The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-03-28
MEN AND MEASURES

The present Minnesota house is a COM
paratively new body. of men in legisla-
tive AFFAIRS. Out of the 119 members,
only 90 We're in the last house. The SEN
ate is quite the reverse. Out Of 63 mem
bers; q, or just a third, were in the last
senate, ten were in the last house, and six
others had experience in previous legls-
latures.-. ...-,*f 49,. -,.
The house member who has served long
est continually is Nils Nyquist Of Blue
Earth county, who is now serving his
fourth term. He first came to the legis-
lature of 1897 and has been returned ever
since. -Four members are serving their
third terms They are Speaker Babcock,
Fred Sander, P. G. Deming and &. n.
Haugen.
one member of the house was in the
legislature, thirty three years ago. H.. w.
Ruff represented Steele county in
the legislature of 1870, but did not return
until this winter when he represents
Lyon county, II. F. Craig and Frank Mini
nette were in the 1898 house. S. D. Pc
terson was in the senate in 1881 and 1883.
and again In 1891 and 1893. FL F.. Craig
and o. B. -Soule We're the only members OF
the present house who served in 1895. ..
B.. Soule served in 1880 with Nils Ny
quist, but did not return again until this
winter. '- '' ''
The senate, on the other hand, has a
number of veterans. r. E. Thompson and
Albert Schaller are the only ones serving
their third consecutive terms. They were
in the 1896 senate, and have served ever
since. They had as colleagues then e. T.
Collestor, l.. O. Thorpe and A. B. Cole
who dropped out in 1897 for four years
returning this season. Senator Thompson
also s-rved in the house in 1855.
The legislative veteran in the senate
is F. e. Du Toit of Carver county, who
was in the house in 1872. He also served
in 1878, and was joined then by George
P. Wilson and F. w Durant. General
Wilson then represented Winona,an Sen
ator Durant was democratic house mem
Der from Washington county. He also sat
in the 1876 house Senator H. F. Barker
was member of the house in 1888. Sen
ator o. K. Naeseth served in the house
at the 1885 and 1887 sessions. At the
latter session e. w. Durant reappeared as
a democratic senator. E. F. Comstock was
a: house member in 1887 and 1889.
Not member Of the present legislature
except S. D. Peterson, was a member OF
the 1891 legislature. which made the
record for extravaganza, and this is pos
| sfbly the reason why the members do Eo
| feel inclined to profit by that experience
| A number of senators have served II
| the house in recent years. and for con-
| tinuous legislative service Daniel Shell O
Worthington. holds the record over an!
one He served In the 1898 house, =ant
was returned to the house for the next
two sessions, when. he was promoted tt
the. senate, and has been there ever since
Senators Shell, Thomas Torson, p. b.
Smith and A. F. Ferris were members O.
! the 1895 house, and in the 1897 house were
Shell, Torson, Ferris, e. E. Smith, w. w
Dunn and George r. .Laybeurn, all shin
/ ing members of the present senate. III
the 1899 house there were Torson, Ferris
Dunn, Layborn, John G. Schultz. r.. M
Pugh, Q. n Mausten and ]. T. Schain.
Considering their experience. there is
little wonder that the senators are some
| what blase and inclined to take things
| easily. "
There is small chance Of adjournment
before April 81. The senate. adjourned
yesterday until Monday afternoon. before
| the house had time to. report that 1T hat
agreed to the request for a conference Oh
| the Lord resolution. The conference com
1nittee cannot meet until Monday after
noon. consequently. and it cannot shut of
! the introduction of bills before Wednes
day. which, is the limit under the con
| stution. TO adjourn April Is would leave
only two weeks to clean up the Immense
| accumulation of business. A month ag'
| it. was feasible, but the settlement of TIL
question has been too long delayed.
! Much of the congestion of business i
due to the practice of several committee
/ shirk ing their responsibility. Instead o
killing bad or useless bill. which is TIT
function of a committee, they defer t,
the personal request of its author AM
send it out without recommendation.
Then the bill has to be debated on gen
eraI orders, which consumes the time o
4 the. whole house If no one takes TIL
trouble to oppose it.; the bill may get OF
the calendar and be showed into the othe
house. This is a practice frequently in
dulged in by two or three of the hous
committees.
Charles B. Cheney