The Princeton union., 1911-01-12
WORK OF THE, ;S0LONS
CONTINUED From Page L

presses me about the house committee
assignments which we're announced
yesterday, and that is the skill with
which Speaker Dunn has grouped the
strong men of the house. People
are liable to differ about the character
OF some of the more important com
mittees as they will affect interests
concerned in legislation, but no one
is likely to deny that these committees
are made up of able and representa-
tive men. ..@ #.
The term Progressive Republican
is too indefinite to be used in char
acterizing Mr.. Dunn's committees
although it is heard often enough.
Doubtless Mr.. Burnquist and those
who followed the fight he made to the
last ditch would deny that Progress
sive Republicans had a fair repre-
sentation on Speaker Dunn's COM
mittees. What is the true test? The
republican who favors the adoption
of the initiative and referendum and
the recall has surely as great a right
to be regarded as progressive as the
republican who favored the election
OF Mr.. Burnquist as speaker of the
Minnesota house of representatives.
Two important chairmanships have
been awarded by Mr.. Dunn to men
who have introduced bills looking to
the adoption of this progressive
measure. I refer to L. C. Spooner of
Morris and Mr.. Campbell of Minne-
apo]is. Indeed Mr.. Dunn's intention
to make Mr.. Spooner one of his prin.
cipal lieutenants in the marshaling of
the sessions legislation is quite plain
from the appointments he has made,
and Mr.. Spooner would doubtless
resent any imputation that he was re-
dictionary in his tendencies. So no
doubt would r. G. Dunn, upon whom
it is evidently the speakers design to
place a good deal of the responsible
ty for the sessions legislation. SO
with good reason would Mr.. Mattson
of Roseau and Mr.. W. D. Washburn
OF Minneapolis. These two latter at
least have much reason to claim
leadership as progressive republicans.
And as I might go on singing out
prominent men in the house whom the
speaker evidently designs, judged by
his assignments, to take leading
part in his administration who are
recognized as progressive. The fact
is many of the professed progressive
republicans are his supporters.
@ GGG
Still as a whole I would not char
acteriZe Mr.. Dunn's committees as
either reactionary or as progressive,
but rather as conservative. That
term however does not imply all that
the committees indicate. Their most
marked characteristic is their capacity
for work. Iwould look to these COM
mittees of his to be specially active in
forwarding legislation, and [ would
regard his organization as the most
perfect we have had in recent years
for effecting things and marshaling
it's forces towards any desired end.
When needs must it will not hesitate to
use the steam roller and to use it
effectively.
The arrangement of Mr.. Dunn's
committees indicates at least one i'm
portant change in the way of reform.
Hitherto the committee on general
legislation, whose name shows that
almost any important bill might
properly be referred to it, has been
made up of fag ends. It was not
regarded seriously and no one cared
to be assigned to it. This year it is
different. Mr.. Dunn has put some of
his best men in it evidently with the
design that it shall be given real
work to do. Those familiar with the
strong men of the house will recognize
this in the personnel of the committee
which is as follows: Messrs. Mattson,
Fowler, Dunn, r. c., Congdon,
Mckenzie, Washburn, White, Henion,
Wescott, Perry, Nash, Stone, c.. E. :,
Lennon, Reed, Nye, Spooner, Bouck.
@ g @
The representative of the forty fifth
district have been given the following
committee assignments:
Andrew Davis: Education, grain
and warehouse, public lands, state
fair (chairman), reapportionment.
R. G. Dunn: Appropriations, gen.
eral legislation, printing, roads and
bridges, state fair, taxes and tax laws
(chairman). IN
Rufus P. Norton: Agricultural