The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-12-13

means home government, was put in
force, it would be practically impossi-
BILE to secure effective legislation of a
municipal character. The legislation
which the people seemed to be clam
oring for, such as reduction of salaries,
turning fee offices into salaried ones
and doing away with boards, would be
subject to the same decision which
was handed down regarding the board
of public works When the law regard
ing the salary changes and the board
Of public works was passed two years
ago, Mr.. Johns said that he took the
position that they would not be sus-
tanned by the courts and so declared
publicly. At this time he failed to see
how it was possible to do anything to
change municipal conditions, except
through the Sheehan law.
Three familiar faces that will be
seen at the coming session will be those
OF Thomas Torson of st. James; d. Il.
McGrath. of GAINESVILLE, and .. b:
Soule, of Washington county. Each OF
them occupied a seat in the last legis-
lature and was active in the business
of the session. Mr.. Torson was born
in Wisconsin and came to Minnesota.
in 1854. Until twenty zone he lived on a
farm and attended the public school.
He spent two terms at the Mankato
school and clerked in a store. For
nineteen years he held the Office OF
register of deeds of his county, retir-
ing Jan. 1, 1895. He has also been
member of the city council Of st.
James and acted for several years as
justice Of the peace. He was elected
in 1894 to the legislature without Op-
position and filled the position with
such satisfaction that he was re-elecr-
ed for the office again last fall. Dur
ing the session Of '95 Mr.. TorSon was
member of the committee on agricul-
ture, taxes and roads and bridges.
D. F. McGrath was born in Apple
ton. Wis, in 1858 He came to Mime
sofa in 1854 and settled in BarneSvilfe,
Clay county, where he has resided
since. He is engaged in farming and
general merchandise business. and has
held the Office of mayor, city treasurer
and alderman in GAINESVILLE. He was
exceedingly popular during the session
of two years ago and held place on
four committees, railroads, drainage.
taxes and forestry and fire protection.
Q. B. Soule, returned as one of the
representatives from the Twenty-third
district, has lived in Washington coun-
ty for forty years, and Is engaged In
farming. He was born in Franklin
county, Maine, and came to Mime
sofa in 1856 During the session two
mittee on public lands and member
of the committees on insurance, agri-
culture and prison labor.
"Fll tell you what the trouble is
with the various candidates who are
mentioned for the speakership of the
house, said a well-posted member of
the third house yesterday. ''All of
the would-be speakers are counting too
much on their own personal popularity.
It is possible that if the opponents to
Jones all got together and made
fight by selecting one of their number,
and then doing some hard work and
promising everything asked or thought
of, they might make a showing. In
stead Of this each of the candidates,
who are said by their friends to be
developing strength and closing up
OH Jones, are trusting to the few votes
they can muster with the idea that
lot more will come to them in the wind
up. Talk about politicians being smart,
why it seems to me that the actions
and talks made by what the news
papers call knowing politicians prove
just the opposite.
ssWhy, If 1 had" but just at this
juncture one of the steering commit
teemen for a candidate for a minor
position came up and persuaded the
cigar, and more of his schemes and
plans were not learned.
A telegram from washington an
ncunces that L. P. Hunt editor of the
Mankoto Review, is a candidate for
public printer This is one of the best
positions in the gift of the president
outside Of the cabinet, and the principal
Diplomatic appointments. The salary
ia 81. 900. and several thousand employees
are under his direction. The govern
ment printing Office is the largest and
the best equipped printing establish
ment in the world, and the place is
one which never goes begging for cam
didates.
In this connection, it is whispered
that c. G. Whitney, editor Of the Mar
shall News Messenger, and the present
state printer of Minnesota, is also
casting a fond glance in the same di-
rection. What chance either of these
gentlemen have is purely problemati-
CAL
The close Of another week shows no
change in the speakership contest
Jones has considerably the best Of the
race, notwithstanding the talk about
the field combining to beat him. There
are those who. while not desiring to
have 1t announced publicly as coming
from any particular person, say 1t has
reached stage where he cannot be
beaten.
The fight for the house clerkship
between Bowling and Dean IS also un-
changed, at least on the surface.
Bowling, while hustling around, seems