The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1899-01-20
POLITICS AND VIEWS.
Gossip and Opinions Gathered in the
Capital City.

st. Paul, Jan. II The waiting room
to the governors office these days re-
minds one of a theater entrance when a
play is on Any number of officeseekers
stand in line awaiting their turn to
speak with the governor They pour in
from all parts of the state and if the
rush continues it seems as If a new cap
ital is an immediate necessity. 1t is a
sad spectacle to read the story CT dis
appointment written on their faces
when they take their leave. 1t is the
first experience of Democrats in forty
years to get at what they have been
pleased to call the public crib, and
now there are so many that they can
not get within gunshot of it, This is
the way one man expressed his senti-
ments: Here I have been cussing the
Republican party for forty years only
to find that l have done it for nothing ;"
49,
The necessity on the part of all the
Republican county and precinct COM
mittees of maintaining their organiza-
ton and keeping in close touch with
the voters during the ensuing two years,
is recognized by all who look to the
future for party success, and cannot be
to strongly emphasized. The work Of
the township and precinct committees,
which is of perhaps greater Importance
than that of any other committee has
usually been confined to very brief
period Immediately preceding the gen.
eral election This may have heen suf-
ficient at a time when success at the
polls was certain whether there were
any committees or not, but at this time
when the opposition feels itself strong
and when the Fusionists will use every
possible effort to retain control of the
the state government it is quite differ
emit. The Fusionists are quietly organ
nizing themselves in every part of the
state and are getting ready for an ag-
gressive campaign from now on until
next election The only way to offset
the work the opposition is doing is for
the Republicans to be equally alert. 1t
is not to be inferred that the commit
tees should work as they do immediate
ly before an election, but they ought
to keep tab" on every voter and know
how ne stands.
49,
Strict economy will be the watchword
of the legislature this session The leg
islative expense committees in both
the house and senate are composed of
men who will prove every expense to
the limit. In the matter of appropria-
lions the same care will be exercised
and appropriation bills without real
merit will be consigned to the grave
without unnecessary ceremonies
~
A variety of bills to regulate the sale
of prison Irvine have been introduced
in both branches of the legi> lature and
there will be no lack of opinions on
how a reform in the sale of Irvine, if
necessary, should be accomplished.
Most of the bills thus far introduced
provide for distributing agents in each
locality, but they differ widely as to
details. The bills will all be referred
to one committee and new bill embo-
dying the best ideas on the subject will
be introduced by the committee. No
action will be taken until the investiga-
ton committee has ascertained all the
facts regarding the methods now in
vogue for disposing of the Irvine.
~
Warden Wolfer, of the State prison.
who received a very fattering offer
from Connecticut to take charge of the
prison in that state, will remain as
warden at Saltwater. Gov. Lind has
urgently requested him to remain and
fayors raising his salary. How does
this compare with the howl raised
against the prison management by Gov.
Lind's party before election.
~
L. G. Powers, commissioner of labor,
one of the first officers to have his Of
fetal head taken off by the new admin
istration, is man whose ability in
this and kindred lines of work is recog
nized throughout the country and he
will be greatly missed in this depart
ment. He has made the labor bureau
what it is and has taken up questions
of benefit to the working men and far
mers which have been enacted into
beneficial laws. His successor is a
mason by trade and while he may be a
good man in his work he will never be
able to make good labor commissioner
of himself. Mr. Powers is now engaged
to write some articles on social and in
dustrial topics for Harper's Magazine.
Minnesota is one of the few states that
have been able to make anything out
of labor bureau Tn, re are so few
men fitted for the duties of such an
Office. Now watch the labor bureau
70 II inf onH ro,,,oi,,