Morris tribune., 1911-04-21
REACTIONARIES.
Blocked Legislation Thru a
Whole Session.
By Lynn Haines.

This is written April fifteenth.
Before it is read the session will be
over. With legislative conditions so
chaotic and uncertain. it is impossible
to predict what may happen at the
finish but this much is already true:
no law making body ever promised
more, and fulfilled so little. In my
next and last letter shall attempt
to show specifically what was accom-
plished.
To get comprehensive view of the
situation, one must go back two years
in the political history of the state.
The legislature of 1909 was unpro-,
gressive. 1t was characterized by
acts and inclinations favoring the
special interests. At the primaries
and the general elections the people
spoke out in emphatic protest against
the reign of professional and corrupt
politicians. The result was the smash
ing of the old guard machine in both
branches. A majority of the new
members were independent of the in
terests, with progressive tendencies.
1t looked as though complete pro-
gram of progressive measures would
be enacted.
Goaded to desperation by this pro-
spect, the reactionaries elected their
candidate for speaker and captured
the House organization. With that
advantage, through the adoption of
Cannonized rules and the compelling
power of patronage and chairmanships.
the corporation cabinet was able
to overcome the handicap of a maj
ority of members directly controlled
by the special interests until they
had had time to bring enough re-
cruits into the combination to give
them control. There isn't space in
this letter to explain how that was
done. In "The Minnesota Legislature
of 1911" shall go over each step
in the system and identify the men,
bers who yielded to this or that inf1u-
ence. It is an interesting and in
structive studv-the changing of insur-
gents into reactionaries. Some gave
way to f1attery; some were duped and
deceived; others surrendered for COM
mittee assignments: still others sold
their independence for local appro-
priations then there are other influ-
encs about which one hesitates to
speak.
To sum up the situation, the re-
dictionaries serving the special in
terests. were in almost absolute con-
troll of the House before the session
had progressed three weeks. They
had dependable majority of between
five and ten. And they made their
control count, as will be shown when
the results are analysized.
On the other hand, Lieutenant
Governor Gordon organized the Sem
ate in the interest Of the people.
He gave the important committees into
the hands of progressives. Apparent
ly the special interests had little
in the upper branch.
Conditions continued in that way un-
til the Klemer incident in the House.
That sensational controversy almost |
instantly converted well-ordered and
smoothly working snecial interest
machine into pitiful chas. No
words of mine are adequate to des-
cribe the change. About fortv-fve
stood together. Outside
Of that there was on harmony, and
little work. The reactionary leaders
realized that they had over played
the game and were discredited, if not
before the citizens of the
state. They blamed each other. and
everybody else. They were. and are,
irritable. At any time since Mr.,
Klemer and DR.. Stone charged that
the special interests controlled the