The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1911-02-23
HAVE A HOT lime
Both Houses Of Legislature Emit
Super-Heated Atmosphere
TALK Is AT A PREMIUM
House Takes a Whirl at Secretary
of State, and Senate Seats
froshaug Same Day

| (St. Paul Special to The Herald, Feb. 2l)
There was considerable hot air on
tap in the Minnesota legislature last
Friday. More warm oratory was let
loose than for several days yet during
the present session. And it all hap
pened the same day.
The House began in the morning
when it took up the secretary of
states bill of s21, 300 for printing the
amendments, which, according to pre-
cedent, he wanted to have allowed ur-
der suspension Of the rules. But this
time precedent didn't count. There
were several members who acted as
though they were from the state
where the mules come from. So an
investigating committee was appoint
ed which wrestled with the situation
several days-and then some-and
ended by submitting majority and
minority reports. Just "a word here
in explanation.
Up to 1909 the law provided that
the constitutional m n d m n t S
should be printed in one legal news
paper in each county in the state.
The 1909 legislature added an amend
ment providing for three papers in
each county. The secretary of the
state selects the papers. 1t has been
customary for number of years to
have these amendments given four
publications in each PAPER publishing
them. This, at legal rate, brings the
lucky papers $4,000 each. AS mat
ter of fact the law only provides for
three publications in each paper, but
but the papers didn't know that; they
made the contract with the state in
good faith and ran the amendments
four times as directed by the secre-
tary of state.
The investigating committee found
that the secretary of state had, in
1910, placed the amendments in "a
more papers than the law allows.
In Ramsey county fifteen papers were
favored, in Hennepin five, in Blue
Earth five, etc. The majority of the
committee favored allowing but $4,000
to each paper; the minority, $4,000.
The debate was heated and lasted
over an hour during which the secre-
tary of state was roasted to turn,
the hottest roast being administered
by John G.. Lennon of Hennepin, who
used to train with the secretary
of state. The majority report was
adopted, 81 to 80. This was taken
as censure of the secretary of state,
rather than slap at the newspapers.
The upshot of the whole matter will
be that another bill will be introduced
providing for the payment of $4,000
to each paper publishing the amend
ments, as it is generally conceded that
the publications were made by the
newspapers in good faith. Some rad
ical legislation affecting future publ
cations will, however, be made.
/ Friday afternoon the senate began
its mastication of textile fabric on
the Farrington-Fr oshaug contest at
2 o'clock and didn't let up till 1880.
There was oratory in chunks, in
slices, in wads, in gobs; in fact, the
air was full of it. There was also
more or less recrimination. The de-
bate resulted in the seating of Sena-
tor Froshaug by a vote of 81 to 30, a
small margin, but enough This
winds up the senate contests for seats
and that body is now at liberty to get
right down TO brass tacks for the rest
Of the session.