The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-01-06
SENATE IS LIVELY
PRELIMINARY ShERNIsH OVER THE
CONTEST FOR THE 9Th DIS
TRECT SEAT.
COMMITTEE ON ELECTIONS
MUST CONSIDER THE MERITS OF
THE DUNN-DAI CONTRO-
NTES1.
REAPPoRTIoNMENT is FIRST.
Senator stevens First Act Seeks the
Appointment OF IL Committee
From Each House.

Preliminary skirmish though it was,
the case of Dunn and Day, the rivals
for the seat from the Sixth district.
gave the senate a lively contest yes
terday as to what should be done with
the credentials submitted by H. II.
Dunn, of Fairmont, who is anxious to
sit in the chair once vacated by Frank
a Day, but since reOccupied by him.
Mr.. Dunn's only open and above board
supporter on the floor was Senator
knatvold, Of Albert Lea, who took
the position that Mr.. Dunn, by virtue
OF the certificate of election he holds,
was entitled to the seat. A number
Of Mr.. Days friends bobbed up at
intervals during the debate, and spoke
on different phases of the question.
The upshot of it all was that Mr..
Dunn's credentials were referred to the
committee on elections, which, when it
is appointed, will carefully weigh the
arguments of either side, as we'll as
the evidence tending to show the legal
ity Of the action. There was no hard
fought objection to this course. Mr..
Knatvold only raising point by point as
y
so as to permit no possible forfeiture
Of rights.
Both sides claim a victory The Day
men, of course, claim that the action
of the senate in referring Mr.. Dunn's
credentials is, at least, a temporary
victory, while the Dunn faction insist
that they are not a whit the worse.
They maintain that the senators who
spoke in Mr.. Days behalf yesterday
were uneQuivocating in their regard
for strict legal Interpretation, and they
insist that the law is on the side Of
Dunn, holding that Mr.. Days hope lies
rather in appeal to personal relations
than to the strict law in the case.
Promptly at noon Lieut.. Gov. Gibbs
called the senate to order, and to his
surprise, perhaps, found not only
majority, but nearly the entire MEM
bership present
Rev Robert Forbes offered prayer.
Lieut.. Gov Gibbs then announced
his intention of presiding over the de-
alterations of the senate with impair
TALLY and fairness to all, and declared
himself ready for the organization Of
the senate.
If there was no objection he would
appoint Senator Potter, of Hennepin,-
void, of Freedom, moved to proceed
to the call of the senate under the
statute. He read the law. Senator
Yale called attention to the fact that
the statute was somewhat faulty. In
that it required credentials. No hold
over member had credentials, he felt
sure.
Senator Potter called the roll by
name.
senator Knatvold thought the sec
rotary should call only the districts by
number, not the names. Lieut.. Coy.
Gibbs directed Mr.. Potter to proceed.
When the Sixth district was reached
and the name Frank A. Day called,
H. H. Dunn, of Fairmont, rose and
addressed the chair, presented a GER
tific2te of election, and asked that he
be sworn in forthwith.
Senator Yale objected to the receipt
Of the credentials, and moved to re-
fer it to the judiciary committee.
Senator KnatVOld raised a point CT
order that the law made a certificate
of election prima facie evidence of q
right TO a. seat for "all purposes of or
ganization' There was no contest
The lieutenant governor ruled that
he would state the motion to re-
fer The senate might act on it as it
would.
Senator Stevens said a contest was
raised The senate had already re-
ceiVed his credentials. Now came an
other man with credentials. The SEN
ators We're all in the same position. All
had presented their credentials two
years ago. He moved that it be re-
ferred to the committee on elections.
Senator Yale accepted the amended
reference.
Senator McHale wanted to know
what the senate could do.
Senator Morgan said that there could
be nothing done with the Sixth district
until it was shown that there was a
vacancy. Senator Day was as much
entitled to his seat as ever.
Senator Knatvold said that the SEN
ate had nothing to do with what had
been done two years ago. One-half OF
this legislature was new
Senator Stevens said the constitution
was the permanent law of the land
An amendment to that adopted in
1876 superseded the law of 1866, which
the senator from Freeborn had referred
to.
knatvold-What about the laws OF
1894?
Stevens-It was passed in 1866 Ii
was only bound in 1894
Senator Greer raised the question OF
quorum. While there appeared to be
one, the senate as yet had no assur-
ance Of one. His colleague from Lyon
was not present Could any one come
in and claim his seat?
On the vote on the motion to refer
Senator Knatvold's was the only
audible no.
The roll call was proceeded with
When the Fifty-third was reached Sen
ator Culkin stated that there was a
vacancy in that district, TO which
Geo. A. Whitney had been formally
and lawfully elected He moved thai
Mr.. Whitney be sworn In, and the
lieutenant governor administered the
oath.
The roll call being completed 1t de-
Veloped that the absentees were Seyat
son, Reishus and Hanson.
The election of officers was ther
taken up. Senator Thompson moved
the election of S. A. Langum as sec,
rotary. Mr.. Langum was sworn AND