Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1909-03-20

compelled to retain Mr.. Leavitt in of
fee, and everyone knows that he has
said he wouldn't reappoint him. And
that's the rub, and the whole rub.
Everybody knows that no charges
could be preferred against Mr.. Leavitt
that any impartial tribunal would Sc
riously consider. All that ever was
the matter with him was that he OPP
posed with all his might extravaganza
on the board of control, the appoint
ment by it of unnecessary officials and
the making of it political machine.
While these are sufficient reasons in
the eyes of the executive for ousting
a veteran from Office they would be
but little likely to appeal either to a
non partisan commission Or a commits
sion, a majority of whose members
are Republicans. And that's all there
is to the row, but it's a very pretty
one as it stands.
Is the legislative combine in danger
of being shattered? It looks that way.
The Cass Lake normal school scheme,
which was part of its program, strain
ed it to the very verge of the break
ing point. The Armour controversy
is punching it full of holes. The insist
ence on the passage of legislation in
the interest of the liquor people, such
as the bill permitting twin city clubs
to sell liquor without license and
the bin extending the time saloons
may be kept open in st. Paul, Mime
apolis and Duluth to twelve O'Clock,
has made country members of the
combine FESTIVE. And now comes
the bill providing that electric roads
shall be subject to the supervision of
the railroad and warehouse commits
sion to create new breaches in the
ranks of twin city members.
The opposition to this proposition
in the twin cities is natural. It is
natural when it is honest. It is nat
ural when it is dishonest. The street
railways are principally for the con-
venience of the people living in the
cities. People dwelling in st. Paul
and Minneapolis regard their streets
as their own and the regulation of
them and of traffic thereon as es-
sentially a part of their particular
business. They want home rule.
Political bosses want home rule. They
want to retain their hold on the Twin
City Rapid Transit Co. for obvious
reasons. Both agree in opposing the
Nolan bill. And there wouldn't be
any doubt that such opposition would
be successful if new element did not
enter into the conflict which has
ranged practically all the country
members on the side of the bill.
This new element is the rural cleo
trio line. We are late getting electric
railroads in this State, but they are
coming. The Dan Patch line has been
and considerable grading
done on it. Other lines are talked of
and their advent is welcomed every
where. But of necessity wherever a
trolley line is built in Southern or Gen.
trail Minnesota, st. Paul or Minneap-
oils is it's objective point. AS things
are now there is no way trolley lines
can get into st. Paul or Minneapolis
unless they accept such terms as their
boards of alderman and the Twin City
Rapid Transit Co. see fit to impose,
which would probably mean the ex-
pense incident to the purchase of the
former and an exorbitant tribute to
the latter. Rural trolley line COM
panies want to find an. easier way.
Hence the Nolan bill and the PROPOSE
tion to give the railroad and ware
house commissioners control. There |
is no question about the present tenn
per of the house. 1t will pass the |
bill. But in passing it it may forget |
other nterests-those of the United
States Steel corporation, for instance,
whose compact organization it threat
sns to disrupt and something may be
loing one of these days.
There is nothing which looks little
ike an agreement in the matter of
liability. The Republican
program is to pass some measure of
some kind. But no measure so far
which is at all satisfactory
% employers of labor finds favor with
he employees and vice versa. The
committee bill is openly denounced as
e.,11 |