The Princeton union., 1911-03-30
STATE LEGISLATURE
klemer and Stone Are Brought Before
Bar of the House, Censured
and Put Upon the Grill.
Both Admit They Have No Evidence
Upon Which to Base the
Charges They Made.
Onions Special Correspondence.

Onions Special Correspondence.
St. Paul, Minn., March 29.-Coming
10 realizing sense of the fact that
something had to be done to assert it.
self, the house has censured Repre-
sentative Klemer of Rice county for
his criticism of the speaker and of
the house committees. It also
brought Representative Klemer and
Stone before the bar of the house
and there compelled them to acknowl-
edge that they had no evidence upon
which to base the wild charges they
had made. Representative Stone of
Hubbard county had joined in the
charges made by Representative
Klemer, having rushed in where
angels might have feared to tread
and received the same medicine given
TO the Rice county member.
The dastardly attack upon the rep
utation and integrity of Speaker
Bum has failed entirely. Brought
before the bar of the house, the two
mem bers we're compelled to stand
there like couple Of we'll birched
school boys. Asked as to the charac-
Der OF his statements and his reasons
for saying that the committees were
''packed in the interest of the special
INTERESTS" Representative Klemer
roci+o+o1 o,d Houp5o,o1 bo),1oeel1
about. He refused the courtesy of a
question to the speaker, but yielded
TO a question from Representative L.
6. Spooner, chairman of the powerful
appropriations committee. Asked if
ne meant to say that the committee of
which Mr.. Spooner is chairman had
been packed, Mr.. Klemer confessed he
did not even know of what committee
ne was chairman. Then, after con-
sulting two legislative manuals and
looking helplessly about as if for the
assistance that could not come to him,
ne confessed that be didn't know and
couldn't say at that time.
The tables we're turned on the &C.
cusing member in the afternoon of
Monday. The house had taken up all
day with discussion of the matter.
Representative klemer had apolo-
-gized for his unparliamentary Ian
.guage but he did not retract his state
nents and the house organization was
not cat;c6o1 Tho coeo1,+;o, 80 49,
sure was pressed and, after spirited
debate in which harsh words we're said
on both sides, it was passed. Repre-
sentative Klemer then moved tie
adoption of a resolution for the ap-
pointment Of committee of seven to
Investigate the charges be had made.
Speaker Dunn took a hand in the
game. He was occupying a place in
one of the rear side seats. Represen-
sative Fowler of Minneapolis was pre-
siding. Rising to his full height of
six feet three inches, and extending
an arm that appeared as long as
giant crane, the speaker said dramat-
1cally, II move that Representatives
Klemer and Stone be brought to the
bar of the house and there made to
state what committees are packed and
with whom they we're packed"
One parliamentary step after an
other was attempted but the house
stood by the speaker by votes of from
81 to 81 at every stage in the game.
Finally the offending members we're
brought forward, taking refuge for
not making their charges definite and
specific on the ground that, notwith-
standing they had been making inde6-
mite ones for several days, they had
not had time to formulate them.
Finally, upon the motion of the
speaker himself, the two offending
members we're released from the ridic-
alous position in which they found
themselves placed.
Speaker Dunn has come out of the
affair with increased credit. The
affair was undoubtedly staged and
arranged by enemies engendered in
the speakership fight and by men who
aim to wreck the political career of
She speaker. At first it seemed that
by making the blanket charge which
by no possibility can be proved Or
disproved, they might carry public
sentiment with them. The speakers
prompt and dramatic action took the
wind out of the sails of the accusers.
On their own admissions they could
make no charges and were made to
present pathetic spectacles.
Mr.. Klemer did not bring up his
resolution in the house yesterday and
trouble between the insurgents and the
house organization was suspended for
day. He and DR.. W. T. Stone are
both working On the proposition and
1t is expected that in a day or two
they will bring up the proposed in