Mower County transcript., 1897-01-27
DAY WAS RETIRED
FAMOUS CONTEST FOR THE SIXTH
DISTRICT SENATORSHlP ENDS.

After Throe Full Days of Talk by At.
torneys and senators.The Case Re.
viewed-some Queer Bills Introduced.
Executive Sessions Abolished-Reap.
portionment Deadlock.
ST.. PAUL, Jan. 26.-[ Especial. lex.
lieutenant Governor Frank Day will
probably spend the rest of the winter
looking after his newspaper at Fair.
mont, Martin county, in person. At
any rate the state senate has formally
declared that he is no longer Senator
Day, having yielded up that title when
he accepted the place Of lieutenant gov
ernor two years ago,and H. II. Dunn Is
now the senator from the Sixth sena-
torial dig trict. This result was reached
at o'clock Saturday night, after three
full days doyoted to the matter. This
famous contest was made special Or
der for Thursday morning at II o'clock
and nothing else was thought of from
that hour until the final vote. Learned
arguments by the attorneys for the two
men M. p. Mum of St. Paul for
Dunn, and R. G. Evans of Minneap-
oils for Day-were presented on Thurs
day and Friday. Then Oh Saturday
came the chance for individual talks,
and nearly every senator wanted either
to explain his own position or else to
show that he could state the case bet
ter than the speakers who preceded
him. This was the reason for the pro-
longed session. The main arguments
by Messrs. Mum and Evans were able
expositions Of the two sides of the con-
troversy and were followed closely by a
large crowd Of visitors, as well as by
the senators. The steps toward this
result are worth noting. United States
Senator w. .. Washburn sought a re-
election and the friends of Governor
Knute Nelson prevailed upon him to
enter the race. Governor Nelson won,
thereby promoting Lieutenant Cover
nor David NJ Clough, to succeed whom
the senate chose Senator Frank A. Day
as lieutenant governor. Lieutenant
Governor Day presided over the legis-
lature two years ago, and, as president
of the senate ruled that he was still en-
titled to vote as senator from the
Sixth district. Some very important
bills were passed by his deciding vote,
notably the well known Anderson rail-
road land tax law. Early last year an
opinion was asked from Attorney Gen.
eral Childs by voters in the Sixth dis
trict. Frank Day having been nomin-
ated for congress on the fusion ticket,
the Republicans, by petition, had the
name of H. H. Dunn put on the ticket
as candidate for senator, and he was
duly voted for. His certificate of elec-
tion was presented at the opening of
the session and his notice of contest re-
ferred to the senate elections commit
tee. It was later presented to the sem
ate and argued this last week. The
whole matter settled down to the one
question whether by accepting the posi-
tion of Lieutenant governor Mr.. Day
vacated his seat as senator, although
the personal popularity of Day un.
doubtedly affected some votes.
Queer Ideas in Legislation.
Many people seem to think that any.
thing and everything can be brought
about by legislation, and some very
amusing bills are the result. Then
again there are bills that amuse, al.
though they really may be commend
able. The Sage Of Nininger caused a
laugh by introducing a bill for the pro-
of hi, oil NJ, n
measure is certainly necessary. A
more pronounced laugh was aroused by
the reading of bill introduced by Mr.
Foss Of Grant county, Ito prevent the
FOSTERING Of crime by undue and NOR.
bid sentlmentality," by prohibiting the
sending of flowers to prisoners awaiting
or on trial. Mr.. Foss and Mr. Cray
both introduced bills to suppress the
nuisance commonly called the tramp.
Then, Mr.. Mcdonald has a pet measure
to declare known burglars, thieves, etc.,
to be outlaws, and liable to arrest on
general principles. But Mr.. Feig's
liability bill has in it one of the most
peculiar provisions yet heard in either
house. It is an humble request that
Judges please construe the law literally
toward employees. In other words il
wants the courts to consider the spirit
of the law rather than its letter. This
same bill, however, proposes a decided
change by removing all limit to the
amount of liability. Editor Statesman
Manchester brought in bill few
days ago prohibiting theatrical per-
formances Oh Sunday.
Corrupt Practices Law.
Senator Henneman considers the cor
rupt practices law simply premium
on lying and in the interest Of un
scrupulous candidates, and has intro.
duced bill to repeal that law. HI
holds that by limiting expenses of can
didates the law makes it impossible fo1
honest men to run for Office, because
unscrupulous candidates will use more
money than the law allows and the1
file false statements of expenses, while
the honest man will keep his expense!
within the limit and find his candidacy
suffer by so doing. Senator Heneman
however, is not the first man wht
thought honest men had small prospec
of success in politics.
According to Mr.. McDonald's ides
the street railway companies have