The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1897-04-15


Increase in Expense-Reporters M
lobbyists-State Equalization Board.
Rate Bill-state of Legislative BUSH
ness.
ST. PAUL, April -. -[Speciall.-The
next legislature will contain 63 sena.
tors and 119 representatives, for so it
has been enacted, and the approval OF
the governor has sealed the decree. If
ever there was chance to emphasize
the fact that all legislation was the re-
suit of compromise, this was that
chance. 1t would be comparatively
simple matter to formulate an emin-
emily just and fair reapportionment
bill, but to secure the endorsement of
the 1853 separate Municipalities that
constitute the law making branch OF
our state government is an entirely diff
ferent matter. That any reapportion-
ment measure is able to get urough is
in the nature of a commentator OF
the legislators for fair mindedness, and
such counties as may seem to
be harshly treated have really been
as we'll taken care of as the
circumstances permitted. Some one
was certain to lose little in order that
Justice might be done to those compar-
atively new sections of the state that
have gained much population within
a few recent years. The fourteen new
Legislators make what is generally con-
coded to be large legislature for this
state, but in order to accomplish any
thing it was absolutely necessary tc
avoid reducing the representation in
most of the older portions of the state.
It is probable that the next reappor.
tionment will reduce the total member.
ship, and a move to that end has
already been instituted. Senator Steb-
bins has introduced bill for consti.
tutional amendment limiting the total
membership in the senate and house to
30 and 100, respectively.
MIR. Spencer Had Plans.
It is not generally known that Sena-
tor Spencer of Duluth, whose name is on
che reapportionment bill as it's author
and introducer, had laid his plans for Sc.
curing justice for his big district in
case the general reapportionment bill
had failed. He called on Governor
Clough and secured his consent to the
introduction of new bill in that
event. This new bill was. to be an
amendment to the old reapportionment
law, adding two senators and three
to the Duluth district,
the number provided for in this new
law. However, Senator Spencer and his
colleagues on the joint reapportion-
ment committee were able, by careful
maneuvering, to avoid the necessity for
such an amendment.
Expense of the New Legislature.
Computing the expense of the greater
legislature is now an amusement en-
joyed by those members who are not
wholly pleased with the new reappor-
tionment With 1O5 days for which
members are paid, and II new men,
bers, the extra expense becomes 1880,
to which should be added $40 for post
age for each member, their mileage
and other items of expense making
over S., $50 more expense than has been
paid out under the present reappor-
tionment. But the friends of the new
measure are very quick to say that the
expense is very small for the good &C
com plished. And both settle down in
their chairs well pleased with their
own smartness.
Reporters Turned Lobbyists.
1t is very rare thing for any of the
reporters of the legislature
to do anything in the nature of lobby
ing, but newspaper enterprise led them
into it last week on the report of the
committee investigating insolyent
banks. The proposition to make pub.
lie tue testimony obtained by the COM
mittee came up in the house and was
adopted about the middle of the morn
ing session. Afternoon papers seemed
due for first use of the testimony,
which everyone anticipated would be
However, one of the
morning paper reporters, whose ex-
perience in and about the legislature
was greater, realized that delay IA
vcred the morning papers, and saunter-
ing over to Chief Clerk Dowling's desk
remarked suggestively but interroga-
lively: 81 suppose as that testimony
was taken by a joint committee and is
to be made public by joint resolution it
will not be given out immed iately?"
1t Would Be Discourteous.
And Bowling, of course, could but
affirm this intimation that it would be
discourteous, at least, to the senate to
give the testimony out in advance of
the senate's action A minute later
Bowling was besieged by the afternoon
paper reporters with requests for a
chance to copy the testimony, but they
were met with the objection stated
above. This did not stop them long,
however, for they at once asked the
accommodating chief clerk to hurry
his report of the house action over to
the senate. Bowling agreed, but found
the senate in committee of the whole,
which prevented his report being re-
ceived. But the reporters were "hot"
after the news and soon found enough
senators to make and carry motion
for the committee to rise. AS soon as
the president of the senate was again
in his chair, some of these same
FIR, andy SENATORS who had been ad.