The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1911-01-12
Crookston Bankers First Skirmish
Shows that Election Committee
Intends to Be Stumbling Block.
FOOLISH" YARN IN CITY PAPERS
Ridiculous Report Spread That "Mys.
FERROUS" Methods are Being Used
to Gust Saugstad.
(By +. A. WILSON,


Benidji Pioneer Legislative Bureau
St. Paul, Jan. 12.-It dosen't look
overly bright for Andrew Stephens,
the Crookston Banker, in his contest
in the senate against John Saugstad,
the county optionist who now occu-
pies the former seat of the contest
ing senator
At a meeting of the election COM
mittee of the senate in the judiciary
committee room yesterday afternoon,
the spirit of the elections committee
was revealed for the first time and
it seems to favor Saugstad and the
indications are that to win their
fight the friends of Senator Stephens
will have to clash with their oppon-
ents on the floor Of the senate.
Senator julius E. Haycraft of Ma
della, representing the thirteenth
district, is chairman of the elections
committee and is close to Lieutenant
Governor Gordon who, of course, is
an out and out county optionist
Other members of the committee are
Senators Hackney of St. Paul, Carl
Wallace, Minneapolis, Jas. P Boyle,
Eveleth, eastman, Owatonna, Dale,
Madison, Putnam, Blue Earth, Cook,
r Lake City, and Gunderson Of Alex
andria. All were present with the
exception of Senator Gunderson
There was lively discussion over
the proposition to have the evidence
in the contest printed. This the
committee refused to do on the
ground that the contestants should
furnish the printed evidence and run
the risk of reimbursement from the
state.
Because of the state wide reputa-
ton of the Crookston banker and be-
cause county option enters so large
ly into the affair, the Stephens COLI
test is one of the most interesting
things which has so far featured the
new legislature.
The twin city papers have printed
good many foolish things about the
contest, chief Of which may be NEIL
toned the yarn to the effect that
Senator Stephens is hiding in st..
Paul, directing his campaign from
a secluded room in the St. Paul Hotel
Senator Stephens has been in St.
Paul since the legislature convened
but he has at no time attempted to
appear "incognito." He has met his
friends fearlessly and frankly and de-
clares this to be his policy through
out the contest.
Senator Stephens has Herculean
task in unseating Senator Saugstad,
first because it is extremely difficult
to GUST a member once he has been
sworn in and, second, because of a
none to friendly elections committee
whose duty it is to pass upon the
evidence and report it's findings to
the senate which must of necessity
be Influenced largely by the commit
tees decision.
s'I am we'll satisfied with the way
Speaker Dunn handled me in making
his committee appointments" said
Representative P. D. O'Neil. 81
didn't land as chairman of any of
the committees but that was only to
De expected dlIer Tie duCdSOulSlll L
have shown the Speaker and his
crowd. l landed on four important
committees and that is enough for
me. I didn't care so much about
the drainage committee as I don't ex-
pect to see much legislation along
that line
An effort is being made to revise
the game laws to permit the hunt
ing of game birds beginning with
September /, week earlier than
the present law provides. A bill to