Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1911-02-10
SPEECHES AND FEED.
Spooner Tries to Square Him
self at Elbow Lake.

The Elbow Lake Commercial Club
gave a banquet to the members of the
legislature from this district a week ago
last Saturday. The Grant County
Herald says -
The meeting at the opera house last
Saturday evening under the auspices
of the Elbow Lake Commercial Club
was not largely attended. A few from
the country were present, but not as
many as were looked for. and the at
tendance of town folks was also small.
Representative Spooner and Repre-
sentative Peterson were present and
! Senator Rustad sent word that could
not attend Herman Hillmond, as
president of the club, presided at the
meeting.
| He called attention to two resolu-
tions that had been adopted at for
mer meeting of the club, viz: first
favoring the eastman distance tariff
bill. and. second. the repeal or amend
ment of Chap. As, Laws of 1909 I'M
der which lax S are seined for rough
fish. He called upon Rep. Spooner.
Mr.. Spooner said he came not to
talk but to be talked to; he wanted
someone who knew what he is talking
about to give him light on the Cash
man bill. He said he doubted the ex-
pediency of adopting a hard and fast
distance tariff law at this time, but
tated that if it came to a vote in the
house he would vote for it although it
would be taking shot in the dark so
far as he was concerned. He also stated
that he had introduced bill for the
repeal of the fish law and that Rep.
Peterson had bill for amending the
law.
There being no rush of volunteers
to post Mr.. Spooner, he continued his
talk until 10 80 when halt was called
for supper. He devoted considerab lie
time to a defense and explanation of
his record in the present session, dis
cussing particularly the speakership
contest and his opposition to the So
called Nolan amendment. Mr.. Spoon
er reminded all that in the last cam
piagn he made no pledges or promises
of any kind. He stated frankly that he
had some hand in the organization of
the House and recited promises he ex-
acted of speaker Dunn before he gave
him his support. There was large
list of them and included the naming
of temperance committee that would
report out a bill and one favorable to
based on population
the bill to be passed at the present
session and to be effective at the next
election. He denied emphatically that
"the interests. were in the saddle and
organized the house. He arraigned
Mr.. Burnquist and his allies, and
took a shot at special legislative cor
respondents and members of clubs that
met at Dayton's tea rooms in Mime
apoils and listened to speeches by
Lynn Haines. Geo. Lofthus and others
of their stripe. Rep. Nolan, author
of the amendment that had for it's OBJ
ject the publicity of votes in commit
tee rooms so that there wuold be re-
cord that would enable people to know
what their representatives were doing. |
also came in for roast. Mr.. Spooner
explained that bill might be re-
ferred to a committee of which he was
a member. the bill in the main being
good but having "joker. - He
might want to vote for the bill in
in order to get a crack at
it on the floor of the house in an effort |
to yet eliminate the joker. and that
to then vote against it might place
MIN under suspicion in case he had
voted for it in committee. The Nolan
emasculated by committee SO
hat cumbersome features were cur
tailed, had been adopted against this
protest, although he voted yes. This
was prompted because Mr..
Spooner voted one way and Represent
alive Peterson the other, and record
If the vote had been published locally.
He took the position that good leg
slator with only the best motives
night not want record of his COM
nittee votes placed before his con-
tituents. He said Rep. Peterson
would come to see this after he had