The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1912-05-30
ALL EYES ON
EXTRA SESSION
Fate Of Leading Politicians De.
ponds on Outcome.
MEANS MUCH TO DEMOCRATS
Because Of Republican Split Minority
Will Be Able to Dictate
Terms on Ali Legislation.
Especial Correspondence

\0peClal correspondence
st. Paul, May 2S.-Politically speak
ing all eyes are centered on the Cap
itol City these days, and properly so.
Next week the legislature will meet in
extraordinary session and on it's de-
alterations and findings depends much.
More than one crowned head is put
ting in sleepless nights awaiting the
outcome The whole thing means one
OF three things, the wiping out of Gov
ernor Eberhart and the elevation of a
rival to the command of the ship of
state, the elimination of the Repub-
lican party for a period of years, or
the complete supremacy of those now
in power. No one is certain what will
happen and it is impossible to get a
bet on the probable outcome. Every
body for himself and the devil take
the hindmost seems to be the accepted
opinion. What prompted the governor
to call the legislature together; what
was his motive, you ask? He says it
was in answer to the general demand
for statewide primary law and which
found expression in the late presiden-
tlal delegate nominating convention
held in Minneapolis. His enemies say
it was because he was afraid of the
cars. He knew he was gone and
We'll, the flip of penny has solved
the fate of nations as we'll as individu-
ais. He was just as we'll off one way
as the other. All this, however, is
only gossip and while some may weigh
MS past actions on requests for spe-
cial sessions of the house and senate
against his sudden late call for the
assembling of the two bodies, yet
charity demands that he be given
credit for doing what he believed was
right and what he thought the people
wanted: In all four special sessions
OF the legislature have been held since
Minnesota became a state and the rec
ords show that all were failures. Gov
ernor Eberhart has seen fit to issue
the call for the fifth and one must at
least give him credit for taking a
chance. His official head depends on
the outcome, and, fellows, that is sure
some gamble.
With a special session of the legis-
lature certainty-it will convene at
high noon, June 4-the attention of
the king makers is now directed at
the Democratic minority in the two
fouses, for if the best informed have
1t right the unwashed of the two
bodies hold the future of the Repub-
lican party in the hollow of their hand.
Governor Eberhart says he is calling
the legislature together to enact a de-
manded statewide primary and the
passage of such an act, the wise ones
say, depends upon the action of the
minority. This is on the assumption
that the Republican majority will be
badly split and there is nothing to
show that it will be any different than
1t was at the last regular session. II
the Democrats play good ball they
can say whether there will be a pri-
mary law or not and if such a law is
passed they can dictate the terms.
There are better than thirty of the I'M
washed in the house, with a substan-
tlal number in the senate. Showing
the feeling among the Democrats, one
of the number who was in st. Paul
last week following the call for the
special session, declared that if a pri-
r0Q wv To-
wholly satisfactory to the Democrats.
And he was a leader in the last house,
too. He was strong enough to compel
the acceptance of bill providing for
the popular election of United States
senators, and without amendment at
that. The near approach of the cleo
ton, in which majority of the mem
bers will undoubtedly participate, the
fact that the attention of nearly $780,
coo voters will be centered on their
actions and the party's future, you
probably will say, should guide the
majority and compel a united front,
but the general fear is that it will not.
Personal ambition is the menace.
!. :.
In writing about things political one
cannot get away from this special
session stuff. It has everything
showed off the boards. One thing
bothering quite a few is how the
members of the two bodies are going
to exist. There will be no pay day
this time. The best they can get is
mileage. The members cannot vote
themselves any reimbursement what
ever. To some this means a short
session; to others the introduction of
bills and calls for investigations CAL
culated to bring the needed beef
steaks. Both represent the views of
q few who never see good in anything.
yet at the same time it offers prob
lem worthy of solution at once. A
repetition should not be permitted
Because of the whim of a few nearly
200 men will be torn away from their
business next week, made to come to
st. Paul, pay their own expenses and