Morris tribune., 1911-01-20
Progressives and Public
ity Gain New Rules Re-
form-How the House
was Organized.
Notes and Comment.


=. this is read.
Nolan, Campbell, Conley and 43
other progressives made a seemingly
hopeless fight to reform the rules.
They won on the three points ex-
planned above because public opinion
sustained and supported them.
"Why are the progressives in
minority,'' asked friend; | suppos-
ed they would be in control of the
House, as they are of the Senate?"
So did I. 1t happens that there are
two kinds of progressives, con-
scientious and counterfeit. When the
real crisis came the spurious progress
sives unmasked and marched with the
politicians.
The Speaker of the House of Re-
presentatives occupies position more
important in it's relation to legisla-
tion than does the Governor of the
state. A Speaker must be judged by
four things: (D. The basic laws
that he hands down for the regulation
of the House thru his Committees on
Rules: (2) The Committees he ap-
points: 81 His legislative lieuten-
ants: and az the manner in which
he conducts the business of the ses-
sion.
'@To the victors belong the spoils'
was the policy of the speaker in the
! appointment of committees. At
least that was the way it worked
out The leading supporters Of
Burnquist, members like J. N. John
son, W. l. Nolan, Kerry ConIey. and
Ernest Lundeen, Jared slimly in the
assignments. On the other hand,
leading lieutenants Of Speaker Dunn,
like L. C. Spooner, r. c. Dunn.
Geo. H. Mattson. John G. Lennon,
C. E. Stone and Thomas Kneeland,
carried away the choicest plums.
All of the most important commit
tees, such as appropriations. reappor-
tionment. railroads, taxes, temper
ance, rules, elections and general
legislation, appear to be packed with
unprogressives.
Take the committee on general
! legislation, for example. to which is
given all manner Of important bills.
This committee is composed of Matt
son, Fowler, R. C. Dunn, Condgon,
! Mckenzie. Washburn, White,
Henion, Westcott, Perry. Nash, c.
E. Stone, Lennon. Reed, Nye.
Spooner and Bouck. There are two
or three progressives in this list, but
hardly fighting progressive among
them.
Speaker Dunn named the following
Temperance Committee: Palmer,
, White. Pfaender, ]. E. Peterson.
Virtue, Mckenzie. Webb, Fuchs, A.
Nelson. Just, L. D. Brown, Whiting,
Hoffman, Westcott and Crane. On
county option the committee stands
six for and nine against. But that
does not express the difference, as
five of the six are new. ineXperienc-
ed members, while the nine antis are
practically all trained in all the tricks
Of committee room controversy. 1t
is the general impression that the
! Temperance Committee was "loaded"
to safeguard the liquor people against
other things than County Option.
The situation was summed up by
Senator who said; 1.-THE Senate has
never been organized so good. nor the
house so bad, as at this session.
SEEN ON THE SIDE.
1t looks like real live session.
Tony Manley has appeared on the
scene.
John G. Lennon is contagious.
Every congressional district seems to
be developing at least one legislator
Of his type.
One of the new members who will
bear watching is Clint Robinson, Re-
preventative from Winona County.
Mr.. Robinson is youngster and a
Clapp democrat. He has some good
legislative ideas in his head and will
fight for them with all the en-
thusiasm of a crusader.
A county option bill will appear in
the House before this is read. AL
though the House Temperance COM
mittee is unfriendly to the idea,
the bill will be reported out speedily
and will then fall into the hands of
an adverse organization. am
wondering whether the crowd in con-
troll will dare to shut off debate on
! this question as they did in 1909.
1t is pity that big, vital issue
like reapportionment cannot be deter
mined on its merits. The new dis
tricts are to be manipulated with
three things in mind; O County
Option; (2) tonnage tax or iron