New Ulm review., 1911-01-11
The 1911 Legislature. L

The servants of the people, CON-
monty known as the Senators and
Representatives, are now 'busily
engaged putting the will of the people
Tor, II you please, the will ofinteresss)
into legal form and shape. AT the
end Of the session we will be able, no
doubt, TO tell who was benefited most,
the people or the interests.
The house convened last Tuesday
noon and elected n. H. Dunn, of
Albert Lea, as speaker. Wednesday
noon Governor Eberhart delivered his
message at joint meeting OF the
senate and the house, an analysis OF
which is given elsewhere In this ISSUE
The following House officials were
elected: Chief Clerk, Oscar Aroeson;
First Assistant, o. Q. Hage; Second
Assistant, Jerome Rice; Enrolling
Clerk, r. J. Thoreen; Engrossing
Clerk, Crawford Sheldon; sergaent'
alarms, Geo. H. Dean; Assistant,
Earney Siez; Postmaster, William
Scanlon; Assistant, Q. Q. aalman;
Chaplain, Moses NJ. Maxwell.
The representative of Brown County
the Hon. Alb. Pfaender, was given
complimentary vote for speaker, the
House minority casting twenty-five
votes for him.
The following important measures
are likely to come up before this
session: questions pertaining directly
to the Legislature; re-apportionment;
direct legislation through the initiative,
referendum and recall ;extension OF the
primary law and Improvement OF the
corrupt practises act.
Thursday OF last week marked the
first conflict on the floor Of Represen-
tatives in which the lines we're pretty
closely drawn between County Option
and Anti. Opion sentiment, which bids
fair to continue during the entire ses.
sion of the house.
Two years ago the County Op.
tionists attempted to change the rules
81 the house, providing that commit
tees must report out bills onto the
door within fifteen days after their re-
ceipt BY the committee, but they failed
In such efforts. During the present
session. tho Democrats, who nov
number twenty-six and really hold the
balance 81 power, decided e insist
upon rule requiring slf Bills -excep.
ting appropriations, clsims and re-
spportionment to be reported out
within twenty days. Albert Pfaender
Of New Ulm, who practically becomes
the minority leader by virtue OF have
log received the democratic nomina-
tton % speaker, appeared before the
committee on rules and urged such
paragraph. The rules we're changed
BY the committee practically as asked
for BY him. When the report ofthe
committee was received by the house,
Representative Nolan OF Minneapolis,
who was identified with the County
Option mo vement, proposed to amend
the rules offered by the committee to
the effect that the ayes recorded in
on final vote upon all bills
be reported In full to the house. The
amendment was defeated by y vote Of
sixty-two to forty.six. Although not
. strict vote on the question of
County Option this is sought to re-
present fairly the relative strength of
the two factions in the House.
Representatives r Congdon, Mckenzie,
Lennon, Pfaender and Mattson all
argued against the practicability OF
such an amendment. while Nolan and
Campbell spoke in favor, putting
their argument upon the ground of
Those objecting to the
amendment urged that such measure
would tend to represent Incorrectly
the attendance of the members at
different committee meetings, that 1t
would unnecessarily cucumber the
iurnal of the house and increase the
cost of printing the same, and that
the same: result of publicity and put
ting members on record could be Or
rived at by q minority reporto bring
ing the matter up on direct motion on
the floor of the house. While the
offered seems good on the
fact OF it, it is designated by older
members who know the practical
workings Of the machinery Of the
house IS absolutely unnecessary, ex-
persive, impractical and as nothing
less than play to the galleries.