The Sauk Centre herald., 1909-02-18
Secretary of State Argues Against
the Law at the Banquet OF the
Lincoln Club
WANTS IT ABOLISHED
Oar Reese, the Eloquent Spellbinder
of Ramsey County, Backs Him
in this Demand
Especial to The Herald)

ST. PAUL, Feb. 1.-THE expected
has happened. A bill has been intro
duced in the legislature which pro-
yides for the repeal of the primary
election law. Hon. J. F. Calhoun of
Minneapolis is the father of the meas
ure and the senate is the forum where
it will be debated. Mr.. Calhoun in
troduced his bill last week. What
will be done with it is question, but
the measure will undoubtedly find
some supporters. The chief argument
now being used against the primary
law is that it disrupts party organiza-
tion. This argument was advanced
by Hon. Julius A. Schmahl, secretary
of state, at the Lincoln Club banquet
last Friday night. In his address Mr..
Schmahl is reported to have said:
"a bill has been introduced by Sem
ator Calhoun of Minneapolis for the
repeal of the primary law, and l would
advise that all you republican men,
bers of the legislature present vote
for it. That law / pronounce the
greatest disorganizer of the party
that has ever found it's way upon the
statute books of Minnesota. Repeal
the entire law and give us return OF
representative government. II you
have the same manhood that was In
the heart of the great emancipator
the republican legislature will place
before the democratic governor bill
embodying the principles of Abraham
Lincoln"
The silver-tongued "Dar" Reese of
Ramsey county, well known in repub-
lican political circles all over the
state, backed up Mr.. Schmahl's con-
tention in the following language:
81 am in favor of representative
government but am also in favor OF
party government, for that is neces-
sary. We have for three terms elect
ed democrat governor, and l hope
the patriotism of Minnesota will see
to it that ahis never happens again.
We must have a return to system
which will permit of actual party
government"
What is known as the tri-county
delegation is combine of the repre-
sentatives of st. Paul, Minneapolis and
Duluth which has been regularly or
>ganized and has stated meetings os-
tensibly for the purpose of considering
legislation supposed to affect only the
cities mentioned. Such an organiza-
tion, however, affords the representa-
tives an opportunity of getting to-
gether and outlining program for
their mutual benefit which in point Of
fact they do. For instance st. Paul
wants a half million dollars for capi-
tol approaches and nearly as much for
improvements at the State fair.
Minneapolis wants something over a
million for the State university.
Both are interested in the proposed
appropriation of 800, 900 to advertise
the state" and of this it may be said
that the program seems now to be to
keep it in the background and spring
it on the omnibus appropriation bill.
The one object of the st. Louis coun-
ty members to which they subordi-
nate everything else is the defeat in
the interest of the steel trust, from
which they appear to hold special
commission of the tonnage tax. The
necessary log-rolling naturally ensues,
and having agreed on these common
purposes, it can readily be seen what
q lever the combine affords to bring
pressure to bear to. compel the consent
of representatives of other constitu-
encies to their program.
Supposing some members outside the
combine has set his heart upon the
passage of some particular measure,
which nearly all of them have. He
has canyassed the house. He finds
sentiment generally favorable to it,
but the tri-county delegation is un-
certain; as it is generally found to be.
If they act together, his bill goes to