The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1911-11-24
POLITICAL GOSSIP
The County Chairman" Gives Miner Readers
Entertaining State Capitol Gossip Touching
The Great, and Near.Great.

Northern is now industriously boom
ing.
Bob Dunn's editorial on the grow
ing expense of the state government,
which commented upon in my letter
of few weeks ago, has fallen on fer
tile ground and is receiving attention
at the hands of the country press in a
way that may make it bothersome
issue for some / know in the next
campaign. Many are asking the
Princeton campaigner to make good
For those interested the state aud
itor's biennial report, which can be
had for the asking, furnishes about
the best and most correct information
obtainable. To some perusal of its
pages might be an astonisher, at any
rate 1t proved so to me when, care
lessly running through the book the
other day, came across items like
this: Game and fish commission,
$39, so; live stock sanitary board,
$10S,000 state board of health, $780,
900. And these were small compared
to others. AS to some of the individual
items-well, will leave them for an
other story.
FINS seems to have been reached
In the Wnittier-Red Wing training
school controversy. The board of con-
troll, including Mr.. Swendsen, the lone
hnC civ
Whittier clean bill of health, Whit
tier has resigned, Governor Eberhart
seems to be satisfied, and the Wo-
mems clubs of the state, who have
been after the Red Wing mans scalp
for over year, are indicated. The
outgrowth of an editorial in Red
Wing paper to which some of the
women's clubs took exception, the
Whittier controversy has dragged its
weary length through practically two
administrations, and all concerned in
the row are glad that it is over. Whit
tier was the goat from the start and
he has received enough abuse to make
most any man fight.
/. + \
The release of the boards findings
and the promptness with which Mr.
Whittier followed it with his resigna-
ton as superintendent leads many
down here to believe that the whole
thing was prearranged, the deal made
even including the governor. Such,
however, is denied. Governor Eber-
hart never realized anything from the
prosecution, it in fact doing him harm
In some quarters, and l am told he
gave a big sigh of relief when in
formed that. the finish, had been
reached. At one time, it is said, for
mer State Senator Andy Stephens of
Crookston, who led the assault on
Whittier, with his friends so far pre-
vailed on the executive that the re-
moval of the two Democratic members
Of the board was decided upon, but
others prevailed and it was dropped.
The whole thing has been dirty
mess from the start and the state is
to be congratulated on being rid of
the stencil.
i. + +
The talk about nonpartisan SUI
preme bench is being revived, and for
the benefit of those interested 1 will
say 1t is about as near realization as
It ever was. The Republican conven-
ton, will not stand for the endorse
msnt of Democrat. The talk has
been started for the benefit of Justice
Bunn, the one Democratic member of
the bench, appointed by Governor
Eberhart to fill the vacancy caused
by the death of the late Justice Jag
gard. Already Republican rivals are
making their appearance and Judge
Oscar Hallam of st. Paul looks like
winner. This is on the assumption
that Ramsey county gets the place.
i. + i.
There is one item of state depart
ment expense that may some day re-
ceive attention from the country press,
and that is the newspaper clipping
bureaus which many state officials
patronize. The cost of these clippings
is In many instances met by the vari-
GUS contingent funds and the point
has been raised as to the legality of
the expenditure. The clippings cost s
cents each and the annual expenditure
is often sufficient to provide the in
terestsd official with a years sub
scription to practically all the rural
weeklies in the state. The subjects
covered by the clippings refer to pol
itics and department matters.
i. !. 4
Chairman Ringdahl of the board of
control, by the way, is being looked
upon favorably by the Democratic
king makers as gubernatorial mate
rial. Friends joking with him the
other day regarding the possibility of
his removal from the board by Gov
ernor Eberhart-this was before the
Red Wing training school decision was
reached-asked him what he would do
If the axe fell. "Oh, go back to max
ing monuments, guess" was the an
swer. And he smiled when he said it,
with the accent on the smile.
!. + +
It is somewhat of far cry to the
next Republican convention, but that
fact is no bar to the slatemakers, who
are busy trotting out wouldbes. Not
an Office is safe from their activities
and opposition all down the line is
promised. The number of candidates