The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-01-18

The honors of dean of the Minnesota
legislature and legislative experience
both in length and varied interest not
equaled by any. MINES otan, rest mol
estly on Representative S. D. Peterson,
of New IIlm.
Representative Peterson began his
Legislative experience twenty-five years
ago. when it will end no man dares
to presume to forecast. Mr.. Peterson
has the confidence of his constituents
whom he has served long in both
branches of the legislature, and his
ability to win cut against heavy odds
has APPARENTLY left him in a position
emitting him to take on legislative
hOnOrs and responsibilities at win.
A peculiar interest attaches 10
man who can satisfactorily serve a
Minnesota constituency almost contin-
uously for nearly a quarter of a centu-
fy and whose held on that constituent
cy is stronger today than at the COM
-1ae'fCement of his political career. The
only apparent explanation lies In the
fact that Mr., Peterson is a worker
He is not an orator. He has not IN
his legislative experience made a set
speech. Neither is he an habitue of the
cloak rooms, but when he is intereste1
in a measure things are done. Done
effectuaHy and without APPARENT effort.
Modest But thorough.
Without any fuss or feathers, Mr..
Peterson Is one of the most careful OBJ
servers Of legislative deliberations in
either house. He is always in his seat
when measures he is not directly in
terested in are introduced or discussed.
He digests everything thoroughly and
in scores of tight places has proved
himself a master of parliamentary
technicalities. His ability to Wriggle
out of a tight spot and land on his
feet with a cherished bill in safety
is proverbial, and until his position on
any measure is announced he is an
unfafling source of anxiety to all fac
lions interested.
Samuel Daniel Peterson was born in
Gudbradstadlen, Norway, fifty three
years ago. A year later his parents
brought him to America, settling in
Wisconsin. The following year they
removed to Minnesota, settling on a
farm in Pilot Mound town, Fillmore
county. Young Peterson. grew up on
the farm and acquired such education
as the young community afforded. In
May, 1872, he went to New Ulm, where
he has since resided, and embarked
in the farm implement business.
In 1880 he decided to enter politics
as candidate for the state senate
for the district then comprising Brown,
Redwood, yellow Medicine, Lac qui
Parle, Lyon and Lincoln counties. His
opponent was J. F. jacobson, of Lac
inant factor of the house. Jacobson
had the cards as he believed safely put
up against the young Brown county
man and went into the convention be-
lieVing in his ability to win out on the
first ballot.
Wins His First Fight
Something always happens in the po-
litical fights of Peterson. and the first
was no exception. A third candidate
was brought out, and when the smoke
of battle rolled away Peterson was
nominated for the senate. His election
followed quite as easily as the nomi-
nation.
Those were the days of annual ses-
slons of the legislature, and in his first
term an extra session was called Pc
terson took an important part in the
Cox impeachment proceedings Of the
senate and then tackled his first bic
tight. He fathered the bill for the tree
planting bounty and won out in a man
ner which clinched his popularity with
the residents of the Southwestern Min
nesota prairies.
The bill proposed a tree planting
bounty of SO per acre for tracts MOI
exceeding ten acres each on the south.
western prairieS. The cities and north,
ern and eastern portions of the state
fought vigorously against the propo.
sition to encourage the planting of Ink
treeleSs prairies, and a long draWn-ou
battle was the result. In the end Peter