The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-02-09
HOUSE SITS ON ROBERTS
HIS PLEA FOR CORPORATIONS
AROUSES IRE OF COUNTRY
MEMBERS
RILEY HANDS HIM HOT BUNCH
FARMERS Likely to Wrest the
Scepter From Would-Bc Re-
publican Leader From
Hennepin.

THE individual as opposed to the cor
poration,' or the Creator VS.. the Crea-
tUre,' formed the topic of very te-
Gious wrangle among house members
yesterday morning. The house had
under consideration the Burns bill, re-
lating to the erection of telephone and
telegraph poles on public highways by
individuals and corporations" giving
tO the former the same rights that are
enjoyed by the corporation. TIE bill
has been pending before the committee
for several days and is now recommends
to pass with an amendment submitted by
Mr. Jackson.
AR Roberts, who has spoken on every
bill that has thus far been before the
house, placed himself on record in the
discussion OF this measure as a foe TO
the individual in his relation to the cor
poration. Mr.. Roberts speech embodied
the statement that individuals should
not be given the same right to establish
lines OF communication along the high
ways as corporations, for the reason, he
stated, that they are not responsible. and
corporations are. He said the folly of
thus placing individuals on an equal
footing with corporations had been dem
onstrated time and time again and the
Legislature should not need a further eX-
ample. His argument for granting spe-
Cial privileges to the corporations as OPP
posed to the individual was continued
at some length and at its conclusion at
least half a dozen members were clam
Cring for the floor, nervous with anxiety
to lay Mr. Roberts in the shade and
rally to the side of the individual"
JACOBSON IS WROTH.
Jacobson was the first to gain the priv
nege He was wroth, and in his highest
pitch declared that he had often heard
the doctrine of SPECIAL privileges" for
the corporation over the individual ad-
vCcated, but never quite as clu:nsiiy as
by Mr.. Roberts.
Mr.. Riley, of Jackson, had a warm
one for his Republican colleague from
Hennepin and, turning upon the gentle
nan, he said:
1T is a little surprising that the gen
tleman from Hennepin is so exercised
about the danger of irresponsible indi-
vi6uals' obstructing the public highways
with their poles, when he is perfectly
willing that the corporations shall place
as many poles there as they see fit. 1t IS
also astonishing that d corporation, a,
creature of the individual, should have
such remarkable privileges which arc
withheld from their creator"
MIR Roberts, at this juncture attempt
cd to justify his position, but his ut
terances were drowned in the enthusiast
tic applause which the house accorded to
the speech of Mr.. Riley.
Mr.. Burns, the author of the bill,
said:
II fully appreciate the motives which
actuate my friend, Mr.. Roberts, in his
extreme solicitude for the corporations,
but l fail to discover the logic or reason
of his arguments"
Some reference was made during the
debate to the repugnant at itude mani
tested by the farmers in the legislature
tc the corporations and the Influence of
many. To this Mr.. Roberts retorted
that he had had more or less experience
with legislatures that were made up large
ly of farmers, and he had discovered
that they were quite as susceptible as
men of other ranks and stations; in fac,
he added, if anything, a little more 50.
This aroused the ire of many members
who came from the farm and lent some
support to the doubt surrounding Mr..
Roberts ability to displace Jacobson as
the Republican leader of the house, as
the farmers" it is said, will remem-
her his attitude toward them and their
influence may count for something in
defeating the aim of a man who strives
for this attainment.
Mr. Burns bill is looked upon as a very
good and fair measure and 1t will no
doubt succeed now in passing the house,
since it has been recommended to pass
by the committee of the whole.