The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1911-02-09
themselves. Mr.. Lennon took the
reference to the man who talked too
much to himself and later told

1udG Is why AenQOQ mas O6on arGof
Spooner ever since with q sharp stick,
and in this debate haunted him with
throwing it'' and of not knowing
that Mr.. Lees bill was unconstitu-
tional until Mr.. Mattson, ga mere
layman, had given him the tip. But
to get back to the subject of Mr.. Lees
bill, which the legislature will not
pass, and which the supreme court
would nullify without a moments
hesitation if it did, the authors
modest request that it be printed and
placed on general orders was granted,
apparently more out of courtesy to
him than for any other reason.
Doubtless later more time will be
wasted over it. The only thing that
could be effectively done in this
matter of farm mortgage investments
would be to amend the constitution so
as to permit them. Mr.. Lees bill
does not propose to do this.
When Andrew Davis was in the
chair the other day a bill of his came
up, similar, understand, to one in
PRODUCED in the senate by Mr.. Swan
son. Every body, no doubt, is fami-
liar with the ''pork barrel" bills
which, during the two last sessions,
had grown to inordinate proportions.
These bills appropriated money from
the general revenue fund of " the state
to be expended directly on roads and
bridges and not under the terms and
conditions by which it is provided by
the constitution that money may be
under the supervision of the
highway commission. Later the su-
preme court held that these "pork
barrel" appropriations were unconsti-
tutional, and, of course, the state
auditor could pay ont no more money
under them. In the meantime the
local authorities in some cases had
gone ahead and made contracts, and
work was done on the roads relying
on funds from the 'pork barrel'' ap-
to pay for them. In
such cases the local authorities we're
up against the very serious PROPOSE
zion of raising funds to meet the obi
cations they had incurred or repudi-
ating the debt altogether. --><s-,-
The purpose of Mr.. Davis and Mr..
Swanson's bill is to help them out.
In it is provided that whenever here
after money is apportioned any county
by the highway commission, the
county commissioners are directed to
first reimburse out of such money
"eVery person or party for money ex-
pended and labor performed or ma
terial furnished in the Improvement
and construction of any road or
bridge within their respective counties
done in pursuance of the provisions
of the ''pork barrel'' act to which
have referred.
1t looks bad for reapportionment in
the senate. Some people blame the
liquor interests which, having gone
to good deal of trouble and expense
to secure the election of senate
which would not judge them too
harshly, don't like the idea of having
two years hence to do the job all over
again. Others attribute the reluc-
lance of senators to vote themselves
out of Office to their own selfshness.
They don't want so soon to give up
jobs they had hard work to get. Still
others attribute the opposition to re-
apportionment to the reluctance of the
people of small districts to sacrifice
their representation. I question
whether, if one got back to the people
themselves, any great cause would be
found for attributing to them serious
opposition to such fair reapportion-
ment of the state as would give all the
people a square deal. There is
another reason advanced, namely the
fear that, under any plan of reappor-
tionment on basis of population, the
representation of the populous
counties would be so great as to prove
a menace to the state at large. Per-
sonally I regard this as a special plea
invented for the OCCASION, and think
that an inquiry into the part many of.
the senators now opposed to reappor-
tionment have taken in the past, in
utilization with the senators from the
large centers, would indicate that
they have not the horror of the
schemes of the special interests which
their present attitude would imply.
-..-.-.. i: !:
However that may be, the deter
mined character of the opposition to
in the senate Is indi-