The Saint Paul globe., 1905-02-02
LAY MEMBERS STIR
Up LIVELY DEBATE
Belated Code Ca uses Some
Heated Discussion I'm
House

A ]. Rockne's point of order saved
the house yesterday from a count of
noses on the procedure 10 obtain in
the houses treatment of the statute
revision code.
The lay members of the house were
prepared to force to a vote 3 d. Pc
terson's resolution calling ON the as
signment of the chapters of the code
TO twelve committees of the house, of
which two members of the judiciary
committee should be on each commit
tee. The Judiciary committee had an
tcipated the storm, and had reported
10 the house twelve chapters of the
code with the amendments offered by
that committee. The amendment were
ordered printed in the house journal
that members might compare the
amendments with the original chapters
OF the code. But the laymen were not
satisfied.
G. w. Armstrong, of Hennepin, had
attempted to make speech in oppo-
sition to the procedure by which the
mousse was waiting for the reports on
the code, but he had been ruled out of
order by n. F. Hugo, the speaker pro
tenn, and w. B. Anderson, chairman of
nlZed TO report progress on the code
oy his committee. Mr.. Anderson re-
ported chapters 2, 3, II. IS, 20. %. "a.
40, 40, 51, 81 and 110, with amendments
TO the chapters. Mr.. Anderson decIar-
ed that there was nothing to prevent
the house from passing bills not affect
ing the code
Armstrong Talks Out
G. w. Armstrong exhorted the house
10 get down to work. ''-f we are here
Tor "a purpose, let us find out what that
purpose it," he said. 1.-TWO years ago.
under an organization that was
stencil in the nostrils of so many good
people, we accomplished things Is
the revision to take up the entire ses-
sion? If we have got to revise and
codlty, as it seems We must, il will
take up all our time. / have received
letters and protests as to the chapter
on municipal courts. 1 haven't time to
investigate all the special laws affect
ed. ! have not received a large salary
for this work"
the Peterson resolution, and this was
w. z. Roberts cue TO rebuke the lay
members who had found fault with
the Judiciary committee. He charged
that the lay members had not accept
ed invitations to meet the subcommit-
tees and to make suggestions.
The members of the subcommittee
are working hard.' the Minneapolis
lawyer shouted. They are putting in
full days work and now you want to
add to their labors by making them at
tend the meeting of the house subcom-
mittees. How much work would we
do If we had half dozen men who do
not know anything about law buzzing
around The revision code will be
worth million dollars to the state in
i've years, if adopted. This is worth
more than all other considerations. But
don't play baby. Quit growing and
help the subcommittee"
Denies the Insinuation
Mr.. Peterson declined to be consid-
cred in the baby class, and insisted
that every committee was entitled to
the same consideration given the jul
dietary committee. He charged that
the judiciary committee had not kept
Its promise to invite cooperation of
other members.
w. A. Nolan took issue with the ju-
dietary committee that it had EXTEND
ed a general invitation to the laymen
to participate in the code consideration.
THE committee had said we have got
this code in hand and are competent
TO handle it 1t is now the fifth week
of the session and we want TO go to
work. We don't want to stop their
work. but We want to accomplish some
thing"
A. ]. Rockne raised the point of order
hands of the judiciary there was moth
ing before the house for discussion.
w. b. Anderson made an impassiOned
speech for the judiciary committee. He
said the code was a work of great
magnitude and could not be reported
out in a week or ten days. The COM
mitteemen had worked night and day
and had given up all their private
business and abandoned their families.
Il am willing you should have the code.
but 1 can't understand the motive of
these attacks on the committee" he
said, and promised TO be able to report
the entire code within a week.
The speaker sustained the Rockne
point of order and shut off debate when
dozen members were on their feet
striving for recognition.
Problem Is Solved
Burdette .Thayer offered a resolution
calling on the standing committees to
report out the bills now in their pos
session. His resolution was regarded
as a counter-irritant to the Peterson
resolution. A few moments Litter Mr..
Peterson sent substitute resolution
to the desk, calling on the judiciary
committee to distribute among the
standing committees of the house the
chapters reported, but that the judi
ciary should retain possession of the
code. Mr.. Anderson promptly accepted
the resolution and il was passed unani-
mously. 1t was regarded as a fOrtu-
nate solution of what promised to be a
showdown contest between the factions
in the house.
The judiciary committee will report
fifteen chapters of the code, with
amendments, to the house this morn
ing