The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1911-01-12

been readily compressed within the
space of newspaper column. AS
elaborated by him twenty columns
would not contain them. It is too
much trouble to peel off the mountain
of husk to get at the kernel. That
governor will make a tenstrike who
inaugurates the needed reform of
pairing down his message to such
limits that it will be gladly accepted
and printed by every paper in the
state, and thus become the familiar
possession of the people. They will
see that the recommendations of merit
such a message contains will be
enacted into law.
In both houses the presiding officers
show this year a commendable in
clination to expedite the public bust
ness. The committees of both house
and senate are evidently framed with
this design in: view. Lieutenant
Governor Gordon has noticeably had
the further purpose in the assignments
he has made of rendering it impos-
sible to charge him, as it has been
charged to some of his predecessors,
that senate committees have been
packed with view to defeating or
forwarding legislation at the behest
of what are known as "the interests. -
Senators supposed to be in the conf
dence of these interests have been
patiently Disseminated against and
senator's who have aligned themselves
with the progressive movement have
been shown special favor. Mr..
Gordon has played up to the people
and it is plain that he was more con-
cerned in securing their commentator
than that he should make smooth his
own way. It is generally thought
that in so emphatically turning down
the old senatorial combine he has
courted trouble for himself. The men
who composed it are shrewd and re-
sourceful and adept in all political
arts. Without openly antagonizing
the lieutenant governor they may be
depended upon covertly to set
stumbling blocks in his way and to
attempt to hamper the success of his
administration.
g @ g
There was talk indeed of open re-
volt. Democratic cooperation was
relied upon to bring the lieutenant
governor to his senses. But that has
simmered away. The fact is that in
general throughout the state the
character of the committees appointed
by Mr.. Gordon have met with out
spoken, even enthusiastic, approval.
If he has done wrong at all it is in
being too progressive. For instance,
it was not necessary, it is said, in
order to make the railroad committee
fair one to put railroad batter
at the head of it. The displacement
of General Wilson as head of the
judiciary committee is generally de-
plored. Mr.. Gordon's defense is that
he could not give Hennepin county
two leading chairmanships. He had
decided that it was entitled to that of
the committee on taxes and tax laws
awarded Carl Wallace. The chair
manship of the committee on ill.,
dietary simply had to go elsewhere.
Many think that if a change had to be
made Senator Gunderson should have
been selected. At all events I have
failed to find anyone enthusiastic
about Senator Putnam's appointment
to what, so far as expediting public
business is concerned, is the most i'm
portant of the senatorial committees.
g g @
There has in some quarters been
criticism of the temperance committee
appointed by Lieutenant Governor
Gordon on the ground that it is not
representative of temperance senti-
ment in the senate. All but two of
it's members are said to favor the pas
sage of county option law, while it
is we'll known that a majority of the
senate are against the passage of such
a measure. The charge is that the
committee is stacked.
6 6 g
This charge might have weight we're
1T not for the exceptional circum-
stances of Mr.. Gordon's election. He
owes his place not to the senate but to
the people, and is responsible only to
them. He was pledged to the people
that he would appoint just such a tenn
perance committee as he has
appointed. AS Mr.. Gordon says, he is
a plain man accustomed to contem-
plate keeping any promises he makes.
He could not disregard this pledge
repeatedly given to the people and