The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1907-02-06
HOME FOR GOVERNOR
PROPOSITION AGAIN BEFORE THE
STATE LEGISLATURE.


Control Of Capitol Patronage to Re-
main With Republicans If Bill Just
introduced Becomes Law-Great
Falling Off in Reform Measures.
st. Paul, Jan. 29.-Erer since the
hew capitol was erected there has
been more or less talk of buying a
building to be used as a residence for
the governor and the house has this
winter authorized committee to in
vestigate and report on the PROPOSE
ton, though it is doubtful whether
anything Is done beyond receiving
the report The salary of the gov
ernor used to be 81 800 year. Some
twenty-five or thirty years ago, when
Governor Marshall was the executive,
a bill was passed giving him $1,000 or
$500 for house rent This was con-
tinued for several years and then the
salary was made $4,000 and the house
rent dropped The legislature has
been looking with longing eyes at the
fine residence of the late John L. Mer-
riam,. just back of the new capitol.
with the end in view OF some time
purchasing it for the governors resi-
dence, | do not know what it would
cost, but it is a large and fine resi-
dence and probably could not be OBJ
tanned for less than 100000
Two years ago there was squabbIe
as to who should select the scrub
women and caretakers of the capitol
In the natural order of things this
little erumb of patronage would have
fallen to the governor, but, horror OF
korrorsr Democrat was governor
and the Republican legislature could
not bear to think of allowing this pat
ronage to slip from the clutches Of
their party. There were still some
finishing touches to be put on the
building and so the plan was devised
of continuing the old commission
which had erected the building and
allow the1@ to employ the scrub wo-
men and caretakers. This led to the
introduction and passage of a bill eN-
tending the life of the commission to
March 80, 1907, at which time it was
said that the building would fall into
the hands Of the governor. There was
to be another election in the interven-
ing time and the Republicans fondly
hoped that the governor at that time
would be a Republican.
Hope to Retain Patronage.
The election came and Governor
Johnson (Democrat) was reelected
by the largest majority any governor
Of the state ever received. Under
these circumstances the present lesis-
lature is confronted with the danger
Of seeing this enormous patronage go
over to the Democratic party Such a
grave danger as this calls for heroic
measure Of relief and accordingly a
bill has been introduced making a
new commission composed of the gov
ernor, secretary of state and state
treasurer, to take charge of both the
old and new capitols. They could not
quite ignore the governor entirely and
SO his name heads the new commits
sion, but as there are two Republicans
to one Democrat named it looks as ii
the Republicans would still retain this
grand distribution of patronage. It is
quite probable that said bill will be.
come a law, unless the governor
should 1nterpose another veto, which,
in view of SO many Republicans vot-
ing for Governor Johnson last Novem-
Der, is not very probable, though it is
possible
The senate certainly seems to be in
no mood to antagonfze the governor.
On Monday the governor notified the
senate that he had appointed p NJ
Ringdahl on the board of control to
succeed the late Judge Gould On
Tuesday the senate took up the ques-
ton of confirmation in open session.
though such, things are usually con
s1dered In executive session. There
was no dissenting voice and the con-
frmation was made unanimously This
shows a cordialfty between a Demo
cratic governor and a Republican sen
ate which is beautiful to behold, and
still, before April, when the legisla-
ture expires, these relations may be-
come strained; but brotherly love, re-
gardless of politics. starts in well,
even Ii it does not last
End tor Flood of Reform Bills.
| called attention in previous let
ter to the torrent OF reform which has
broken loose to regulate railroads and
all other corporations and the multi
tude OF bills introduced on these sub
jects and predicted that the furore
might not be lasting 1t was most too
furious to continue. There are already
indications that my prediction was
timely Mr.. Hills frequent public ut
terances claiming that the demands
of business are overtaxing the facil- 4
Hies of the railroad and that large
sums of money are required to build
more tracks, while in business circles +
money is difficult to secure because