Morris tribune., 1911-02-03

sions.' which some of the insurgents
admit they do not understand.
H. F. No. S all but slipped
throu 3h the House before its inconsis-
\ tences were discovered. Then it was
! cast into the custody of the Com
mittee on Public Accounts, where it
is now in the stages of Investigation.
At the time of its introduction it
was referred to the Appropriations
! Committee but was taken from the
committee upon motion Of its chair
man. L. C. Spooner. and placed on
general orders. Now members are
wondering why the bill was not con-
sidersd carefully at the proper time
and place.
There is no disposition to kill the
bill, nor will its passage be long de-
layed. But there may be alterations.
Possibly I shall feel inclined
to discuss the incident more fully
in a later letter.
His district and the state is to be
congratulated upon the success of
Senator j. J. Ahmann in his
election contest. An attempt was
made to unseat him on the ground
that he was a not citizen. The
Election Committee considered the
case and decided unanimously in his
favor. 1t only remains for the whole
Senate to adopt the Committee re-
port, which will be done before
this is published. Senator Ahmann
is one Of the most dependable men,
bers in the Senate. Whenever roll
is called his name comes first and it
| is safe wager that the voting is
started in the interest of the people.
| There is strategic Importance to
his position at the head of the roster
which may have had something
to do with the desire for his defeat.
The other contests. those in which
Ray I. Harrington is after the seat Of
DR.. Froshaug and A. D. Stephens is
attempting to unseat John Saugstad,
will test the probity of the Senate as
will no other issues to come before
that body. 1t is significant that men
speak in whispers when discussing
these cases. No one can foretell the
results in either contest because Of
the subtle, silent influences at work.
Each new days development seems
to indicate that it is harrington and
Stephens vs.. Froshaug and Saugstad.
If one contestant wins, both will
win, unless the interests deem it
wise to compromise. 1t is the old.
old conflict between patriotism and
the property power in politics.
The Legislature is getting into
regretable tangle over reapportion
ment. At present about the only
phase of the question which can be
regarded as certainty is that the
spirit and purpose of democracy will
be the loser, whatever the outcome.
If the fight is futile and there is no
reapportionment it will mean that
most of the session will be given to
the useless struggle, to the detriment
of direct legislation, extension of the
primary and other vital issues. If
reapportionment does come, it
will be in such form as to bestow
every possible advantage upon the
special interests.
The brewers hold the balance Of |
power. That splendidly organized
influence is in position to dictate
terms to the reapportioners. At pre-
sent they are presenting pretense of
opposition on the theory that they i
have ''safe Senate" and do not |
care to risk new election of that |
body two years hence. This seems
reasonable and the political reporters
on the big dailies are making the
most of it; but the Smith-Reese-
Zollman machine is not taking short
sighted view of the situation. They |
see decades and not biennums.
1t is absurd that the brewers
should endorse the stand of the
enemies of reapportionment, that the
big cities should not have as large
a representation as the rural districts.
That would make county option
inevitable. Another thing the
brewers will never be in better shape
to SO divide the state as to minimze
e number Of county option members1
1t is an interesting study to watch
the big interests and this issue.
Eserx other legislative T.. question. is
bound up in and with reapportionment
If there were any doubt as to the
eonstitutioIality or effectiveness
of the eastman distance tariff bill it
would be set at rest by the desperate
stand of the railroads against it. The
trust has never been
L. | .