The Redwood gazette., 1901-03-13

would be overthroWn by the courts
by reason Of the bill not providing
for an equitable reapportionment.
as called for by the laws enacted byI
Congress providing for the reap
portionment. It was magnificientIi
legal argument, but it was throWnI
at a combination as solid as stone.
He wanted that portion OF Hennepin
county east of the Mississippi river
placed in the Duluth district, but
the proposition was voted down,
and Mr.. Larson offered his amend
ment the last. It placed Wsaeca III
the First, where all of the members
of that district wanted it placed.
Redwood back in the Second, and to
leave the new Seventh otherwise as
proposed in the bill. He made al
magnificent argument in favor of
the proposition, appealing to the
members on the ground that it was
not only an act OF justice, in view of
the pledges made to him on the
Monday previous. A rising vote
was taken. There were 42 mem
bers in favor of the amendment and
Al against. The vote was passed
up to Speaker Bowling, who had
not voted, and by rule allowing
him to vote at any time after the
vote was taken and before other
business was proceeded with, he|
voted nay making the vote tie,
and causing the loss of the Larson
amendment.
A vote On the passage of the bill
followed, and the bill went through
the house by about 20 majority. At
2:l5 'clock of that day the bill was
reported to the Senate, which was
then considering reapportionment
under special order. The house.
bill was substituted for that of the
Senate. The Hennepin delegation
made a fight for the proposition
suggested by J. A. Peterson in the
house, but the Senate would not
stand for it. Then Senator Somer-
vile sent up his amendment Whichd
was in favor of keeping Red
wood in the Second district, and sol
cleverly had he made HIS HIS canvass,
the ground of personal friend 4
ship, and of justice, aided by the.|
magnificent work Of Senators Lord
Thompson, Knatvold and Roverud
of the First district, thatthe amend
ment was adopted with only six or
seven senators voting against it.
Ten minutes later the bill was
back in the house, by message Of
the senate, through its secretary,
S. A. Langum. Immediately Mr.. /
Larson asked for a suspension Of
the rules to take up the message,
but it requiring a two-t thirds votes
of the entire house, and Mr.. Lar
son S motion receiving only 47 votes.
the message with the bill and
amendment went over until the
next day.
That afternoon Speaker Dowling
made personal canvass Of the
members OF the house TO get them to
agree to favor conference commit
tee, the members of which. so far as
the house was concerned, he would
have to appoint. He gave it out
boldly that he would use his position
and all of the influence that went
with it, to keep Redwood in the
Seventh and defeat the amendment,
and he undoubtedly put in some
hard knocks. When the matter
came up Saturday under the head
ing of consideration of messages
from the senate. Mr.. Larson again
fought to keep Redwood in the Sec
ond district, but his proposition
was voted down, Mr.. Bowling hav-
ing demonstrated the power of his
position on that vote. The confer
ence committee was ordered and
Speaker Bowling appointed Messrs.
Anderson, jacobson and Bean, all
three opposed to any amendment Of
the bill, as members of the commit
tee on part of the house. Five min
utes later the report of the house
refusing to concur to the senate
amendment, and request for con
ference cOmmittaa wac talyn, ouar