Morris tribune., 1910-12-23
Some Of the Old Timers Fell
Down at Election.
GOSSIP AEEAT COMING SESSION
Reapportionment and Good Roads VIII
Be Paramount Subjects for Leg
isIatiVe Action.

St. Paul, Dec. 2O.-It is not often
that at a gathering of the kind SO
many old faces were missing and SO
many new acQuaintances had to be
made as at the preliminary meeting
of the state senators held here the
Other day. Few of the members of
the upper house realized how many of
their cid associates had fallen by the
wayside in the election and how great
the lumber of statesmen in the max
ing "ntil eli got together and began
sizinS each other up. However, there
were enough among them who knew
the ropes to proceed with the business
in hand and it only took short time
to dispose of the more important part
of it. In point of fact the programme
had already been pretty we'll agreed
upon before the soIons got together.
:. :. \
The principal purpose for which the
senators met was to decide upon the
personnel Of the senate officials, al
though while here the senators took
occasion to confer with the lieutenant
governor in regard to committee as
signments and 70 signify their prefer
eDceS in that respect. In regard to
what he will do in the matter the lieu
tenant governor is keeping his own
counsel. The only thing really certain
as to what he will do is that he will
appoint a strong temperance commit
tee-strong, that is, in the sense that
a majority of its members will be pro-
nounced temperance men-many of
them with a decided leaning towards
county option, which Mr.. Gordon him
self is understood to favor. Other
wise the organization of the senate is
largely a matter Of conjecture. How
ever, as the lieutenant governors rep
utation as a newspaper man is that of
q progressive Republican, with marked
liberal views, it is anticipated that his
personal preferences will be reflected
in the assignments that he will make.
This seems the more probable because
it has become known that prominent
among those with whom he has taken
counsel is Mr.. l. A. CasWell, the clerk
of the supreme court, who during the
pre-convention campaign made some
thing of a record for himself as an in
Surgent.
!. :. =
With regard to the principal Off
cials of the senate l am able to fur
nish more definite information. In
deed, t has for some time been quite
generally suspected that George A.
Peachey of OwatOnna, who succeeded
Mr.. Langum on the latter's appoint
ment as postmaster to the national
house of representatives in the posi-
tion of secretary of the senate, had
the inside track in the race for this
Office with the senatOrs-elect. This
suspicion proved to be we'll founded
when the senators met. In fact, there
was no rival in sight Associated with
him in discharging the clerical duties
of the upper house will be W. A. ST.
montOn of GlenWOOd as first and D. w.
Meeker Of Moorhead as second assist
ant. Mr.. SimOntOn, like Mr.. PeaChey,
was an official of the last senate, serv-
ing in the same capacity he will act in
in the. next. Mr.. MeeBer also is an
old timer at the state capitol, having
served the legislature in one capacity
or another for many years. The selec-
tions made insure on the whole an I'M
usually efficient clerical staff.
:. :. i.
In the house matters are not so far
advanced. At this writing the speak
ership contest has not been definitely
settled and Mr.. Burnquist, one of the
candidates for that Office, threatens to
keep it in the air until the Republican
members of the house meet in caucus
the first of next year. He may persist |.
in this intention. Nevertheless, those
who have kept in touch with the situ-
alton regard his rival, Mr.. Dunn, as
certain of ultimate success. In some !
respects the contest for the speaker |
ship this year presents unusual fea- !
lures. In the early stage Of the cam !
paign Mr.. Burnquist appeared to have !
a decided lead and it is believed even .
now that had his friends taken skillful /
advantage of the rising tide he would !
have landed safely. At the moment !
when his prospects seemed brightest |
however, somebody blundered. In an |
inopportune moment, through the too ,
great confidence of his friends, the |
Seventh district caucus was permitted, !
through the absence of the partisans
Of the st. Paul man, to declare for Mr..
Spooner, and although this action was
later rescinded confidence in Mr.. Burn
quist's strength was so shaken that |
the ground he then lost has never been
regained, and in speakership fight
confidence is everything
+ X X
Indeed, it is largely a band wagon
proposition. More than anything else
members of the house want to be on
the winning side, for on that depends
their prospects of desirable committee
appointments and their ability to share