The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1911-02-08
After Long Session Senate Seats Gil
max Man By Vote Late Yester-
day Afternoon.
COUNTY OPTION FIGHT NOISY
Doom of Measure Was Not Sealed
Until House Chamber Resound-
ed With Oratory.
(By +. A. Wils0n)
Benlidji Pioneer Legislative Burea,


St. Paul, MINI. Feb. S.-By de-
cisive vote of SIS to the Minnesota
senate late yesterday afternoon de-
cided that John Saugstad of Climax,
Polk county, is entitled to continue
as a senator despite the contest in
augurated by Andrew Stephens, the
former senator from Crookston, and
at one time one of the greatest poll
tical powers in the state.
There were two members of the
senate who did not vote, Senator
Saugstad and Senator Benson, who
was absent on the account of Illness
The six senators who voted in
favor of seating Mr. Stephens we're:
l.. O. Cooke, w. w. Dunn, C. D.
Johnson, Frank Murray, G. H. Sulli-
van and S. D. Works.
The vote was taken following a
comprehensive presentation of the
contestants side of the case by E. P.
Sanborn, he eminent St. Paul attor
ney, while e. T. Young, former at
torney general, spoke for Mr.. Saug
stad. Attorney G. E. A. Findlay
son of East Grand Forks closed for
Mr.. Stephens and warned the sena-
tors to seat Mr.. Saugstad would
mean that the primary law in MIN
nesota was to all intents and pur-
poses a dead letter.
The action of the senate of course
is final, and means that the county
optionists have won their fight to
retain the Climax man as a member
of the senate. Incidental to the
contest is the announcement by Mr.
Stephens that he is through with
politics forever. He has been look
ed upon by many as a possible sue
cessor to Knute Nelson in the United
States senate two years hence.
County option is dead issue so
far as the present session of the leg
islature is concerned. Yesterday
from a. m. to 81 5 p. m. marked
the obsequies
Probably the golden room of Min
nesaotas handsomely appointed
house chamber never rang with more
earnest pleas in behalf of any pro-
posed legislation than those offered
in rare eloquence for the Anti-Saloon
bill and no more bitter denuncia-
ton of proposed act ever shook the
shutters of the great marble palace
than did the dramatic EXPLANATIONS
of the opponents Of county option.
1t was George Mackenzie of Gay
lord, chairman of the house commit
tee on temperance two years ago,
who took up the burden for the brew
ers and made a notable speech in op-
position to the Rines county option
bill. He became so plain and blunt
in his remarks as to offend the
were packed into the galleries to as
numerous extent as was possible af-
ter the opponents of the bill had
earlier captured the larger number
of most desirable seats. The coun-
ty optionists sought to vent their
disapproval of Representative Mac
kenzies talk by kissing him and this
resulted in the speakers public an
nouncement that he would clear the
galleries if there was any more I'M
seemly conduct.
ct II o'clock the county option
bill was taken up as a special order
OF business. A call of the house was
demanded which meant that every
available member must be in his
seat All but two members were &C
counted for; T. M. Ferguson of Bark
er and w. A. Fisher of Minneapolis
Mr.. Fisher, for several weeks, has
been suffering from a stroke of par
alysis and his attendance was i'm
possible. Mr. Ferguson was indis.