St. Paul daily globe., 1893-02-07
UIVlEU DI LIHvlIIs
Democratic and Peoples Party
Lawmakers Have Made
No Combine.
Ready to Vote for Any Meas
ure to Secure a Free
Market.
Railroads Must Select Swamp
Lands in the Next Two
Years.
Senator Craig Scores a Vic
tory That Means Much for
the State.


port any measures that have for theil
aim the relief of the people of this state
by the removal of the burdens placed
upon them by the elevator-railroad com
bine.
Up to the present time 1t is we'll
known fact that the present legislature
has done practically nothing. and the
Republican leaders and organs are in.
dustriously asking for an explanation
that Will tighten, If not remove. the
weight from the party. Being in COM
plete control in all branches OF
the state government, there does
not seem to be any way OF
escape open. But the old adage
"Where there's will there's a way"
was strikingly eXemplified by several
of the Republican organs of the Twin
Cities last Saturday when they came
out and charged that the Democratic
and Peoples party had formed a COM
bine to defeat all Republican measures
that promised relief to the people of the
state. The story was so absurd on its
face that it needed no denial.
But the Democratic and People,
party members of the senate do not pro-
pose to even allow such an imputation
to go ont to the people, and Immediately
after the opening exercises yesterday
afternoon Senator Leayitt rose to a
Question of Privilege
and with copy of one of the papers in
his hand proceeded to deny the state
ments made.
II find here statements" he said.
''that reflect on the integrity not only of
myself, but of every Democratic mem
Der of the two branches of the legls-
lature. [ feel that tits matter of justice
to myself aud to my colleagues and the
Democratic party of the state that this
article should not be allowed to go un-
anSWered.'
Here the senator from Meeker read
from one of the evening Republican
organs the statement that the Demo
cratic and Peoples party members had
entered into a combination to oppose all
legislation recommended by Gov. Mel
son. and that if passed would innure to
the benefit of the Republican party.
Now" continued Senator Leavitt.
Il desire to state in behalf of myself
and my Democratic colleagues to my
Republican friends upon this floor that
there is not one word of truth in this
story. In this article the statement is
made that the paper has plenty of proof
to SubStantiate the statement. l chal-
lenge the paper to produce it,"
In concluding his statement Senator
Leavitt made the following manly state
ment, which will be seconded by every
Democrat in the legislature:
Leavitt's Vigorous Denial.
81 deny that any meetings have been
held by the Democratic members of this
legislature during this session, or at
any time, at which the question of op-
posing or defeating any legislation rec
commended by Gov. Nelson was DO
posed or discussed.
Il deny that any meeting has been
held by the Democratic members with
the Populist members at this session, or
at any time. with view to arrange Joint
action for the prevention or obstruction
of legislation, or for any other purpose
Il deny that the Democratic members
or their party desire to obstruct or pre-
vent legislation that is meritorious and
honestly intended and designed to rem
edy any of the Ills of which the people
complain; and, on their behalf, pledge
their support to any such measures, no
matter with what political division of
the Legislature they originate, as will
relieve the people from the domination
of the grain markets by the milling
elevator syndicate. whose eXtortionS
they have so long and patiently borne"
On behalf Of the Peoples party sena-
tors, Senators Donnelly and Probstfield
entered indignant denials. the sage i'm
proving the occasion to inject little
humOr into the whole affair. He had
heard nothing about the article until a
few minutes before and thought it hardly
necessary to dignity it by denial; but
lest silence should be construed as an
evidence of the truth of the report he
would enter denial of the whole story
Like a Modern Marriage.
"We did have combine two years
ago." said the sage with a smile, ''but 1t
was like modern marriage, to last only
until some incompatibllity of temper
developed. The marriage ceremony had
hardly been performed when the Demo-
cratic bridegroom took club and smote
the Alliance bride Ill the face"
Amid the merriment, excited by the
Sage'S witty remarks, the senate took
up the regular order. Several. petitions
favorable to the passage Of the anti
scalper bill were read and the introduce
ton of bills. The new measures were
few i'll number and of small impor-
tance, and the next order was soon
reached.
Following the Introduction Of bills
the joint resolution sent over from the
house regarding an investigation into
the management OF the st. Cloud re-
formatory was. upon the suggestion of
Senator Sanborn, taken up. An amend
ment giving this committee the power
to send for persons and papers and
make a thorough Investigation was Of
fered by the senior senator from Ram
sey county. This brought Senator
Crandall, a member of the board,
to his feet with an explanation of the
charges that have been made against
the management of the reformatory.
The Steele county senator said these
charges had come from an anonymous
source, as he understood it, and he
therefore thought that it was not eX-
actly the proper thing.
For the benefit of the senator from
Steele" said Senator Davis. Il will say
that, if the charges made in paper of
this city few days ago are true,
the old whipping post was a mild and
gentle Institution compared with the
methods of punishment in use at the
reformatory.'
The resolution was then passed as
amended, and the senate went into COM
mirtee of the whole, with Senator
Streissguth in the chair. Senator Lea
Wits income tax bill, Senator March's
measure allowing the payment of taxes
to be made in two installments, as we'll
as Senator Lommen's common carrier
bill, Senator Eaton's proposed amend
ment limiting the legislative sessions to
sixty days, and Senator Canestorp's bill
providing for the election of railroad
commissioners, were also put over. The
first measure to be taken up and con-
sidered was Senator Craig's bill to force
railroad companies with
Swamp Land Grants
to make their selections. AS intro
duced, the bill limited the time within
which selections were to be made to
one year, and in this form the committee
on public lands recommended it to pass.
In committee of the whole the first op-
position developed. and the point of
cCnstltutionaiity was raised. 1t was re-
ferred to the judiciary committee, which
reported it back with the opinion that
if extended to Jan. l, 1895. it would
Stand the test of the courts no