The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-03-31
SENATOR POTTGIESER'S CUT IN
JUDGES SALARIES PASSED THE
SENATE YESTERDAY.
T0RS0N BILL SLAUGHTERED.
ELECTRIC RAILROAD COMMISSION
IDEA FINDS NO FAVOR IN
THAT BRANCH.
WoMEN'S REFORNIATORY BILL
Too, Meets an Early Death at the
Hands of MinnesOta's House
of Lords:

While relegated to the sub-impor-
tance which the Circassian giant in the
side-show tent has at three-ring
circus, the senate yesterday dared to
do some important business in spite of
the hospital fight in the house.
In the first place it passed Senator
Pottgieser's bill cutting off the extra
stipend which the citizens of Ramsey
county have been paying their dis
trict court judges, and that, too, in
spite of a three-fourths vote in the
Ramsey delegation against the bill.
In the afternoon it killed the Torson
bill from the house providing for the
election of the railroad and warehouse
commissioners, instead of their Sc
lection by appointment, as at present.
The proposed women's reformatory
project was also sent to an untimely
death. Soon after the opening the
finance committee reported it for in
definite pOstponement on the ground
of expense, as well as on an argument
of scientific penology that it would
be a bad measure. Senator Johnson
wanted it to retain its place on gen.
eral orders, and Senator Masterman
and Ramsey delegations. Senator KEEL
Ter opposed the bill, and presented an
offer from the Cat'-7lio sisters in his
county to sell the state an institution
adaptable to the prison purposes. The
bill was finally Indefinitely postponed.
When the calendar was reached,
Senator Stevens led the fight on the
Pottgieser bill to reduce the salaries
of the Ramsey county Judges. He
said that on a basis of 10000 popula-
ton, the per capita saving to the peo-
pie of the county would be the enor-
nous sum Of 6 cents. The salary was
none too large for men of the ability
demanded for the bench.
Senator Thompson supported Senator
Stevens, saying that the bench should
not be cut to perjury. Senator Pott-
gieser said the judges of the supreme
court only received $4,000 a year. and
he felt that the proposed reduction
was not unjust. Senator Sperry OPP
posed the bill. and Senator Greer was
the first lawyer to take up the cudgeI
in his defense. Senator Young said it
would be discourteous to step into a
local controversy and decide it against
the majority. Senator Pottgieser was
business
was not particularly concerned in. The
bill was passed by the following vote:
Yeas-Cronkhite, Cukin, Currier. Durham
French, Greer, Hanna, Hanson, Heneman
Hodge Johnson, A. g., Jones, Keller, Knat-
void, Larson, Lloyd Masterman, Miller, Pet
erson, Potter, Pottgieser, Reishus Ringdal
Roverud, Sevatson, Smith, Stevens, Swening-
sen, Thorpe, Wing, Yale-31.
Nays-Barr, Colester Dunn, Howard, w. e.
Johnson, Morgan, McHale, Ozmun, Sheehan
Spencer, Sperry, Thompson, Whitney, Wyman,
Young-15.
Senator Stevens had first voted no,
but changed with the apparent inten-
tion of giving notice Of a motion to
reconsider, but Senator Pottgieser
forestalled him by moving immediate
reconsideration. This was lost, q to
e. and the senate then took a recess
until 2:30
There was a special order for 2:39
IN the senate, the Torson bill for the
election Of the railroad and ware
house commission, and Senator Thorpe
presided in committee of the whole
Senator Miller, in advocacy of the bill, said:
This measure, Mr.. Chairman, provides for
the election OF railroad commissioners by d-
rect vote OF the people. 1t proposes a change
IN the present system under which they are
appointed by the governor. The purpose of 1t,
although the provisions different, is the
same as a bill which l introduced in the
early part of the session. Two years ago a
Dill of like purpose was introduced in this
body, and l supported 1t at that time. I
did 50 with some doubts and some misgiyings
as to the feasibility Of it. l believed then as
1 believe now, that a governor who does his
full duty, who puts public service above
private interest and seeks to subserve the
best interests Of the people, might be able
to make a better selection for those offices
than could be selected at a state convention.
But, while L believe this is true, there Is
one other consideration, which, ii seems to
me, overshadows all the advantages of the
appointtve system, and that is the consid-
grafton that the responsibility placed upon
these commissioners by the election of them
would be greater than that which would
be placed upon them by the appointive sys-
TEN.
Now, Mr.. Chairman, I believe that the great
source of all the Ills and evils in our form
of government is found in the abuse of
delegated power. The more the power of
the people, the right of the people to rule
Us delegated to individuals the greater becomes
Ibis abuse; and the farther the representatives
pr the people are removed from the people,
The less becomes the sense Of responsibility on
the part CT the representatives to the people
Now, the great object to be gained
believe, by the election of railroad commits
Bioners, Is to bring the commissioners and
The people into closer relationship and the
Increase Of the sense Of responsibility.
believe / stated at the outset that this
responsibility, if 1t is directly to the people
Us greater, the appreciation of it is greater
by the officers, than it is if that responsible
tty is to any one individual.
Now, it is claimed that the elective sys-
lem will give a partisan board. Now,
those who make this objection seem to for
get that we have already partisan executive
department and a partisan Judiciary depart
. ment. 1t is conceded that the people can
bafely be trusted to elect a governor and
The state officers and the judges in our
supreme courts; but, for some reason which
10 me is inexplicable, 1t is claimed that they
sannot be trusted to elect these particular
officers. 1t is claimed that we bring the
railroad companies into politics by the cleo
live system, as though it were easier for the
failrCad companies to control the whole people
Than it is for them to control one man.
Now, so far as the present system is con-
lerned-the distribution of these commission
brs among the different parties-by one OPP