The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1907-01-24

What the - do we care?'
The above refrain vociferously shout
ed forth, greeted my ears in gather
ing place in the Sanity City the first
day of this week. 1 will not name
the place, but will simply say it was
not church. The gang is here, but
it would be manifestly unfair to
characterize this legislature as a
"gang." I have been present at every
legislative session ever held in Mime
sofa except the first and fourth, aud
1 never saw so many earnest, honest,
men in the body as there is in the
present one. Men who at heart are
with the people; men who are anxious
to be "square" in all things. But
there is a "gang" of professionals
also, and while they are in the minor
ity, politics with them is a science
and legislation fine art. The liquor
interests, the railroad interests and
the corporation interests generally are
on the ground with the sinews of war.
They have adopted new line of &C.
ton this year. They are not trying
to get any additional favorable legis-
lation, but they are going to move
heaven, earth and Minneapolis to pre-
vent any remedial legislation being
enacted. A mastery campaign of
inactivity will be inaugurated. A
stragetic effort of multiplicity, divi-
sion, Reorganization, delay and
silence will be followed. All new
members will be approached by agents
who will quietly inform them that they
are statesmen and that it is their duty
to introduce bills on all important
subjects and to fight for them and
not let the "little fellows" steal their
thunder. If they can get dozen bills
introduced on every important subject
and get every man fighting for his
own bill and against all other then
their game is won. The first play
has been made by the brewers and
liquor men. They are MORALLY afraid
of county option, and they have reason
to be. l am not believer in county
option myself for reasons that may
state in future letters, but l am we'll
enough posted on the subject to know
that if the question we're submitted to
the voters of this state that it would
get larger majority than Governor
Johnson received. Governor Johnson
ignored the question in his message.
The Governor in his voluminous
communication recommended every
thing which everybody. was for with a
vigorosity that was something fierce,
but on the county option question,
the reapportionment question, and
other questions upon which the people
of the state are radically divided, his
silence was so dense that you could
cut it up into blocks and use it for
building material. The Governor is
the champion trimmer of the age. If
the "new approaches" to the capitol
were all completed and were paved
with eggs Governor John could walk
the entire length OF them shod in a
pair of Lumber Jack "corked" boots
without cracking a shell. Some fool
ish republican members trying to put
the Governor in a hole introduced a
resolution calling for a special mes
sage on the subject. While the Gov
ernor is a trimmer, he also knows
how to play the game of politics.
The legislature is liable to get the
message. 1t will not be as long as
his first one. 1t will read like this:
Gentlemen of the Minnesota legisla-
ture, county option is up to you. If
you don't know what to do on this
question without asking me you better
60 home. 1t is up to you to pass the
bill and 1 will sign it," Should such
a message be sent in, and it is liable
to be, it would be amusing to see the
members who tried to put John into
a hole, crawl into appertures and close
the entrance.