The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1910-11-04
From Thursdays Daily.

During his speech at Herman on
Monday night Governor lEberhart came
back at his. democratieh critics by cit
ing the example of his predecessor on
the question of county soption. 1t will
be remembered that at the 1907 SEES
sion of the legislature the house tried
to put Governor Johnson sin hole
by passing the j.. "A. Gates resolution
asking the, governor to- state his views
ON county option, which had been omit
ted from his message, says The Min
neapolis Journals The resolution was
passed by "a ,bouse which buried a
county option bin overwhelmingly, and
purely for political purposes, so Cover
nor johnson, copmtered with the same
argument Governor ;Eberhart is using
now, that it is a legislative question.
"The particular question included in
the house resolution was not spe-
citically alluded to-" said the governor
in his reply tSa the house, "as it was
fully covered in the subject under the
title of Initiative and Referendum
Governor Johnson's Letter.
"The fact said Governor Johnson's
letter, chat there is any doubt in the
minds of the house of representatives
or hesitancy to proceed to any action
along this line is, it seems to me, an
added argument for the adoption of
the initiative and referendum, which
should obtain under purely demo,
cratic form of government.
County option in the regulation OF
the liquor traffic is not as yet a politi-
cal question in this state, none of the
political parties having ever declared
Tor or against it, and it is therefore
purely moral question to be settled
by the representatives of the people
As it is a moral question, and one
which involves the, principle OF Local
self-government, the. members can,
am sure, be entrusted to and will
truly represent their several constitu
encies on this very important question
and will meet it with the courage OF
honest conscience which is ever will
ing to meet any responsibility.
Would Be Improper.
That it would be manifestly i'm
proper and indicate for me to discuss
this question in further detail at this
time, is evident from the fact that the
resolution was not concurrent, and was
not joined in by the senate, and that
there is now pending in that body a
bill covering this very question, and
Tor the further reason that if such g
bill is passed, it will become my duty
to officially review the same"
1t was a well-known fact among the
friends of Governor johnson that ht
was not personally in favor of county
option, though he never expressed him
sell publicly. It bobbed up again il
the 1908 campaign. il: .n
Expression By Jacobson. b..
After the, county, option republicans
had g2aded !. +, jacobson for some
time, lie came out with u declaration
that he would sign county option
bill if. it passed, and challenged Gov.
ernor johnson to do the. same. He
replied /, Immediately by, agreeing to The
same promise, and said that no COVER
nor: would dare to veto nbill passed
on such subject at the behest OF
the people. The two candidates having
taken the same identical position
county option ceased to be an open
issue III the campaign, but many coun'
ty option republicans were alienated
from Mr.. jacobson and voted for Gov
ernor Johnson.