The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-04-11
MACHINE AND REFoRMERs
Lock Horns over n Primary Election
BILL


The "reformers' and the machine
in politics locked horns in the consid-
Grafton Of a bill to amend the primary
elections law this morning The bill
was introduced by Senator Wyman
and known as Senate File 377. It's OBJ
ject was to provide that all county con-
ventiOns for the election of delegates
to state conventions must be held at
the same time. and similar provisions
were made for the primaries for coun-
ty and city conventions The bill also
seeks to take away from the county
committee the power to designate who
is to preside at primaries.
Representative Grondahl played in
the role of a defender of the machine
although he claimed to be at heart one
Of the most ardent of the reforners
He denounced the bill because. he
said, it was not convenient to hold all
the county conventions at the same
time on account Of the varying stages
Of the season from the southern to the
northern part Of the state. He said it
had been urged in favor of the bill
that it made it impossible to start a
boom for some candidate in one county
by electing delegates for him. He in
sisted that this was not bad for the
state or the people, and on the whole
there was no good reason for chang
ing the present law TO which the peo-
pie had hardly had a chance to get
accustomed
Mr.. Jacobson said he was in favor
Of the bill for the very reasons Mr.
Grondahl had opposed it. He spoke Of
the recent history Of the state. in
which a call for a certain county con-
vention had been issued as soon as
the political ring had gotten everything
fixed for their candidate, and the action
Of this county, which, of course. was
favorable to their candidate. set the
ball rolling. and then all the politicians
jumped on the band wagon. and the
state was carried, as 1t had been for
years by the same ring
Mr.. Feig Endorsed what Mr. Jacob
son had said and went one step farther
by charging that the government Of
Minnesota had for years been in the
hands Of a political dynasty. which was
inimical not only TO the interests of
the Republican party, but to the best
interests Of the state
Mr.. Donnelly also added his weight
Of influence TO the bill. He said it was
g. step in the direction of the purifica-
ton Of politics. He told an interesting
historical event in the early days of
the Republican party. which he said
should be remembered as an evidence
Of the great purity of that party at
the time when it nominated its first
successful candidate for r,roSfdaut The
story was told by Col Miller. who was
a delegate at the Chicago convention.
Thuriow Weed, on behalf Of the New
York delegation, came to the Mime
sofa delegates and offered to contribute
TO the campaign fund 81. 000, 900. which
had been assessed to the New York
street railways, provided W H. Seward
was nominated. But this argument
cHnched the determination Of the Min
nesota delegates to vote against Sew
ard and fer Lincoln for president. He
admitted that when the PopuIist party
had been in power as long as the Re
pubIicans had been in the saddle it.
too, would need a law to purify cleo
lions.
Mr.. Grondahl attempted to stem the
tide, but the bill passed by a vote Of
2 to IA
Judge Hicks bill to reconstruct the
state board Of equalization somewhat
in line with the taxes paid, that is by
two Tor perhaps three) members from
each congressional district, instead Of
enc member from each judicial district
was introduced this morning. That IT
will meet with a great deal of opposi-
ton has been evidenced from the start