The Sauk Centre herald., 1909-04-08
A WOMAN IN OFFICE
Provision to Make Her an Assistant
to the State Commissioner
of Labor Passes
CASS LAKE WINS OUT
Representative MCGarry'S Bill for a
Normal School Passes by
One Majority
( special to The Herald)

Especial TO The Herald
ST. PAUL, April Tt rarely hap
pens that speech is made that
changes votes, Representative Wells
made one Of that kind the other day,
however. The bill up for considera-
ion was a labor measure, and for
some reason labor measures and labor
leaders are unpopular in the house and
are liable to get the worst of it if op-
portunity offers. This measure pro-
vided for the establishment of an as
sIstant commissioner of labor, who is
to be a woman. to exercise a general
supervision over stores and factories
in which women and children are en-
ployed. There had been no debate
prior to the bill being put upon its
final passage, and by the time Wells
name, which is near the bottom of the
list, was reached it looked very much
as if there would not be enough votes
to carry it. An opportunity was af-
forded him to speak in explanation of
his vote when his name was called
and he made use of it to make all ap-
peal for the bill. 81 had hoped" he
began, "that every member of this
house would vote for this bill, as am
sure they would if they appreciated
the conditions which exist 1.-THE temp
ations to which girls are Subjected
wien they come to the cities, and the
pn:pose of the bill" He then went
or TO refer to the work which was be-
ing done by philanthropic people for
friendless girls in providing homes
where they might live at minimum
of expense and made pathetic refer
ence to those who had fallen by the
wayside. ''Are you aware" he asked
the country members, "that only
few blocks from here, almost within
the shadow of the dome of the capitol,
there are seventeen girls, farmers
daughters, who have been rescued
from a life of shame and are cared for
at the Salvation Army home? Think
of the thousands of others who are Ii
able to be betrayed. Think too of the
tens Of thousands of children who are
reported by truant officers as not at
tending schools and who are being led
into vice and crime. | tell you," he
concluded, ''we cannot throw too
many safeguards about the women
who come to the cities to work for a
living. hope you will vote for this
bill, which authorizes the state to en-
ploy women to help to look after their
welfare" AS soon as Mr.. Wells sat
down dozen members were on their
feet asking that their vote be changed
from no to aye. Mr.. Wells speech
nnquestionably saved the bill.
The agony is over. The legislature
has decided by the majority of sim
gle vote to establish normal school
at Cass Lake. No measure introduc-
ed into the legislature at this session,
not even the tonnage tax bill, has been
more bitterly fought. For none has
there been so active and so persistent
a lobby. While it is probably true
that no member was paid to vote for
it the amount OF money spent in one
way or another to make friends for it
must have run into thousands of dol
lars. Its author, Mr.. McGarry, has
worked for it untiringly. He came to
St. Paul in November to begin to
make friends for Cass Lake, and he
never let up. He enlisted the steel
trust people, and early concluded that
it would be good policy forhim to cap
ture the vote controlled by the brew
ers' combine. He cultivated the ac-
quaintance Of the members, and, be-
ing one Of the best fellows in the
world, won the support, of a score of,
members or more who thought it alb
surd to locate a normal school at Cass
Lake, but who voted for the measure
purely and simply because they liked
McGarry. And it wasn't McGarry on
ly. Mr.. McGarry has a daughter who
is house employe, and the members
tell me she is as much of politician.