St. Paul daily globe., 1893-01-18
anti OPTION FIGHT.
SevatSon Forces His IndorSe-
ment Through the Sen
ate at Last
Against a Hot Skirmish Line
Headed by Senator
Davis.
%
The House Grinds Out q Great
Mass Of Routine
Matter.
Everything Dwarfed by the
Presence Of the Sena-
torial Fight.

cussed long and earnestly. and before
closing the Washburn-Hatch bill was
indorsed by vote of 80 ayes to Is nays.
Several able and convincing arguments
were made against the principle Of the
bill, as we'll as its probable effects.
Senators Morse, of Hennepin; Sanborn,
of Ramsey; Leavitt, Of Meeker; Mayo,
of Olmsted, and Craven, of Carver,
making particularly strong protests.
The senate was hardly through the open
ing exercises when Senator SeVatSOn
called up his resolution indorsing the
anti-option bill, and moving its adop-
ton.
Senator Leavitt strongly opposed the
resolution. declaring that he was not
able to tell what the effect would be II
the bill becomes law.
"How about the resolution concerning
the Pacific railroads." asked Senator
Day. us not this parallel case"
No, sir; do not think so" replied
Senator Leavitt. There is no parallel.
One is a gigantic steal, and the question
is whether it shall go OH for century
or not. This involves a matter entirely
different. There is great difference of
opinion regarding this measure. One
large body believes it an attempt to
place the farmers of this state and the
entire country under the power of the
great millerS OF the country. We have
had one Minneapolis millers' ring and
we do not want another. We want a
free and open market for our grain, but
under this bill mol grain of wheat can
be sold in open market. This bill will
place the entire grain business in the
hands of the millers."
Senator SeyatSon confessed that the
question was grave one, but he
thought il shonld be looked at i'll a SEN
sible way. He claimed that large
number of sellers could depreSS the
price of an article, and likewise an in
creased number of buyers would in
crease the price. Now maintain that
if you increase the number of buyers
you reduce the price.
Senator Morse-Like to ask question
OF the senator. If option dealing was
prohibited. would not the buyers desire
to combine and reduce the price as low
as posSibleo
Senator Sevatson took up a daily
paper and figured from the market re-
ports how man can sell wheat now
and protect himself by future manip-
ulation of the market
Il am opposed tn the passage of this
resolution" said Senator Mayo. sit is
merely tissue of affirmations without
grain of proof. make the broad as
sertion that dealing in options has
nothing to do with the price of the
farmers product. 1t is the surplus that
fixes the price. The report of the COM
mittee to investigate the wheat steal
ings, of which the senator from Jack
son was member. showed that the
stealings always take place in this
state. The main object of this resolu
ton is not the farmers who have recent
ly become the scapegrace of the ma.
jority on this floor, who have even gone,
SO far as to projecc the building of
immense elevators. | have always
objected to being made tail for any
mans kite. This resolution will have
no effect, and it is simply pushed to
advance the interests of a member of
the United States senate at Washing
tom"
Il am afraid of the Greeks bearing
gifts" SAID Senator Dounelly, land I
am afraid of anymeasure tnat emanatea
from the Minneapolis millers. have
been prejudiced against this option
bill. | believe the wrong exists in
combination of railroads, elevators and
millers and reaching from the Red river
valley 10 Liverpool. England. On the
other hand | do not quite agree with
my honored friend from Minneapolis,
Senator Morse. 1t is easier to excite
alarm than to inspire confidence. l do
not altogether like this bill, and all who
know something of my relations with
Mr.. Washburn know that we are not
friends. but shall not allow personal
matters to weigh with ME. | do not
like the idea of licensing a man and
then taxing him SO That he can not do
it'
Senator Donnelly declared that he was
doubtful as to whether the bill would be
effective, but said he should vote for it
and give it a chance, and il advan-
tageous, all right.
Senator Probstfield agreed with Mr..
Donnelly and said that while his people
wanted wind selling stopped they look
with suspicion on the sources from
which the bill came. Senator John Day
Smith arose and read a carefully pre-
pared speech. He objected to the asper
sion of the bill and declared the Mime
apolis chamber Of commerce is Op-
posed to the bill. He wound up by
declaring that every professional gamb-
ler in the country is opposed to the
measure, and then, rolling his eyes up
ward, Senator Smith said:
THAT is enough for me. If there
were no other reason and knew moth
ing else more about it, l should
favor it,"
Senator McHale wanted to hear the
bill read, and Senator Crate made such
motion. Senator Crandall objected
and said:
"If we are going to legislate for con-
gress think we ought to do it in Spe-
cial session."
The motion to read the bill was voted
down. and Senator Sanborn opposed
| the resolution, declaring that ne pre-
| ferred to endure the ills now here
| rather than to fly to others. He had
confidence in the patriotism and honor
| of Senator WaShburn, but 'he is to a
| rounded by the air of manufacturing.
| The manufacturers want to be the only
middle men. It's possible, if this bill is
! passed, for the manufacturers to fix the
| price of wheat in an hour any day. l
| have no desire to injure the manufact-
| uring class, but do not believe in dam.
| aging the producing class. | would in
| crease by legislation the number of peof
| pie handling grain rather than decrease
| the number" 90
Senator Tawney made lengthy ar
gument fayoring the resolution, and
| Senator Probstfield declared that he had
| intended no personal alluSlon to SEN
ator Washburn, merely that his business
relations were against him. Senators
Dean and Day favored the resolution.
senator Morse. of Hennepin, expressed
it as his opinion that dealing in options
had the effect of increasing rather than
decreasing the price of wheat. He
made the point that the millers of lin
tied means are opposed to the bill, while
the millers who are able to control the
market favor il.
81 do not believe that natural laws
can be changed or thwarted in day."
said Senator Stevens, "but l shall vote
for this resolution because understand
that those who particularly represent
the farming interests favor it. | vote
for it without feeling that it will accom-
pliSh any good.
Senator Craven, of Carver, declared
that the farmers are at sea over the bill
and are largely opposed to it. He took
ND the bill and clearly exposed the pro-
visions of the bill. He read several
sections and then said: =;
"They tell US that dealing in options