St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-03-19
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
The Bill Does Not Find Smooth
Sailing in the Senate.

The judicial reapportlOnment bill is
certain to find a hard road to travel be-
fore it becomes a law. There is grave
suspicion that there is entirely too
much politics in ii, and the Democratic
members are likely to oppose the meas
uIe as at present worded. And Senator
Donnelly is not a friend to the measure.
He declared himself yesterday as the
senate went into the committee of the
whole to consider the general orders.
He cited his own district as an instance
of probable injustice. That is the First
district, and it is the purpose of the bill
to reduce the bench to one judge. where
as there are three now. He said the
position was decidedly awkward. He
should dislike to see two of the very
competent and faithful judges dis
placed, although he believed i'm ecOno-
my in every wise sense. Senator Dedon
also opposed the bill for the same
reason, and Senator Lienau pro-
tested vigorously against the policy of
attaching the four cOunties-Washing-
ton, Kennabec, Chisago and Pine-to
Ramsey county. He argued that it
WOulu Uc IdIih luJuollCC W liO iOuL
counties named inasmuch as they could
never have any voice in the election of
a Judge, and he suggested as n compro-
mise that these four counties be made a
separate district with one judge, and
that Ramsey county bench be curtailed
that one judge. ThereupOn Senator
PrO6Sttield, after
Mildly demonstrating,
moved that the committee report prog
reSS upon the bill. He wanted an oppOr-
tunity to consult the people of his dis
trict before he voted upon the measure.
Senator Stockton. who seldom takes the
floor. and never in vain, argued against
precipltous action. He wanted time
to look over the bill and to de-
eide if the redistrictng was
equitable, but Senator Lummen would
brook no delay. and he spoke in an ami
mated vein to this end. AT this juncture
Senator Stevens tried to get the senate
out of the muddle that threatened, and |
he cOunseled time to consider. Then |
Senator SanbOrn took the floor to ex-
plain the process that had been followed |
by the committee in drafting the bill. |
The object had been economy and judi
cial facility. He regretted the change |
made in the First district that Senator
Donnelly and Senator DedOn had OBJ |
jected to. The judges are all well adj |
vanced in life, and Senator Sanborn |
doubted if they cared to continue longer |
in office. Again. he knew that the adj
ditIOn of four counties to Ramsey would |
impose no hardship. The work can be |
done in the days set on the calendar |
The committee had given great deal |
of thought to the work.
Senator Lienau Reiterates.
Senator Lienau suggested that RAM
Sey county would have all to say about |
the selection of judges. The other four |
counties will be disfranchised. If RAM |
sey county judges can care for more |
work it would be better to cut down the |
number and then give the four counties |
one Judge. Senator Tawney moved that |
the committee report progress. He felt |
that the senate was not ready to vote on
the bill. 1t would hazard the bill to
press it. Senator j. ID. Smith urged !
that little delay he had, and Senator
Day was surprised at the opposition that
the bill was meeting with. Senator Don
nelly had suggested that the bill could
BE passed under suspension Of the rules.
The committee had considered every
district with care with a view to an
equitable arrangement. He urged that
ment. Senator LOmmen has been
warned by his constituents that if the
pill is to be passed it should be done at
once, before the judges get in their
work.
Il notice." said he, with JUNCTION. ''that
some of the judges seem to be anxious
to go home to consult their judges"
Senator Crate believed the bill as
nearly right as could be drafted and |
pass. Senator Tawney was person
ally satisfied with the arrangements
of the Third district, but be had re-
ceived a number of letters from WinOna
protesting against the bill. but be did
not think the ground we'll taken, and
he wanted an opportunity of consulting
with the people and convincing them of
their error. aud Senator J. ID. Smith
moved to amend so that the committee
recommend to pass and place the bill
at the foot of the calendar. Senator
Crandall seconded the motion upon the
ground that many of the judges are
now alternating in Florida, and he
thought it policy to get the bill through
before they can return and lobby
against it. Chairman O'Brien ruled
the motion out of order. and Senator
Tawney's motion to report progress car
Tied.