St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-08-06
WHAT IS THE BETTER PLAN !?

The country press Is just now giving ample
publicity to call signed by the state worlds
fair officials, with the name OF Gov. Mer-
RAM at the head for public meeting, to be
composed of representatives of the CONNER
eial and municipal bodies of the state, to
devise some better plan than the commission
has been able to evolve, by which 100000
more than the amount voted BIZ the legislature
can be raised to De spent in making show
at Chicago.
1t is evident from tnis writes prominent
citizen, that all usual methods of raising the
money have proved unavailing, and. osteusi-
bly,, the wisdom and ingenuity of the state is
to be focused in the hall of representatives
to ascertain that which the wisdom, expeir-
ence and interest of the commission has
been unequal TO. 1t has been suggested that
the interests especially to be benefited by
show of the inducements the stale holds out
to the world should subscribe the money.
The farmers who might reap the advantages
of home market from the additional manu-
facturers and artisans who might be induced
to come in; the manufacturers who might
reasonably anticipate increased sales from
the rush of agriculturists which might follow,
and the railroads. which would tax them all
for carrying out their produce and carrying
in their necessities and comforts, thus gar
nering earnings for stock dividends are pc
culiar interests which might well afford to
go down handsomely on the lists of SUBJ
scribers to the biggest advertising scheme of
the century. But they evidently Will not.
o o
But 1t Is not believable that the gentlemen
whose names are appended to this call really
believe that the mass convention they have
summoned will be wiser or more fertile in
expedients for raising the wind than are
they, and their call furnishes inherent evil
dence that the convention is called merely
for the purpose OF getting for the governor a
sufficient backing of popular opinion" to
warrant him in the unpopular act of conven-
ing the legislature in special session. They
want an extra $1,000 they say; they think
the people want them to have 1t; they want
the people TO say so; they know no way for
the people to say SO except Through
the medium of the press or a gather
ing of a representative body of citi-
zens;" then. IF the people of Mime
sota," speaking by the press and the repre-
sentative body of citizens say $4,000 is
enough, they will make such an exhibit as
the means at our command will warrant"
But" they conclude, 1--WE cannot believe
sentative body of citizens thus convened
should declare that 800, 900 more is needed
then it will be assumed that 1.-The people,
have spoken. But the people in such matters
can act eonstitutionally only. through their
legislature, which has hitherto been popu-
larry supposed to be Representative body
of citizens;' ana, if all this beating about the
bush means anything, it means that the COM
mission want the Legislature to meet again
and reconsider its judgment that the state
has given enough and to vote 100000 more.
If a special session is that "better plan"
which the commission has considered, but
omits to particularize the GLOBE repeats its
protest, with increased emphasis. There is
no constitutional warrant for it. This is not
an extraordinary OCCASION which the con-
stitution says shall warrant the governor TO
call special session. There is an no unfore-
seen emergency; the matter of this appro-
priation was fully considered and discussed.
The people have decided the amount in the
only way they can speak. They may have
given too little in the opinion of the commits
sion, but they said it is enough. The GLOBE
agrees with them. II is enough if properly
used. There is7no limitation to the matters
especially 10 be considered by that body
if ireeonvened. ANY new business may be
taken up. The wolves in the legislature, to
which pack all parties about equally con-
tributed, will bring their pet schemes to the
front. What blood they got during the ses-
sion has only made their appetites the
keener. The unblushing member will again
badly strike moneyed interests for the price
of his support or neutrality, and the DETER
baodler will again assure the threatened in
terests that he is with them anyway, but that
Jones and Smith and Olson are against them,
though if he can have a few thousand he
can fix them, smirehing honest members 10
fatten his own pocket. 1t will be cheaper
for all the interests which had to bleed last
winter. to put up the needed monev them
selves than 10 let slip the pack of wolves
again. No, thanks; no special session
for US. 81