The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1911-03-22
THE HEwRE6pppito Il 6NntNT sall.

alarm that the real fright comes
when the bullets have, sung their
song. and the smoke has Cleared
away. This seems to have been the
case with those senators who vio-
lently opposed the Congdon reappor-
tionmenta bill and, blinded by the
noise Of the conflict, failed ito see,
as they are now beginning, to see,
that the crisis through which they
have just passed may mean personal
and party ruin.
Beethat as it may, for some reason
some of the southern senator's now
appear to have suffered change of
heart and are applying themselves
diligently to the task of formulating
a reapportionment bill that may yet
be enacted into law by the present
session of the legislature. The Pho
neer is not optimistic over the out
come. A senate that will deliber-
ately snub the governor, redicule the
honest efforts of those men who. had
prepared a bill and then absolutely
refuse to join in the effort to revise
the measure, is not a senate from
which the people can expect a reap;
portionment bill of reasonable con-
struction to emanate. - ....: -. E
The frantic, and. if the issue were
not so paramount, amusing efforts
of the southern senators to bolster
up a party as matter of policy
hardly seems likely to bring order
out of the present chaos. It is said
that the new bill will not grant the
larger cities much additional repre-.
sentation, but that the north coun-
try will be we'll taken care of, with
especial assurances for the ninth
congressional district. For this So
licitude the ninth returns due thanks
but heartier thanks would have been
returned had the senate been patri-
otto enough to pass a bill when there
was some chance Of its becoming a
law. It is readily apparent that the
cities are going to demand that the
constitution be taken into consider
alton and it provides for reappor-
tionment on population basis.
And so the outlook for reappor-
tionment bill is not, we believe, pro-
missing. The present session
will Slip away without the most i'm
portant of all legislation having been
enacted, leaving the north in a just
state of indignation.
One of the ramifcations of such. a
state of affairs will be the embarras-
sing position in which Governor
Eberhart will find himself. He is
on record as having promised to call
an extra session of the legislature if
a fair reapportionment bill is not
passed If he stands by his promise
he is sure to be criticized on the
ground that he is causing the state
needless expense by reassembling
the same legislature which refuses
to grant reapportionment, and If he
doesn't call the session he is apt to
receive still more singing criticism
from this part of the state, on the
ground that he hasn't lived up to his
promise. If he should reassemble
the legislature and force through a
bill it would mean an assured con-
tinuance of his political power which
with his party crumbling as it now
is, may fail when again put to the
test.
The real seriousness of the govern
ors position is pretty we'll illustrated
hvy h1 ho,, Io:> v1yIs NJ,
his call, on the day before the senate
voted on the reapportionment bill,
was received by members of the SEN
ate. The intense earnestness mani
fest by the governor in an effort to
solidify his party and bring har-
mony by perfecting a bill assured of
passage. His call shows this. It
read as follows:
Dear Senator: You are earnest
ly requested to be present at a Repub-
ican caucus of the Senate in my Of
flee this evening at 8 o'clock for the
purpose of considering the House re-
apportionment bill. In view of the
convention pledges made by the Re-
publican party, it seems necessary
that this caucus should be held SO
that the matter can be given the full