The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-08-27
"OBSERVATIONS'
BY H. P. HALL
Continued From First Page.

curing the capital by the action of
Minneapolis and ST. Anthony mem
bers. He proves sthis, to his own sat-
isfaction, by the records. Before the
bill had passed, William Pitt Murray
of st. Paul, seeing that his city had
lost the capital, offered an amendment
locating it on Nicollet island. Sew
eral Minneapolis members had voted
with the ST. Peter coterie. The
amendment lost in the house, 1 s to 10,
and among the noes were Jonathan
Chase and Henry Heichtman of ST.
Anthony, and John M. Troll and ]. p.
Plummer of Minneapolis. Assuming
that all the ST. Paul votes would have
gone for the bill as amended, it would
have carried by % to 10. In the
senate, where ST. Peter won. 8 to Z,
Joel B. Bassett of Minneapolis and w.
w. Wales of st. Anthony voted with
st. Peter, so their votes would have
turned the scale. Indignation meet
ings were held in Minneapolis, but the
members censured replied that the
amendment was only trap. Mr..
Hall insists that it was offered In good
faith, and says:
1t was one of those opportunities which
the members from ST. Anthony and Min
neapolis did not have the breadth of vision
to grasp. OF course, ST. Paul is especial
ly glad that the Minneapolis members
Minneapolis, when they read these lines,
will feel especially sad that they were SC
stupid
Graft of Long Ago.
Some other history not quite COM
plimentary to the lawmakers of the
old days is related. The first state
Legislature took a two months recess
while waiting for congress to pass the
act admitting Minnesota.' On reas-
sembling the members voted to allow
each member SIS for stationery" or
rather, members that wished to take
the same Only two refused, and
they turned back the money with
some very caustic comments.
! Many another story is told, interest
| ing as fiction. There is the election OF
Minnesotas first governor Sibley, by
! halfbreed votes, when the result was
not known for over a month. There
is the defeat Of NJ. S. Wilkinson ir
1866 for reelection to the senate tho
he was backed by a personal re
quest from President Lincoln for his
return. There is the tragic story OF
Dan Norton, elected state senator
from Winona by a bolt, elected to the
United States senate over Wilkinson
and then turning democrat to secure
the federal patronage from Andrew
Johnson. The senate refused to con
firm his appointees, Norton broke
down and died before his term wa'
out.
Where Donnelly Fell Down.
The career Of Ignatius Donnelly ant
his battles with Ramsey and Wash
burn furnish some valuable chapters
for Mr.. Hall was an ardent DonnelE
supporter, and writes from that stand
point. He has some interesting
theories about what might hav
BEEN" For instance, when Donnelly
in congress, fayed Elihu Washburne
he was given an hours time, an
spoke admirably. Then there was
general demand that he go on, an
he was carried away by the occaslo
to making a remark so coarse that
was freely criticised. This, Mr.. Hal
believes, changed his whole career
But for that he would have been re
elected to congress- and then advance
to the senate. He would never hay
been the apostle of populism
Some Caucus Juggling.
Fl Another instance was the secon
election of Ramsey. He had jus
2 votes enough in the caucus, and o
another ballot would have lost some q
them. AS a precaution the Ramse
men had adopted red ballots. On
member pasted a Wilkinson "sticker
on Ramsey ballot, but 1t came O.
in the box and the vote was counte
for Ramsey This vote elected him
A glance is given at the early ris
, of Colonel w. P. Clough, now Pres
dent Hills lieutenant in the Norther
Securities company. On behalf of hi
city of Rochester, Colonel Cloug
argued the first case involving tn
:, right Of the state to regulate railroa
rates. The point was established be
,, fore the supreme court, and Colont
Clough was next thing a railroa
!, attorney.
A grave fault in Mr.. Halls book
its tumble of chapters. It does ne