Morris tribune., 1911-12-22
Still Subject Of Discussion in
Political Circles.
HIS FRIENDS BLAME SIMPSON
Claim Attorney General Was Playing
Politics When He Rendered His
Decision in the Matter.
Especial Correspondence.)

St. Paul, Dec 19-How the guber-
Browns Valley were rudely shattered
and how Governor A. 0. Eberhart
only escaped because Attorney Gen
eral George T. Simpson could not dip
lomatically find a way to weave him
into his masterpiece entitled "A King
for a Day" is ancient history as news
runs, but for all that it has the popu-
lation of the state capital by the ears
and they are still talking about it. 1t
will continue to engross their atten-
tion until something more interesting
bobS up, and for your information the
state capitol is and has been rather
slow place these many months. They
seem to have quit making history on
Capitol Hill But to get back to the
one lone event. Sam-the boys have
not got used to calling him governor
yet-dropped into st. Paul one day
last week, following the "lid party" at
st. Cloud. and talked Just little.
which has not been his custom. An
snterprising reporter heightened his
few remarks into a column and Sam
proceeded to carry out in part the
dream outlined by the aforesaid re-
porter. 1t was. in effect, that the time
was ripe to settle the question of
when governor is not governor"
Positive there could only be one an
swer and that forecasted in a rather
ambiguous supreme court decision,
overzealous friends hinted at the posi-
bility Of an extra session. They even
suggested it to the Browns Valley
man and there were those who advised
that he announce himself as acting
governor. without the formality of con-
sulting the state legal department, and
issue a call for a special session. Per-
haps l might have had different story
70 chronicle If he had. who knows.
+ +
Well, to make long story short,
Governor Gordon did not follow this
advice. The red tape way appealed to
him instead. The up and at 'em
method looked coarse to Sam and he
consulted Attorney General George T.
Simpson, not as to his right and de-
sire to call an extra session, but if
the Office Of governor was vacant when
the regular executive was witout the
confines Of the state. He saw Mr..
Simpson first and followed it with an
official request for the information de-
sired. There is not much more to tell
The lieutenant governor received the
information asked for, and then some,
and the next day departed for home.
In the meantime unfriendly st. Paul
papers had worked the public up to
high pitch and when the. denouement
came it was fatal George T. Simp-
sons "A King for a Day" had done
the work and it was done with malice
aforethought. Governor Gordon's brief
statement, after digesting the attor-
ney generals rather sarcastic opinion,
did not help. at any rate for the time
being.
/. /. !.
It is an ugly word to use, but dirt
perhaps best expresses the package
handed the Browns Valley man, and
one of the st. Paul newspapers was
strong in its delivery. Lieutenant Gov
ernOr Gordon was mfsquoted and the
situation was heightened hourly in an
@ffort to make the whole thing as SEN
sAtional as possible The denouement
was even more carefully prepared
Governor Gordon was to be read out
OF the game and ridfcule was to do
the work. To the credit of some of
the inside members of the Eberhart
administration the methods used to
ascredH Governor Gordon were de-
a0unced. They we're satisfied to see
sfyal disposed of, but they could not
Oountenance some Of the methods
What actuated this sudden friendly
feeling for fallen foe do not know,
3ut 1 do know that the Eberhart
forces have no love for the attorney
general and that the state legal de-
4artment is always ready to return
the compliment.
!. + I. l
The story is now pretty near six
months old. but it is still fresh in the |
mtnds Of several, Of how Mr.. Simpson
ene day approached Chairman e. e.
Smith of the Republican state central |
committee as to the possibility Of he |
1Simpson) getting into the guberna- |
serial game and suggested that Mr.. |
smith tell Governor Eberhart to step |
down and out. Ed returned the sug-
&sstion that Mr.. Simpson attend to |
&hat detail himself and when the at
forney general demurred he was in
formed that Governor Eberhart was
gsing to make another run. that he
would likely have the organization be-
hind him and, well, II Mr.. Simpson
wanted to get into the game, that was
his privilege. but ho would have to
paddle his own canoe.
+ {. I.
Just three weeks later Mr. Simpson
resigned as attorney general and his
explanation to the public was that the
political game was not worth the can
die. He was going to work for Mr..