The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1907-03-13
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR LEWIS.

IN
Few officers of the state have made
a better record IN the execution of
their duties than has Lieutenant
Governor Lewis in the discharge of
his, as presiding officer of the state. 1t
is true that in the majority of cases
an election to that position means the
political death of the one who is so
elected. But in this instance it will
be found that the election of Lieu
tenant Governor Lewis will be some
thing like the election of Garrett A
Hobart as the candidate for the vice
presidency in the first Mckinley CAM
paign. 1t will be remembered that
though he had never been in public
life prior to his selection for the Sec
ond place on the republican ticket
he proved himself to be one Of the
wisest and safest counselors of his
party and of the nation and on many
occasions he was the diplomatic and
successful agent for the solving of
the difficult and perplexing problems
which confronted the first few years
of the administration in which he held
the second place.
Mr.. Lewis came to the position with
no boasts nor no promises and when
he assumed the gayel on the eighth
of January he was as much untram-
meled as any man could possibly be.
was no easy one. He was the pre-
siding officer of a body composed Of
not only different political parties but
of party factions all bent on secur-
ing every advantage possible. Out of
this confusion it was necessary to so
develop sentiment Of friendliness
and good will that the public inter-
ests would not suffer. In the ap-
pointment of the committees and in
a dozen other instances the good judg-
ment and tact as we'll as the d.
plomacy of the presiding officer of
the highest legislative body Of the
state carried the members along in
a path so smooth that when the ses-
sion closed there were no scars, no
unkind feelings, no bitter envyings.
Much of the ease and rapidity with
which the work; was done was due
to the splendid ability of the presid-
ing officer. His unerring judgment,
his comprehensive knowledge of par
liamentary practice and procedure
and his alertness all combined to give
him mastery of the situation at all
times that kept the body over which
he was presiding in the very highes,
condition for work, and enabled it
to make better progress than would
have been possible had other methods
been in vogue in the chair.
He harmonized the differences be.
tween the members when such differ
ences came, and the confidence of the
members in his fairness as we'll as
their respect for him personally. en-
abled him to do more in this par
ticular than could any other man have
done.
That these things had their effect
upon the senate's deliberations is evil
denced by the character of the legis-
lation which came from that body.
Its work was not hastily, not care
lessly done, and the differences OF
opinion among the members on the
more important matters of legisla-
ton were fought out in committees
and by personal conferences, so that
when the measures reached the SEN
ate there was little to do except to
formally call the roll and record their
judgment.
The lieutenant governor being a
disinterested party could we'll seek
to accomplish compromises which the
members themselves could not do and
which they in many instances were
not disposed to do. 1t was such COM
promises which gave the senate its
record for careful consideration of
all the measures which came before
it as we'll as the serious investigation
which marked every deliberation.
There was not a member of the SEN
ate who did not leave Bismarck with
q profound esteem for the presiding
O6lcer and high opinion of his abil-
fly as a public official. He has made
q record OF which he may we'll be