The Saint Paul globe., 1899-01-03


BISMARCK. Jan. Especial )-Cau-
cuses were held this afternoon by the
Republicans Of both the senate and
house and the preliminary skirmishes
in the senatorial battle went against
the Johnson forces. Both the upper
and lower bodies were carried by the
opposition. and johnson stock Is suffer-
by the friends of the ex-congressman
that the setback Is not serious, but
those opposed to his candidacy are
elated over the outcome of the first
test Of strength
The senate organization was agreed
on In caucus as follows:
President pro tem., A. C. McGillvray. Stark;
secretary. M. G. Cushing. Barnes; assistant
secretary l.. X. EstsrbrooRe, Steele; SER
geant- alarms, Alien Pinkerton. Cavater;
bina; assistant Grace Montague. Stark: Dill
clerk Vivian Morgan. Richland engrossng
clerk 7. G. Anderson, Steele; stenographer,
R. M. Tuttle, Morton; messenger, Richard
Fallon, Dtckey; postmaster, A. B. Mouke,
Cass; doorkeeper, Robert Thompson. Grand
Forks; watchman. Ole Hanson, Grand Forks;
clerk OF Judiciary committee, D. j. Laxdahl,
Burleigh; proofreader. H. q. Kopperdahl
Cass; doorkeeper, W. R. Jones, Ward; chair
man Of the caucus, Hanna. Cass; secretary,
Little, Burleigh.
The house organization was perfected in
caucus as follows: Speaker, Thomas B Baker
Cass; chief clerk, ]. G. Hamilton. Grand
Forks; assistant clerk H. K. Lavayea, Grand
| Forks; sergeant-aft-arms, d. B. Williams.
Eddy; assistant sergeant-at-arms, John San
derson, Ransom; journal clerk, Samuel Eheist,
| Pembina; engrossing clerk, Wellington Irysh.
| Cass; bill clerk, c. J. Hutchinson, Dickey;
stenographer, Mary H. Stevens, Burleigh;
messenger, o. A. Boynton, Stutsman; post
master, Cassius Lisk. Richland watchman,
| lin, Lisbon; M. A. Taylor, jamestown; DAN
| lei Bannerman, Axel Anderson, Willie Nc
Coaville, Bismarck.
Resolutions were adopted by the
| house caucus authorizing the speaker
| to appoint one assistant clerk. one as
| sistant journal clerk, one door keeper
| for the gallery and nine assistant en-
| crossing and enrolling clerks. Allen. of
| Cass. was chairman of the house
| caucus. and Laughlin. Of Ransom. sec-
retary.
Aside from the election Of a senator,
| the most important matters to come
| before the legislature will be the pro-
| posed amendment Of the state divorce
| law, a complete revision of the law
| governing the organization of the
| state militia, and an effort on the
| part of the Prohibition element of the
| legislative assembly for the passage
| Of a bill creating the Office of state
| temperance commissioner, whose duty
| it shall be to see to the rigid enforce
| ment Of the prohibition law in all parts
| Of the state.
The prssent divorce law Of the state
| permits applications for divorce on
| three months residence in the state,
| and, as result, there have grown up
| in many Of the towns of the state d.
| vorce colonies Of wealthy persons
from all sections of the country, whose
| sole aim is to take advantage of the
| liberal laws Of the state governing the
matter of divorce. Their presence has
resulted in many scandals, and the
ministry Of the state has begun a
united effort to have the law amended
to make one year the minimum Of
residence before application may be
begun for divorce.
The presence Of so many divorce col
onists has been of pecuniary benefit to
lawyers, inn-keepers and tradesmen In
I the cities in which they have held
FORTH and there will be as strenuous
opposition to the amendment Of the
law as for It,
The proposed temperance commits
sioner bill is desired by the Prohibi-
tionists for the reason that local SEN
timent largely, governs the enforce
ment of the prohibition law, and in
certain sections of the state saloons
run wide open, unmolested, and paying
license to city and village treasures.
| The Phohibitionists desire to have
one of their number installed as a
state prosecuting officer. empowered
to prosecute offenders in any part Of
| the state.
| Another important matter to come
before the legislature will be the mat
ter of prescribing rates for the
| government Of charges by common
carriers The last legislature passed
law of this nature and the United
States court has just filed a decision
pronouncing against the rates that
were promulgated by the railroad COM
| mission under the provisions of the
law. An effort will be made to have
| another law passed to govern the same
/ matter.