The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1897-04-15

nearly enough votes to assure its pas
sage over q veto, il one were given, as
confidently predicted by enemies Of the
bill.
Reapportionment Tbs Week.
Reapportionment will be fought over
in both houses this week and it is not
all easy sailing either, for considerable
opposition has developed in those coun-
ties whose present representatives see
harder contest ahead IL case they again
run for the legislature. In the senate
this sort Of opposition is already organ
izing to do battle for the present SEN
ators. By the district arrangements
six Of the southern counties that each
now have senator will get but three
senators, and naturally each of
the six fears he may be one of
the three who will suffer. Steele and
Dodge counties, now represented by
Senators Currier and Sperry, Nicollet
and Sibley with Senators Peterson and
Larson, and Carver and Scott, now
represented by Senasors ntis and Nc
Hale, would be combined, and these
six must fight it out between them.
However, instead Of doing that they
have become the nucleus for . fighting
force against the whole bill. How large
an opposition they can manage to
arouse is yet to be learned, but the
chances for reapportionment getting
through are not considered as good as
few weeks ago, before the bill had
been formulated. These senatorial
"kickers' are not the only opponents
of the bill, similar ground for com.
plant having been found in both
houses. It only remains to be learned
how great is the opposition, and
whether it can block the passage Of the
bill.
Fusion Is Likely.
erything now seems to point to
fusion of the Democrats and Populists
in next years campaign and one Of the
significant actions along this line is
that in regard to certain bills intro
duced early in the session in both
houses. These bills provided that in
case of fusion between two political
parties, the combined vote should be
considered as equally divided between
the two parties, thus obviating the
necessity of making nominations by
petition. They wers avowedly in the
interest of the parties that fused last
year and were introduced by members
of the Populist and Democratic parties
It was decided by the Republican ma
jority Of the committee on elections to
report favorably on these measures,
but the leaders Of the fusion forces are
said to have then come forward with a
legislation as it was not necessary.
The inference has therefore been that
the leaders in last years fusion expect
to bring about fusion next year, and
by making it more difficult to get sepa-
rate tickets in the field, hope to accom-
plish fusion more easily. The scheme
is certainly plausible one, and the
report of its existence has been sufi-
Gent to start talk as to candidates, John
Lind heading the list. The fusion
leaders are confident Of carrying the
state for their ticket in an ssoff year, -
and give figures to show the foundation
of their faith.
Labor Legislation.
Labor legislation has not been one of
this session, although several measures
have EOl the support and some the
hostility of the labor organizations.
The repeal of the struck jury law, de-
manded by workingmen generally, was
carried through with a rush, and it
looks as if the BARRIERS license
bill will become a law Eight
hours as days work on state labor
is desired, but not so hopefully
looked forward to as were these other
measures. The Sheehan anti trust bill
is watched with distrust, as laboring
men fear it may be used against their
organizations more than against COM
binations of capital, and they ask an
amendment excepting labor organiza-
tions from it's provisions.
County Local Option.
County local option, on behalf Of
which more petitions have been pre-
scented than for all other measures, has
been finally defeated in the house by a
vote that seems to assure its final de-
feat for this session. 1t was not sup
posed, even by its friends, that it could
become law, and the only purpose
was to make the fight for the benefit of
the sentiment which could be created.
The utmost hope of the friends of tenn
perance was that the bill should get a
place on the calendar, being recon-
mended for passage, although the nee
essary 5S votes were not anticipated for
Its passage. After a prolonged debate
the house turned it down by vote of
80 to ~.
The special banking committee,
which reported last Tuesday on its in.
vestigation into the affairs of defuDct
financial institutions, presented con-
current resolution through Chairman
Henry Feig authorizing the delivery
of the testimony taken before the COM
Il L. - u