This was that, in the opin-
ion of the house, the committee Oh state
prison had no use for clerk, and that
the speaker be requested to cancel the
appointment of Eric Olson.
No Reflection.
Mr.. Kinney, of st. Louis, reminded
the house that 1t was not question of
whether Eric Olson had been dismissed,
but was his appointment irregular? He
did not think there was any intention
on the part of Mr.. Lomen to- reflect
upon the speaker, and he suggested the