The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-03-12
POLITICAL RESUL rs
OF EXTRA SESSION

What will be the political effect of the ex-
ira session which closed yesterday? Polti-
clans of all kinds and degrees are asking
this question to-day. and answering it in a
hundred different ways,
AS far as party capital goes, there was very
little in it for either republicans or demo-
Gratis. Both parties had golden opportunities,
and missed. The democrats, if they had
stuck together, could have determined the
result and gotten some credit. AS far as
can besseen, the party influence was against
the tax! code, which will probably be con-
demned in their platform this summer. Chair
man L.. A. Rosing worked against it, but
could not line up his followers solidly, and
they can claim credit for nothing but mega
tive results Eleven of the nineteen senators
voted to kill TIL. jacobson franchise bill.
S The failure to do more cannot be charged
+ to the republican party or to Governor Van
SAINT. There was no attempt to crack the
party whip till the jacobson bill came into
the senate, and then It's lash was ineffective.
The governor himself did not attempt to in
fluence the members. No party considera-
tions influenced the majority Of the repub-
licans in either house. The responsibility Is
individual.
So far: as the governor is concerned, he
gained nothing from the extra session; nei-
Their did he lose, His enemies within the
party took every opportunity to strike blows
I at him, but they usually missed. The gov
ernor called the session at the legislature S
request, and he made it very plain in hiS
message that the whole matter was put in
their hands. Beyond doubt, he wanted to
see the tax code pass in modified FORM, but
nothing was heard from him after the first
day. The jacobson bill was supposed to be
an administration measure, but this is now
known to be false. Far from killing the gov
ernor off, the close of the session seems to
| find him more strongly entrenched. Either
his enemies are playing possom or they have
given up the attempt to head off his nomina
| ton. 5ss
/, State Auditor Dunn feels Endorsed, and with
| very good reason, for the legislature took his
advice. almost literally They left his hands
! entirely free for this year, and he will have
| another chance in August to raise valuations
| on the mines and the corporations The inai-
cations now are that Mr.. Dunn will keep out
| OF the turmoil this summer, retire to private
! life temporarily, but make record this yea,
on which he will have a strong claim for the
! first place the ticket in 1904. 80
! One result of the session. every one be.
| leyes, will be the candidacy Of J. F. Jacob
son for state auditor. His fight for tax reform
has perhaps hurt him in some localities, bu
throughout the state it has made him better
! known and stronger than ever. He failed t.
I carry the tax code through, but put his OWL
| bill through the house without the slightest
difficulty, proving his claims to leadership
| It now looks as though the fight for state
auditor would be the principal contest before
/ the republican state convention.
| The session also developed Hennepir
| county candidate for state Office in Senator
f. G. Potter who got much encouragement
| from his colleagues to run for lieutenant
| governor The senator is not saying a wore
| as vet; but it is believed he win be candi-
/ Gate if Hennepin county elects to stand BY
! him. AS far as the record of the session goes
he stands Just opposite to Jacobson. He op.
posed the BILL and stood for the closest re-
striction in constitutional amendments.
/ 2 Those good friends and political rivals
! Speaker Bowling and Senator Young, vie6
with each other in their stand for tax reform
! and on that issue it lis "a stand-oh between
| them for the suffrages of the seventh district
| voters. Both were active for the tax code and
the jacobson bill Speaker Bowling was for
| the wide-open amendments, while Senator
Young is responsible as much as any other
man for the draft finally adopted. -
Senator, Grindeland was the only congress
! sional candidate from the ninth who had a
chance to distinguish himself. He was Shout
der to shoulder with Senator Young on all
| propositions. Senator Buchanan, the lone
candidate in the sixth. was on the other side
of the fence 20 sl5 &. ...s.-, "a X
Locally the line of cleavage was marked in
the Hennepin delegation. The tax code was
supported, in its modified form, by Senators
Snyder Wilson and Jepscn, and by Repre-
sentatiyes Roberts, Sweet, Deming, Arm
strong, Peterson Wallace, Stevenson and
Herbert. It was opposed in the house by
Messrs. Dobbin, Washburn, Morris, Smith,
Lane, Phillips, Johnson and Fust, but three
CT them. Dobbin. Morris and johnson, voted
Efor the Jacobson bill IN the senate votes
were cast against the jacobson bill bygiSena-
tors Potter, Smith, Stockwell and MCGOWAN.
On this line Of division the battles in the va
rious Legislative districts will shape them
selves this summer. Should James A. Peter
son be candidate for congress, he will run
on his Legislative record. as well as national
issues. There are senatorial contests in pros
pecI between Senator Smith and Mr.. Wallace
in the fortythird and between Senator Jep-
son and Mr.. Lane in the forty-fourth on
which the legislative record will be made the
issue. s+.,'s