The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1909-01-08
MINNESOTA
j LEGISLATURE
ThIrty-sIxth Session Is For
! maI|y Opened. -
ROCKNE IS ELECTED SPEAKER

ROCKNE IS ELECTED SPEAKER
Zumbrota Man Chosen to Preside Over
the Deliberations of the House-Ver.
non of St. Paul Elected Chief Clerk
Of the House and Peachey of owa-
tonna Secretary of the senate-Only
One New Member Of the Senate
Sworn In.
st. Paul, Jan. 6.-The thirty-sixth
session of the Minnesota legislature
has been formally opened. The open
ing session was, as is customary, de-
voted to making permanent the or
ganization agreed upon in caucus.
The occasion was without any special
ceremony.
In the house julius Schmahl, secre-
tary Of state, welded the gavel, while
the senate was called to order by It's
regular presiding office, Lieutenant
Governor A. O. Eberhart. Justice
Brown of the supreme court admins
tered the oath of Office to the 119
members in the house. In the senate
Chief Justice Start swore in the one
new member, George French of WI
mona, who succeeds Senator Patrick
Fitzpatrick, deceased.
Capitol officers and employees and
the wives of the members were the
principal spectators at the opening.
The galleries were reserved for them
and invited guests. The third
house." which promises to De a fea'
ture Of the session, was also in evil
dence.
The first bill to be introduced will
be one appropriating money for legis-
lative expenses, but it will not likely
be heard from before Thursday. The
house and senate committees will be
announced then by the two presiding
officers.
Proceedings in the Senate.
In the senate everything went with
clock-like precision and the slate was
elected in accordance with the slate
previously prepared. Chief Justice
Charles M. Start administered the
oath of Office to Lieutenant Governor
"A. o. Eberhart and the senate elected
Senator George R. I.aybourn of Du-
luth as secretary pro tenn.
The oath of Office was then admin
istered to George D. French, the only
new senator, by Chief Justice Start.
Prayer was offered by the chaplain,
Rev. B. B. Jonsson of Minneota.
The officers elected by the senate
are:
Secretary, George w. Peachey, Owa-
tonna; first assistant secretary, w. A.
simonton, GIenwood; second assis-
tant secretary, J. H. Mitchell, st.
Paul; third assistant secretary, L. L.
lngebretson, Albert Lea; fourth assis-
tant secretary, E. Nyquist, Mankato;
enrolling clerk, George M. Landon, st.
Paul; engrossing clerk, E. A. Nelson,
Hallock; sergeant-at-arms, James H.
Eye, Minneapolis; assistant sergeant
alarms, Ira Padden, Austin; chaplain,
Rev. B. B. Jonsson, Lyon county. En-
rloyes of the senate were appointed
by a resolution introduced by George
r. Laybourn, Duluth.
The work of organization was then
completed by the appointment of the
various committees.
It was few minutes past the noon
hour when Secretary of State julius
H. Schmahl called the members of the
house to order. He selected John T.
Lennon Of Hennepin county for tenn
porary clerk. Justice Brown of the
supreme court appeared and proceed
ed to administer the oath of office to
the members who were sworn in by
districts.
The gallery was crowded with spec
tators, which included few women.
Predicts Busy Session.
Mr.. Schmah1 made few remarks In
which he congratulated the members
on their election. He predicted that
the present session would be busy
one and suggested that the house get
down to business Immediately. Nomi-
nations for speaker of the house were
called for
George Mckenzie Of Gaylord pre-
sented the name of A. J. Rockne of
Zumbrota. Thomas J. Brady Of St.
Paul nominated James Handlan of st.
Paul. He was the choice of the Demo
cratic representatives..
The result of the roll call showed
that there had been a strict party
vote. Mr.. Rockne received 90 votes
and Mr.. Handlan Fl. There are TWEEN
ty-two Democrats in the house, and
the Democratic nominee did not vote
Mr.. Rockne was sworn in by Mr.
Schmahl. The speaker thanked the
members for the honor accorded him
The rest of the session was occupied
In the election of the other house! en-
p1oyes.
The off GERS of the house are:
Speaker, A. J. Rockne, Zu,nbrota
chief clerk, A. H. Vernon, st. Paul;
first assistant chief clerk, Oscar Arne
son, Grant county; second assistant
chief clerk, F. L. Austin, st. Louis;
Isergeant-at-arms, B. F. Siez; assistant
\sergeant-at-arms, G. H. Deans, st
Louis; postmaster, Sidney J. Huntley
Fillmore; assistant postmaster, N. @
,,Erdahl, Faribault; enrolling clerk, C
Sheldon, Morrison; engrossing clerk