The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-04-18
CLASH OVER CAPITOL
Bill Retaining It In Hands of Capitol
Commission Passed Over Veto.

Inc sensational feature OF the ses-
sion was Governor johnson IS veto of
capitol building in the hands Of the
old building commission during the en-
suing two years, and the caucuses of
republican members which resulted in
passing the bill over the Veto" This
incident first raised real party issue,
and while republicans in both houses
refused to obey the crack of the whip,
1T carried the bill thru and branded it
as party measure. -
The Horton bill, s. F. 4, was intro
duced one Of the first days of the SEES
sion by Senator Hitler H. Horton, who
for several sessions had been looking
after capitol matters for the commits
sion. The bill continued the commits
sion IN charge of the building without
thpx ag a time for turning it oyer, gave
for running It, and authop G;e9o ons seo Of
the commission to be selected as resi-
dent custodian at $4,000 a year. The
author of the bill worked it thru the
senate under suspension of the rules
at q SHINY attended Monday evening
session, as an emergency measure, p
but it was nearly three months before
It finally became law, in much altered
had been taken care Of in the passage
appropriating $4,000 to paw expenses
of running the building. -
The press, and people Of the state
gave the bill a hostile reception, and
the sentiment Of the house was decided
y hostile. The committee on public
majority recommending a substitute
bill by w. Fl. Putnam, giving the build
ing into the hands Of the governor after
| Aug. J.. A minority recommended the
Horton bill with amendments striking
out the $4,000 sinecure and providing
that supplies should be purchased by
| the board OF control. r. L. Mork re-
commission of state officers. All Bills
were put on general orders together.
The Ramsey republican members
dropped everything else and worked for
! the Horton bill. As a result, the Put
nam bill was tabled by the narrow vote
Of 81 to 81, and the Horton bill rec
commended to pass. 1t had been
to $4,000 and to compel the building
to be turned over to the governor after
two years. Whatever the motive for
this amendment, it had the look of a
deliberate attempt to cut out the dem
ocratic governor during his term, and
made the bill appear worse than ever
The appropriations committee restored
| mouse
then passed the bill by a large vote
The senate accepted the house amend
| ments. zs
March 81 Governor johnson sent 8
! sharp veto message to the senate. HI
declared that the bill carried the as
sumption that the present governor was
incompetent to manage the building h.
occupied, as all governors had done IL
the past. The capitol commission wa.
created to construct the building anC
not to administer it, and the bill wa.
calculated to defer the completion Of
the building, because it provided that
if finished within two years, it SHOULD
be turned over.
The Ramsey republicans took tw'
days to get things in shape, and sue
ceeded with the aid of trade on tn,
sity, and by other deals, in getting tn,
necessary vote. A senate caucus wa
called at noon March 80, attended b,
, forty-six senators, who agreed to vot,
for the bill, with the exception Of G. "A
Johnson, from the governor 8 town O.
st. Peter. Only forty-two votes wer
necessary to a choice. Next mornin.
the senate passed the bill 46 to IS, tw,,
republicans, Naeseth and Wood, votin,
with the eleven democrats to sustain
the governor. house caucus was hel,
that day at noon, attended by 81 O
!. the 10S republicans. An attempt t.
force the unit rule was given up and Of
a vote 20 agreed to support the. bill, L
voting against it and not voting. A
it took so votes to pass the bill, tn
, leaders were nervous. The point wa
raised that 1t took only uwo-thirds O
) those voting to pass bill over the veto
+ This was referred to the attorney gen
/ eral, who overruled it. Those absen
: from the caucus were seen, and at til
s afternoon session, just after the pas
/ sage of the Perley bill, the Ramse
i members called no the veto MESA 81