The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-04-03
HAVING HARD S|EDD|N|1
PRIMARY ELECTION BILL, MEETS
WITH OPPOSITION IN THE
SENATE
COUNTRY DOESN'T WANT IT
Members Of Upper House and Their
Constituents Have Read About
Its Workings in Min
.neapOlis.


The way of the primary election bill
through the senate Is beset with diff
ficulty. The measure came up as a spe-
cial order yesterday morning at IL
o'clock, and when the senate adjourned
at p. M, section had been read.
Consideration of the special order was
continued into the afternoon, and will
be taken up first thing today.
Senator McNamee rose to question of
personal privilege, and sent up to the
president clipping from the editorial
page of the Pioneer Press, which al
legged that in case of the final defeat of
the bill, it's death could be laid at the
door of the minority party. and which
singled him out of the Ramsey coun-
ty delegation as the one senator who had
consistently opposed the measure. lie
CURLY reminded the majority members
that they could easily pass the bill II
every minority senator on the floor vot-
ed against it. He called upon the SEN
ate to bear witness to the fact that he
had consistently supported such a meas
ure two years ago, and is now willing
to vote for the bill in any of it's pro-
posed forms. Senator J. d. Jones was
little hurt by reason of having been
labeled IN newspapers as one opposed to
a primary election law and as one who
unduly criticised the press He stated
that he was party man and that his
faith in party organization was as strong
as it we'll could be. He believed the
primary law was all right in principle,
but could see in it's present form no
vehicle for the declaration of principles.
1t should be limited in it's application.
Senator Schellbach moved to refer the
bill to a committe of five to so amend it
in effect that state, congressional, 1udic-
ial and town officers would be exempted
from it's provisions In support of his
amendment, the senator from Yellow
Medicine made plain his position to the
measure as a whole. He referred to the
exhibition Of political cowardice manifest
every day in the senate. and remarked
that the primary law with which Hen
nepin county is blessed has not proved
an unmixed blessing
NO EFFECT ON PARTY LINES
Senator Roveruds moved as a substitute
that the bill be- referred to a committee
of five to excluded judicial and congress
sional officials. Both motions were lost.
Senator Snyder made an able plea on
behalf Of the bil1 and against the Ro-
verud amendment He denied that It
would obliterate party lines. He claim
ed that these were just as strong in Hen
nepin today as ever Senator Johnson
proposed an amendment eliminating the
This amendment Senator Baldwin
strongly opposed. reciting the fact that
in St. Louis county the bar, nearly 200
strong, has time and again agreed upon
candidates for district judgeships, and
has recommended their nomination by
party conventions. He thought the peo-
pie should name the judges. Senator DAILY
followed in the same line.
The action of a convention in refusing
n
cited, and this brought on a discussion
as to which Of the two great parties is
responsible for bringing the supreme
court into Minnesota politics. Senator
Schaller closed the debate for the DEM
ocrats by announcing that his first recol-
lection of bringing the supreme judiciary
into politics was when the Republicans
in convention turned down Greenleaf
Clarke for Judge Vanderberg. The john
son amendment was lost.
The disposition to flibuster was mani
fest during the afternoon, and the dis
regard for parliamentary tactics more
fragrant than ever.
Senator Miller wanted friends of the
bill to name some reason why it should
not apply to state officers, If it was a
good thing for others. He moved that
as exceptions from it's provisions seemed
to be the rule, congressman be also ex-
cepted The motion was lost. Senator
Stockwell supported the bill and said
that it was drawn along the right line
Accidents like that which befell Mime
apolis would be rare and would have a
tendency to educate. Senator McGovern
opposed the bill=-said there was no de-
mand for it in his district. City politics
might need purifying-the country was
willing to stand by the representative
government as heretofore. Senator
cai3
wanted it to applysto all officers. Sena-
tor Batz, also from Stearns, had heard
of no demand from his constituents.
Senator Schaller thought it a good thing,
but moved to amend by eliminating the
payment Of fees on the part of candi-
dates for non-saiaried officers. The
amendment carried Senator McGOvern
made a plea for an amendment provid-
ing for blanket ballot, which was of
no avail Senator Ives was successful in
getting through,s4ans amendment provid-
ing that a challenged voter need not say
with what party he was affiliated. The
latter amendment, it is threatened will
be reconsidered and defeated today.
A prominent Democrat, who has con-
sistently favored the bill, said yesterday
that he will oppose the bill if the Ives
amendment is reconsidered and lost. 1t
would mean, he said, that an employer
shall vote, and obtain the knowledge Of
how they subsequently voted. 1t would
mean intimidation. Senator Barker sue
cessfully amended the bill to exclude
from it's provisions members of school,
park and library boards in counties Of
less than $4,000.
Senator Greer stole a march upon the
senate and got through an amendment
limiting the provisions of the bill to coun-
haU nj
lis triumph was short-lived. Senator
Brewer demurred and asked a reconsid-
Grafton. The vote was reconsidered and
the amendment lost by tie vote-22 to
%, the Twin City members not voting.
Friends Of the measure believe that to-
day will witness it's passage, but there
are those who claim that it is any
body's fight at present. If the Ives
amendment is killed, as threatened, the
bill is jeopardized.