St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-02-10
The STRONG SENATE.
Men Not to Be Swallowed by
the Brightness OF Any
Leaders.
Young and Aggressive Men
Very Plentiful in the Up
per House.
All Three Parties Ably Repre-
Sented When Work Is to
Be Done.
Pencil Sketches Of the Prom
inent Members OF This
Senate.

ereu 10 the erect that John Day Smith
and the Sage OF Nininger are the two
figures around which everything re-
wolves is as far from the truth as it would
be for any one to hint that these two
warriors had not done their full share of
the talking.
The fact of the matter is that neither
OF these gentleman or both of them to-
gether carry the votes of any other
members of the upper house around in
their pockets in the places sometimes
filled with those denominations of the
current coin of the realm which the ma
tl0nal government proposes to reCOn.
Seldom in the history of the state, if
ever, have as many able, earnest an d
sincere men been found making laws in
the upper house. Owing to the interim
Unable squabbleS that have been going
on from the beginning between the
Sage and John Day Smith the abilities
and powers of such men as Senators
Leavitt, of Meeker; McHale, of Scott;
Craig, of Waseca; Kelly, of Houston;
GeiSSel, or Morrison; Brown. of Nc.
Le0d; Lienan. of Ramsey; Mcmillan.
of Morse; March, Bell and Phillips, of
Hennepin, and Craven, of Carver. on
the Democratic side. Senators Hompe,
La Due, Mayo, Probstlield, Crate,
and Senators Tawney, Stevens, San
bonn, Dean, Day and others of the Re-
publicans, have been given no oppor-
tunity to demonstrate themselves.
Senator Keller broke through the
fences set up by Smith and Donnelly
several times, and has laid both of these
ScrapperS on the shelf.
On the Democratic side Senators
LeaYitt and McHale have already be-
come recognized leaders, and. although
neither of them are at all ambitious in
this direction, their courses have been
such that their fellow Democrats al
ways feel safe in following their lead.
Both of them are men who will be
heard from before this session is over,
as well as for years to come in the poll
tics of Minnesota. If, as is asserted,
they are fair samples of the younger
element of the Democracy now coming
to the front in this state, there can be
10 room to doubt that success is near at
hand. They are progressive, honest
men, with confidence in the people and
a desire to meet the appreciation of
those who elected them. They have al
ready taken prominent positions in the
senate, and, as the heads of the judi
ciary and banking committees, are do
ing vast amount of labor, of which
the public knows nothing.
But it is no diSDaragement of Sena-
tors McHale and LeaVitt to say that
they are not the only Democrats in the
senate. While Houston county's bright
young representative does not talk a
great deal, he is a worker from away
back, always present and always voting
on the right side. Then seated near
him is DR.. Craig, Waseca's well-known
senator, who. like Senator Kelly, is
more of worker than talker. He is
chairman of the apportionment commit
tee, and has some pretty arduouS work
before him. Senator Brown. of Nc
Leod. is perhaps the most Democratic
Of all the Democratic senators. For
display and red tape he has the utmost
contempt. 'Sam" Brown, as he is
known among his neighbOrs in Mcleod
county, is Democrat of the old school
and man of decided views on all pub
lie questions.
Senator Mcmillan is another Demo-
crat who is looming up in manner that
cannot fail to please his most enthusiasts
tic friends. He has introduced several
bills OF great Importance that are prac-
tically sure to go on the statute books.
While his mo seat no farc' bill has
been discussed more than any of the
others, it is hardly of the Importance of
his measure TO check corrupt practices
at elections. or the bill now i'm the
hands of the committee, prohibiting
cities giving away valuable franchises
forever without conditions.
Senator March is another Hennepin
senator who has taken a prominent
place in the upper house of the legis-
lature already. He doesn't care to talk
.tla IN..k Il
thinking, and is always found to have
voted right. He is interested in the
scheme to improve the waterways of
the state, and is the father of a resolu-
uion appointing committee to look
into the subject.
Senator Craven, who looks after the
interests of Carver county, is one of the
youngest members of the senate, and is
bright and able man. He was one of
the Democrats who determined upon
coalition with the Alliance, and did a
great deal to bring such union about.
He realized from the start the absurd
itv of the representatives of two par
ties advocating the same principles
standing apart and labored to bring
them together. He is always IN attend
ance, and never ShirkS what he be-
lieveS his duty.
Senator Keller, the ingenious Stearns
county senator is too well known to
need any mention here. His speeches
are usually filled with humorous breaks
that never fail to create amusement and
help his side of the question.
Hon. c. III, Lienau has the distinction
of being the only Democratic senator
from Ramsey county, but as he is host
in himself the party does not feel its
loss as it otherwise might. As chair
man of the committees Oh education and
temperance he will have considerable to
say on the work of the session. Per
hapS the most important bill introduced
by him thus far is one to establish a
state board of immigration.
Senators Bell, Morse and Phillips are
three more strong men OH the Demo
cratic side. Neither of them are great
takers. but all are workers, and NAV
be depended upon to hold up Hennepin
county'S end of the beam. DR.. Bell is
chairman of the committee on corpora
tiOnS, one of the most important COM
mittees, while Senator Phillips preSides
over the deliberations of the soldiers
home committee. Senator Morse is well
up in important committees. like rail-
roads, appOrtiOnment and grain and
warehouse
Strong men are quite as numerous on
the Alliance side of the senate as upon
the sides of either of the old parties
Passing by the Sage of Nininger, whose
ability no one will gainsay, there are at
least a half-dozen others who stand
away up. Among these the name OF
Hon. John b. Hompe, OF Otter Tail. is
especially prominent. AS member of
the finance committee of the house two
years ago Mr.. Hompe made record of
which his constituents had Il right to
feel proud, and for which they probably
sent him to the senate this year. Sena-
tor HOmpe is a clear-headed man who
thinks and acts for himself. Formerly
a Republican. lie did not hesitate to
leave that party when he found that it
was wrong In speaking of his change
of party, few days ago, Mr.. Hompe
said:
Il never thought that could be any
thing else than II Republican, nor would
[ have been had not become convinced
that the Republicans are on the wrong