Morris tribune., 1908-12-19
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1908.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1908.
Governor Johnson is reported to have said
that he will veto any bill to repeal or materially
change the primary law Ii he does So ne will
act only in the interest of the Democratic party,
for no observing person can give any reason
for further continuing the present primary law,
. which experience has demonstrated to be
piece of humbuggery.
$
The proposition to amend the rules by
which the house of representatives is governed
4 was defeated in the house on Tuesday and the
whole matter of limiting the speakers power
has been killed for this session. Several Min
nesota congressman, including Mr.. Volstead,
voted with the members were trying to
have the rules amended. The greatest diff
Guilty encountered in trying to amend the house
rules is not SO much the opposition of Speaker
Cannon and his friends, as it is the whole sys
tenn of congressional procedure. So long as
the speaker is elected by the house and ap
points the committees he will have great
authority second only to that of the president
rules rules.
The following card, made into blotter,
signed by dozen grocery firms OF Delaware
Ohio, was scattered by the thousands and prov
ed very effective in campaign which was vic
torious: Anyone who drinks three glasses OF
!, whiskey day for year and pays ten cents
drink for it can have in exchange at any OF
the firms whose names appear on this card, 3
barrels of flour, 20 bushels of potatoes, 200
pounds of granulated sugar barrel of crack
of of
pounds of salt 20 pounds of rice, so pounds of
butter, 10 pounds of candy dozen cans toma-
: toes 10 dozen pickles, 10 dozen oranges, 10
bushels bananas, 2 dozen cans cern, Is boxes
of matches, Il bushel beans, 1000 cakes soap,
II packages rolled oats for the same money and
get $15 80 premium for making the change in
his expenditures.
Another instance where the primary sys-
,tem falls short is illustrated in the contest for
sheriff in Yellow Medicine county, where the
defeated candidate at the primaries is elected at
the general election. Mr.. Snortum was the
regular nominee and his name appeared on the
/, ballot at the general election, while Mr., HON
me, the defeated primary candidate, was barred
at the election. To overcome this the friends
of Homn1e were provided with stickers bearing
his name which they pasted over the name OF
the regular nominee their ballot. So we'll
did the plan work that the reports are that he
has won out at the election altho his name did
mot appear on the ballot While this is only
another proof that the people rule it is also
proof that the primary system needs fixing A
nomination is but of little value and the hold
ing of the primaries conside rabe of farce if
defeated candidates also become candidates
at the general election. Why not make the re-
suit at the primaries final cut it out entirely?
Cottonwood Current.
The Minnesota railroad and warehouse
commission have completed their valuation OF
the railroad properties of Minnesota, and it is
said that according to one basis of figuring, the
value of the properties exceeds the capitaliza-
ton, and that at any rate the valuation is a
disappointment to Attorney General Young, on
account of the bearing the report will have on
the outcome of the suits over the commodity
rate bill The commission has not made it's re-
port yet but when it does, the report will pro-
badly be the best basis for railroad rates that
could be obtained, irrespective of whether or
not it agrees with previously conceived notions
IF the state cannot accept the valuation made
by it's own commission, then it better go out OF
the valuation business.