Morris tribune., 1907-03-02
PASSED AS IT DASHED PAST
The House Precedent For NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
Danger of Woodchucks.
[By LYNN HA1sEs, St. Paul Correspondent

By LYNN HAINEs, S
st. Paul, Feb. %.
It should not be asserted that the
House was intoxicated at the last
Thursday session, as one perplexed
person limited. But there is room for
the suggestion that its entire intellec-
tuality lapsed for a few short seconds,
even tho the cause is matter OF mys-
terry. For half hour its behavior
was hysterical, to say the least. After
six weeks of studied deliberation, the
character and conduct of the Minne-
sofa House of Commons suddenly be-
came changed and two very important
bills were passed under suspension of
the rules. These measures were the
proposed law establishing farm ma
chinery plant at the state peniten-
tiary and a. two-cent fare bill.
The two-cent fare bill was railroad
ed thru at q speed of about ninety
miles an hour. 1t came directly from
the railroad committee and was trav-
cling so astonishingly fast that it
hardly slowed up while passing the
house. The bill was read as it dashed
by, but there were no printed copies
for the members to weigh and con-
slider. The rules were suspended and
it was all over in the twinkling of an
eye. A two-cent fare bill had been
approved by the house and as this
reality dawned upon the amazed
members there were cheers and hearty
hand-clapping. ALI realized that
something great has been accomplish
ed, they hardly knew how.
What was the occasion for such
feverish haste? The law, as proposed
in this bill, was not a matter of inn
perative and instant necessity. It
was not to become operative until
May first. In view of this fact could
the hysterical haste of the House be
justified on the ground that the meas
ure was of supreme importance? Was
that not reason rather for regular
routine deliberatien?
The question naturally arises; were
the foolish friends or the designing
enemies of railroad reform RESPONSE
ble for the wild flight of the bill thru
the house2 Let us briefly review the
preliminaries. Earlier in the session
four different two-c fare bills were
introduced and placed in the haIrds e1
the railroad committee for consider
alton and report. So much time was
given to public hearings by this COM
mittee that several members became
impatient at the delay and an attempt
was made to recall all the bills bear.
ing on this subject and create a new
committee to consider them and re.
port back to the house the best bill Of
the four, or a redraft embodying the
better features of them all. The OBJ
.ject of this move was not so much to
cast discredit upon the railroad eon-
mittee as to insure speedSer action. A
great majority Of the members were
uncompromisingl in favor of this
measure and were honestly anxious tt
pass the bill and thus satisfy the gesl'
eral demand for its enactment.
But the attempt to supersede thu
railroad committee with specla
committee was ost in compromise
move by which the House instructed
the railroad comalittee TO report back
a two-cent fare bill within five days
: Then followed some stormy session.
of that committee, which can only be
interpreted to mean that it's member.
ship was not agreed on this phase o.
railroad reform. A Subcommittee
was finally created without consulting
the chairman, 70 redraft a two eeli
fare bill 80 be reported back "witi
the recommendation that the same dc
pass" All This was accomplished
with surprising eelerity. On Thurs.
day morning, just after the regular
House session opened, the railroad
committee was called together anG
adopted the work of its sub, com.
mittee.
Immediately folloying this commit
tee meeting the House convened and
the redrafted two-cent fare bill was
placed before that body. When its
Introduction and approval by the rail.
road committee were announced q
motion was made to make the bill q
special order for certain day, upon
which final action should be taken
- Then arose discussion as to what
day it should be taken up. The sug.
gestion was made that the house
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