The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1901-03-29
DOODLE TALK.
1t is Now Rampant in Legis!a'
tive Circles at St. Paul.
A Doodle Fund is Imagined at Every Turn,
But Little Seems to be Done to
Hunt il Down.

Many or the Republlcan mem bers,
including some who support the gross
earnings bill, are anxious to hush up
the scandal in the interests of the
Republican party. They realize that
the investigation committee must
investigate, but they want it to find a
way by which the charges may be
dismissed unless there is clear evil
dence to convict some individual.
They argue that merely to say that
bribery exists will do no good and will
do the party harm. The general desire,
however, is to see the matter thor
onghly ventilated and not only the
conclusions of the committee but the
evidence made public. This is re-
quired by the resolution passed Mon
day and there seems to be no way by
which the committee can avoid full
exposition of the evidence.
Chairman Mallory, who is the rather
silent mOuthpiece of the committee,
has not yet called a meeting. He said
yesterday, however, that he would
call meeting in the near future.
Mr. Mallory asked Mr. Jacobso n
whether he would require sum-
mons to bring him before the commit
tee. Mr.. Jacobson replied that he was
ready to appear and produce his testi-
mony whenever the committee should
get together.
The members of the committee have
held several informal conferences and
have decided that the sessions shall be
executive. No information will be
given out until the work is finished
and final report is transmitted to the
house. Members of the committee
have agreed to let Chairman Mallory
do all the talking, which is a guar
antee that very little talking will be
done.
The committee preserves strict
silence regarding its policy. The
members consider themselves in the
same position as a grand jury. 1t is
intimated that the attorneys for the
witnesses even will not be permitted to
attend the committees sessions and
that the examination will be conduct
ed only by members of the committee.
ton, as those pushing the investigation
want James A. Peterson to appear in
his capacity as attorney for W. D.
Washburn, Jr. and to conduct the ex
animation of witnesses. Both sides
are looking up authorities and pre-
cedents.
The morning paper story announc-
ing that fund of $40, 900 had been
raised by county officials does not sur
prise many Legislators 1t is no secert
that fund has been raised, though
the amount reported is thought TO be
A number of bills affecting
the interests of county officers have
been before the legislature, and many
county officers have made no secret of
the fact that they were paying assess
ments into fund to secure favorable
legislation. A prominent senator was
informed of this by one of the officers
Of his home county the other day who
said: "We understand that to get
bills through the legislature little
grease is required for the wheels. -
There is no bill now introduced ex-
tending the terms of the present in
cumbent, and it is understood that the
was either toward an
amendment to the Sweet bill or for a
new bill. The exposure of the scheme
killed any such legislation
The defeat of the anti-cigarette bill
in the senate yesterday is regarded
as peculiar proceeding, and in this
it was rumored today that
cigarette manufacturers had sent a
fund of $40, 900 to defeat this measure.
In fact, Doodle stories are flying
around so fast that members are be-
coming angry, and are determined
that something definite shall be &C
The senate yesterday killed the anti
cigarette bill after having previously
passed it with only five votes in OPP
position. None of those who chopped
seem to care to explain the change of
but Senator Halvorson, the
author of the bill, declared that the
senate's feat was a remarkable one.
The bill came back from the house
Yesterday morning with a somewhat
technical amendment, which, however,
lid not affect the main purpose. The
senate Immediately nonconcurred in
The house amendments and Halvors on
demanded call of the house. With
put much preliminary oratory vote
was taken, andssto the surprise of those
who were not in the game it was
ost by % ayes and 81 noes.
The debate, though not prolonged,
was lively. Senator Wilson protested
strongly against the bills being
;lassed as ''freak'' legislation, and.an-
bounced that Ohio, Rhode Island, New
and other states had
passed laws almost Identical
Senator Benedict insisted that the
aw would not become a dead letter,
rs had been claimed; there would be
at least some restriction on the sale of
and great deal of good
would result. The harm done to the
youth of the state by the cigarette, he
said, was incalculable; he would
rather see his boys take to liquor than
% the cigarette. Senator Thompson
that cigarettes led to the
habit in some cases. Neil
cke of Window had heard no demand
for such law There were, he said,
men who hung themselves with ropes
out that was no reason why the sale of
rope should be prohibited. He called
on the senators who smoke cigars to
imagine how they would like it if
legislature which was devoted to corn
cob pipes should pass law prohi biting
5he sale of cigars
Senator Grue is the author of bill
that all saloons and bar
rooms must not only remain closed on
sundays and election days, but that
they shall close at II O'Clock on the
evening before such days and remain
closed until 8 O'Clock on the morning
after