The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-02-24
IT NETTLED YOUNG
SENATOR REISHUS' REMARKS IN
REGARD To THE POWERS IN
VESTIGATION.
is 1T A POLITICAL FIGHT?
THAT TO THEIR OPPO-
NENTS.
NUMBER OF BILLS ARE PASSED.
Session After the Re-
cess.

The Powers investigation was a
special order for 2.3O in the senate YES
terday.
At 2.35 Senator Howard called for
the special order. Senator Stevens
wanted it reset for Thursday. Senator
Ringdal opposed it. He said he was
tired of the thing being put off from
date to date.
Senator Reishus said 1t was useless
to frttter away any more time with the
matter. You Republicans" he said,
decided at our caucus Friday night
what you were going to do. Why don't
you go on and do it?"
This nettled Senator Young, who in
formed the senator from Lyon that
there had been no outcome. Senator
Young declared that the committee
had permitted every one to be present
who SO desired, seemingly forgetting
all about its five hours executive SEES
sion. The action Of the committee, he
insisted had been entirely fair, and
the reasons for that action had been
clearly explained to the full senate.
He did not believe the committee was
opposed to the continuance of the in
quiry within reasonable bounds. He
had shown, he thought, already this
session, hat he was not h~idebound on
party issues.
Senator Reishus said the senate
could do one Of three things. 1t could
sQuelch the inquiry right now; it could
SO restrict the inquiry as to make it
a mere farce and empty show; or it
could clothe the committee with all the
power n authority which had been
given like committees in the past. If
the accusers of Mr.. Powers were given
ample opportunity to prove their
charges and failed, then the labor
organizations, and the senator who in
PRODUCED the resolution, would be
proven guilty of vilifying and traduc-
ing a public official. This ex-clergy-
man might be, no doubt was, an able
man, and valuable to his party, but
his very party activity had led him
into a violation Of his oath Of office.
Senator Stevens said hat while he
had taken a great interest In the labor
bureau and its work, he thought it
unwise for the senate to inquire into
40 or 80 statements, many OF which
We're not even charges.
Senator Howard opposed the post
ponement. The senator knew what
they wanted to do now as we'll as they
would Thursday. He thought h COM
mittee was over sensitive about 1t.
If this department was missapprOpriat-
ing money as charged, then the ex-
pense of the inquiry about which so
much had been said would be but a
mere bagatelle.
Senator Ringdal said the senator
from Swift showed his political bia
when he questioned the directnesS of
49, 1I0r1rO- H. o1Cn Maid his T~6EnnnfC
to Senator KnatvOld, who summarized
the charges as that Powers is guilty
of being a Republican" Did the fourth
charge that he had garbled mortgage
statistics mean that he was a Republi-
can? That was meaner than any
thing he had ever said against that
party.
Senators Stevens and Greer tried To
choke Ringdal off, but he refused to
yield, and Chairman Yale refused to
recognize a point Of order that the
Polk county POpulist was not speaking
to the question.
Senator Wyman said if 6, mar had
stolen a horse, he should not be hanged
for cutting down trees. The charges
were not specific, he thought, and the
inquiry had degenerated into a pOlt-
zeal sqUabble.
The charge of garbling mortgage
statistics was cited as n Of the in
definite ones.
Senator Howard said it was always
safe to watch the man who was u
est to call thief" The man who was
first to cry partisan" was usually the
rankest Of partisans himself. These
charges originated with an ~organiza-
ton which was admitted by Senator
Stevens not to be partisan. 1t made
him tired that every time a free silver
man asked anything on the floor Of
the senate. he was greeted with cries of
partisan"
Senator Miller said ne thought Sen
ator Howard was unjust, unintentiOn-
ally perhaps, in accusing the senate
of any desire to shield the labor COM
missioner.
Senator Greer said that if the labor
people thought the labor bureau could
be run on $1,000 per annurn, he was
ready to vote for a reduction of the
bureau to the basis.
Senator McHale said the law was
not at stake. The grievance claimed
was that the office had not been prop
erly administered He thought if mort
gage statistics had been garbled, and
that the factory inspection law had
not been enforced, it was the duty Of
the senate to inquire into the facts.
He did not expect to resign from the
committee. Wise or unwise as it might
be, he thought the inquiry should be
pushed.
Senator Sperry said he had previ-
ously been in favor Of the investiga-
ton, but a little more of this partisan
animu would drive him to the other
side Of the question.
The motion to defer to Thursday
was unanimously adopted.
Senator POttgieser then presented
some resolutions in regard to the de-
partment stores.