The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-01-12
THEY THINK 1T is INTENDED
IO BEAT THE FIRST WARD MAN
OUT OF HIS CHAIRMAN
SHIP.
GREAT DEAL OF TALK CAUSED
By the Semi-Jocose Document Wbich
the Veteran Senator From Wa
basha Fathers.


politicians thereabout to see-or at
least think they saw-a woodchuck in
senator Greers resolution to have the
committee on judiciary appointed as
1t existed before, with the exception
that the names be presented to the
senate in alphabetical order, with the
understanding that the committee elect
its own chairman
Ihe resolution was drawn with some
facetious references which were evil
IDENTIFY designed to disguise any deep
motive, and which were, perhaps. aim
ed to avert all suspicion from attach
ing to the resolution, but the friends
OF Senator Sheehan on the floor, the
senator from the First ward having
been understood to be the probable
chairman if President Gibbs named
the committee, at once suspected some
hidden significance, which they were
not slow to assert was the ambition
OF certain interests to have Senator
! Stevens continued in his former posi-
ton of chairman Of the committee. In
| deed, they went so far as to aver that
| the interests which sought this end
were the corporate interests of the
| duties involving corporate interests
which were imposed on the legislature
of 1897 by the people Of the state IN
their vote on the first and ninth
amendments to the constitution
The howl of corporate power, it may
be remarked, is so old that it cannot
and SO common that it may not always
be deemed sincere. The animus of the
resolution is as yet cOnjectural Sem
atOr Greer asked about it, said it was
merely an experiment. He, as well
as other senators, was Of the opinion
that 1t would be worth trying, and Il
might relieve the president Of a trying
problem. There was nothing under
lying the resolution, the senator from
Lake City insisted that was not ap-
parent on its face, and it was unworthy
of special comment, at least at the
present time.
Some of the senators last night stat
ed that the resolution was inspired by
Senator Lieut.. Gov. Gibbs, in his anx-
iety to get rid of a troublesome sit
uatiol. The question is G, delicate one,
of cotrse, the senate having the power
at any time to nzrIne it's own commit
tees, as 5sittIf the Democratic -Populist
senate a few years ago. Not only that,
but under Jeffersons Manual, which is
the parliamentary guide OF the Min
nesota legislature in cases not gov
erned by it's rules to the contrary,
every committee has the right to Sc
lect its own chairman. Jefferson says:
THE person first named is usually per-
mitted to act as chairman. But this
is a matter Of courtesy
There appears to be no doubt that
the lieutenant governor was aware of
the probability Of the introduction Of
resolution of such tenor previous to
the session One Of the Southern Min
rlesota senators stated last night that,
while he had not cOnverSed with Gov.
Gibbs in regard to the matter he had
reliable information that the lieutenant
governor was not at all pleased when
the proposed resolution was mentioned
to him.
What the senate will do this morning
with the resolution is conjectural, OF
course Senator Young, who gave no
ttce of debate, will probably lead the
fight on the resolution, and the con-
sefsus of opinion about the senate last
night seemed to be that unless it was
given out seni-officially that the reso-
luton was inspired by the president Of
the senate, it would not pass.
One Of the senators from the country
districts pOoh-pOohed the corporate IN
terest suggestion He said that the
only question that seemed to be per-
picking the governor. if common re-
ports were true, was the factiOnal fight
between Ramsey county senators for
the chieftaincy of the committee. 1t
seemed to him that Senator Stevens
selection was urged by the business
and professional, and, for aught he
knew, probably the corporate inter
eSts while Senator Sheehan, on the
other hand, seemed to have the united
support of the working politicians so
to speak. In his opinion, it was not
case where the members from outside
were under any serious obligations to
either side, and would probably so
outside to get a chairman, in which
event Senator E. T. Young, OF Apple
ton, would, he thought. be chosen
chairman. This might make Senator
Young's notice Of debate seem an in
delicate offspring of self-interest, but
this would be unfair to the senator
from Swift, who, he thought, was not
animated by selfish motives in his no.
tice of debate.
In fact, it is urged by some, at least,
of the friends of Senator Stevens that
the selection of Senator Young would
be a happy ending of the difficulties be-
tween Senators Stevens and Sheehan,
which has been poorly disguised.
Incidental to this contest, there IS
some speculation as to what will be-
come Of Frank A. Day in the organ
iZation of the judiciary cimmittee. It
is ten years or thereaboutS that the
senator from Martln mas D6Gn on IndL
committee, and, when the increasing
number of lawyers has made it inn
I practicable to give him a place under
old rules, the committee has been en-
larged for the representative Of the
newspaper profession. The fifteen law
yers in the chamber are conceded by
even Senator Greer's resolution, places
on the committee. The question re-
mains. who will be the other two MEM
bers. 1t is possible that Gov. Gibbs
may be averse to giving q place on SO
important a committee as that to an
avowed antagonist of the party organ
iZation OF course, if the Greer reso-
luton passes, Senator Day will stay
until the end of the session, unless he
should be unseated.
If the Greer resolution passes, it may
result in the temporary delay Of the
announcement Of the other committees,
as it is possible that Mr.. Gibbs slate
may have been designed in a view
from an entirely different standpoint
If the resolution is defeated, it is COM
monty expected that the committees
will be announced forthwith
yers, it is expected that another COM
mittee, on which the attorneys in the
senate will have a large place. if they
do not constitute it entirely, win be
that which shall pass upon elections.