The Bemidji pioneer., 1900-10-11

IT Is singular thing, indeed that
Gov. Lind should be campaigning the
state and taking to himself credit for
the passage OF the so -called Somer-
vile law, to tax foreign corporations
doing business within tbs state. In
doing so the governor pays an uncon-
scious, and therefore a sincere. compli-
ment to the republican legislature
which passed the bill, to the repub-
lican auditor and to the repub-
licah secretary of state, who recon-
mended it In their biennial reports, and
to the republican policy, which has con-
sistently and continuously given itself
to the adoption OF just such measures
ever since it came into power, forty
years ago. If there Is any POLITICAL
Significance, in the passage Of the
Somerville bill It is in the fact that the
governors recognized representative
on the floor Of the senate, Senator
Stockwell was the most violent and
uncompromising opponent Of the bin.
Senator Stockwell is at present the
fusion nominee for congress In the
fifth district, having been selected for
that place, like every other fusion
nominee, at the direct instigation Of
Gov. Lind himself. Throughout the
session Of 1899 Senator Stockwell was
admittedly and avowedly the govern
or's mouth-piece in the upper body Of
the legislature, and frequently chair
man Of the democratic caucuses, which
wei e held to discuss and consider vari-
Gus measures pending. Had GOV. Lind
been such an advocate as he now pro-
fesses to be of the Someryille law it
would have been an exceedingly simple
and easy task for him to have called
off the opposition Of Senator Stock
well to the somerville bill and to have
given it the support Of the democrats
in the senate. Instead of doing SO,
however, he gave Senator stockwe!l
his moral support in opposition to the
bill by at least. refraining from inter
ference, and the most violent attacks
upon the bill when it was under dis
cussion in the various stages Of its
consideration before that body were
made by Senator Stockwell, who de-
clared that "if this bill passed and be-
comes law it will be deliberate rob-
berry of 100000 a year taken from the
legitimate business men Of the state.
The democratic party must be hard
UP indeed for campaign material when
it will take up a law that was orig
inally recommended by two republican
state officials, passed by republican
House OF Representatives, concurred
in by a republican senate, and forcei
to its enactment in spite of the oppos
ton Of the democrats, and parade such
a bill as something distinctly demo-
cratic and something of which the gov
ernor himself is proud and for which
he claims all credit. AS matter o.
fact the governor is entitled to the
credit for the passage of the Somer-
vile bill upon exactly the same theory
that the little boy gave credit in his
composition when he said: pins has
saved thousands Of peoples lives. by
their not swollering Them
The Republican newspapers and
workers should take particular pains
to impress upon voters the fact that
the Democratic candidate for state
treasurer, III. c. Koerner, was nom
mated for the sole purpose Of catching
the thoughtless and uniformed friends
Oh the present rsepuDlicau state treas
urer August 7. Koerner. The Repub-
Iican nominee for state treasurer is
Hon. ]. II. Block, who has the unquali-
fed and enthusiastic support of Hon.
A. T. Koerner, and the Democratic
candidate for treasurer, Fl. @. Koerner,
is at.present an employee of q. NJ. Pope,
public examiner, and central figure in
that memorable 'Mankato Episode"