The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1907-10-19
oLETTE IS CAPITAL COUP
Dr.. w. W. Folwell Relates Incident
I OF Territorial Days. i, ....

From ST. Peter Herald
!. AZ the first OF the series Of meet
ings Of the Mems club OF the Episco.
pal church, DR., Wy F'olwelI of the
! University OF Minnesota, was the
speaker. He talked on Minnesota in
Territorial Days" relating Incidents OF
the early history Of the commonwealth
IN an interesting manner; and closing
his lecture by describing the attempt
to remove the capital from St. Paul,
Said, he: "The city Of st. Peter, laid
out adjacent to Traverse des$ Sioux,
aspired to become the capitol Of the
state. The st. Peter Company with
GOV. German at it's heal, had been
organized, and had submitted a prop
osition to donate suitable site and
erect a capitol building thereon.
"The bill was passed through both
houses by majorities not large. but
so compact and resolute that no
amount Of fillibustering could dimin-
1sh them. Even members from St.
Anthony voted down motion to place
the capitol on Nicollet Island. The
citizens Of st. Paul We're naturally
excited. They believed the capitol
belonged to their city, and they were
resolved to hold it there The bill
which had passed was a senate or
council bill, and it belonged to the
council to have it duly engrossed and
enrolled for the Governors signature.
!. I'm the ordinary course the bill went
to the committee on enrolment. Now
the chairman Of that committee was
Joe Rolette French half breed trader
at Pembina, son of one Of those who
became British captains in the war
Of 1912. Counsellor Rolette was will
ing to crafty his friends from Ram
sey county and keep the capitol on it's
foundations.
Mr.. Rolette took his time about re-
porting the bill g.. F.. 62), as correct
~ enrolled, Ten days passed and no
bill. Ba1combe, leader of the st. Peter
lot owners, moved that the committee
Saturday, Feb. %. An opponent
moved a call Of the house which was
ordered. Counselor Rolette was alb
sent. A motion was made to suspend
the call. Now, under the rules of the
council 1t took a two-thirds vote to
carry that motion. The yeas were 9,
not two-thirds of Is.
Under the organic law of the ter
r1tory the sixty day session was to
expire at midnight of the following
Saturday. All business blocked, the
council sat there till noon Thursday,
123 hours, cots and meals being
brought in. A truce was then agreed
to and the weary senators got a nights
rest In their lodgings. but the call of
the house remained in operation till
the last hour Of the session. All this
time Rolette was absent It was
reported that he had gone off to
Pembina with his dog team. The
sergeant-at-arms ranged the town
with demonstrative activity, to arrest
the absent counselor and bring him
forward to account for his conduct. It
is now known that Mr. Rolette was
spending his time in great comfort il.
retired part of the Fuller House and
that the. bill was locked in the safe
OF a certain st. Paul bank.
A."As the clock was about to strike
the midnight hour in the council
chamber, the door opened, Counselor
Rolette stepped In, and to his desk
and began, Mr.. President but got no
further. Down came Brisbin's eavel
with whack, as he shouted: The
council is adjourned; on are too late.
Mr.. Counsellor" s.r-.
And the people otzst. Paul have not
vet built 'aa'onu5ps sat tpsJ los RoIette.s''
sos Toncoats now 81 e. TX !: stFit1,a1ls,,