The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-03-24
CLEARS THE DECKS
SENATE MAY TRAIN ITS BIG GUNS
ON IT'S REAL BUSINESS
NOW.
CAPITOL FIGHT STILL ON,
BUT SEEMINGLY IN A FAIR WAY
FOR IMMEDIATE SETTLE
MENT.
POWERS INQUIRY TO WIND UP.
Defense VIII Have Its Inning Fri
day-Chances of Theden's De-
partment Store Bill.

There is now nc real serious reason
why the senate should not settle down
in earnest to the clearing up of the
business which has been accommodating
during the tendency of the hospital
fight. That is now a thing of the past.
for while the bill has not gone through
the calendar yet, there is little doubt
of its ability to muster the twenty
eight votes necessary for its passage
almost any time. No fear is entxrtain-
ed by its friends that it will be vetoed.
The almost simultaneous disposition Of
the university tax levy bill cleared the
decks Of another measure which has
given not little trouble, and the in
dications that the capitol bill will be
disposed Of within the period ending
next Saturday will remove the last
real hard obstacle. There is a -esolu-
ton in to pay the attorneys in the
Dunn-Day contest large fees, and this
will create a great deal of talk, per-
haps, but is not looked upon as a seri-
GUS consideration in legislative cal
culations.
Gossip was rife last night as to the
inner history of the change in position
of the Hennepin delegation on the
Hastings fight. Hitherto strongly for
Anoka, the change of two, and perhaps
of three members is considered sig
nifcant. 1t is declared by the Hastings
people that Senator Morgan, had he
been present, would have voted with
them. Senator Potter also went over.
largely, it is said, through the personal
influence of his Republican colleagues,
who were massed pretty soldly on the
Hastings side, and it is intimated that
the secret Of Senator Theden's switch
viii be laid bare tomorrow afternoon,
when Senator Timothy D. Sheehan
rises on the floor of the senate to de-
liver an EmmeUesque grafton in behalf
of the Theden anti-department store
bill
The Hastings people were disappcint-
ed in three men on the floor yesterday,
and, without singing out any members
for invidious personal Characterization.
1t might be explained in Justice to the
others that these three were Senators
Cole, Spencer and Jones' What rea-
son they had to expect these three to
line up with them does not appear, hut
the lists which the Hastings Leaders
had marked before the iolI call showed
}
journal this morning shows them on
the other.
There can be no serious grievance
against Senator Cole, it would seem
in view of the fact that he signed the
majority report favoring Hastings, and
Senator Spencer might justify himself
on the ground that Senator Durham
had stood by him in his vain fight for
the exhibition of common courtesy on
the tonnage tax repeal Senator Jones
has not been supposed to be seriously
entangled in the Vaccinations of the
leaders on either side, but the Hast
ingS people thought they had him. and
he proved to be similar in one respect
to the flea which the Celt in the story
so delicately cOmplimented. He voted
for AnOka
There is a great deal of conjecture
as to the identity of the supreme
judge who was in the mind of Senator
Durham when he charged that the
bench had descended to the level of
politics to lobby for the Hastings site
The southern members Indignantly pro-
test that neither Justices Start Mitch
ell or Buck could possibly be mixed up
in such affairs. and under what process
of TatiOcination the other members Of
to favor any town but Anoka is not
apparent.
Senator Miller. it is whispered, is to
be chastised for his strategic alignment
on the side Of the AnokanS for while
he at no time declared himself openly
III their favor, he was none the less
inimical to the hurrying through of the
Hastings project. Senator Miller has
in the senate a number of bills affect
ing railroad companies, and it is re-
ported that the party will spend little
time in passing them in view of the
fact that the session is now drawing
to close, and there are other mat
ters OF import pending OF course. there
is not likely to be any effort to rub in
the chaStlSement to the greater dis
cOmfiture Of the Rock county senate
but he will be given to understand with
the delicate emphasis of a trip hammer
beating the face off a gold dollar, that
he ought to get in line with the gentle
men who drive the band wagon the
next time he has any odd jobs he
wants done. The AnOka DeODIe got a
tip on the railroad interest in the bill a
day or two ago, but were too late 10
seriously interrupt the accomplishment
OF the scheme which had progressed too
far 1t is possible, however. that SEN
ator Miller was looking farther ahead
than the passage of a few bills which
an unsympathetic house might slaugh-
ter in its closing days. 1t has been
charged hitherto that the AIillerian feet
will be apt to step into the McCleary
shoes should the Mankato congress-
man ever go up into the senate, and in
that event, Dan Shell, the Worthing-
ton leader, would be a bad enemy
Shell was an open and avowed Anoka
supporter so the gentleman from Rock
county may have had deeper plans.
Incidentally, it might be remarked
that the Miller resolution had its teeth
when the nlanSa llinnc for en-.