Morris tribune., 1911-02-03

GOS lion "a LIS I1OQSSs duN 0ks W.
r. Stone. the insurgent who objects
| to the methods Of the "rules and the
! roller. Another attack revealed
| more Cannonism. A woodchuck was
| caught by the very tip Of the tail AZ
it was slipping through the lower
body. The election contests in the
Senate are growing in interest and
mystery ais the time for decision
draws near. The first clash in the
fight for reapportionment left both
sides wondering where they were at.
A friend advised thatsI produce
some "Pen Pictures Of Politicians"
The suggestion is tempting. 1t can
not be followed at this time, how
ever. but do want you to consider
briefly representative Of the other
type. On the first day Of the session
/ took a survey Of the new members:
Among them was DR.. w. T. Stone,
of Park Rapids. Inquiry developed
that he had followed the allopathic
profession for quarter of a century.
had known doctors Of that school
in the legislature and as rule they
were not very aggressive in attacking
the ills of politics, so paid little
attention to DR.. Stone, except to no.
tiee that he looked intelligent and
honest. Although he said never a
word, in less than two weeks he inn
pressed upon everyone the fact that
he had come to the Legislature with
a splendid equipment for public
service. He introduced bills
embodying the most progressive
ideas, and further proved that he was
permeated with fundamental demo-
cracy by publishing and presenting
to each member Of both branches a
pamphlet defining and advocating
direct legislation. Than he began to
insurge with voice and vote. Last
week he bore the brunt of the verbal
battles with the machine. The
"roller" ran over him, as matter
of course. But he arose from each
encounter with a smile. and pro-
eseded to arm himself for the next.
In a marvelously short space Of time
DR.. Stone has unmasked the men
and methods of the reactionary:
camp. He abhors hypocrisy and
graft in every form. These
ehsracteristies, coupled with his
ability and fearlessness, may soon
bestow upon him the enviable
distinction so long held BY Elmer E.
Adams of Fergus Falls. that of
being the most hated man in the
House.
Cannonism is a condition in law
making which gives minority
power over a majority. 1t makes
the Speaker the master instead of the
servant of the House. The machine
made applications of this principle
during the week. When DR.. Stone
led an attempt for "a public interest
committee the committee on rules
reported against the resolution and
it was held that it would take a
two-thirds vote to carry the motion.
Again, the Speaker ruled that a
bill could not be made "a special
order" without two thirds vote. I
am not criticsing these decisions Of
the chair. They were made in ac-
cordance with the rules of the House.
But the rules are radically wrong
when they give to few authority
over a majority. Before the session
is over you will see how it works
in vital issues.
y The progressives are becoming sns'
picious. 1t is partly because Of H. F.
No. 5. { This bill bore the name of
r. c. Dunn. although it transpires
that he had practically no interest in
its origin and no knowledge of the
jokers it contained. The measure
came from the Secretary Of States
office and was considered during the
illness Of Mr.. Dunn, he being absent
at bis home In Princeton It
provides for an appropriation of
s2S. 100 10 pay for the publication of
proposed constitutional amendments
in newspapers last October. The
law authorizes the Secretary of State
to have such matter published in not !
more than three legal newspapers inl
each county, but II. F. No. S showed
that more than that number had been
used in several counties and also that |,
not all of them were printed in he |
English language. The bill provides |
that 800 be paid to each of list
Of 274 papers, leaving the difference
between $27. 400 and $2S. 100 to
defray "other expenses incurred
under the direction Of the Secretary