The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1912-08-30

men VINO Is SeckluS the SuDeTud-
torial nomination on the republican
ticket, spoke to fair-sized audience
at the Wonderland theatre last night
and essayed to answer the question,
What Is the Matter With Mime
sota?" The speaker preceded his
main talk with short autobiog-
raphy of his public life. He came
to this state in 1875 and taught
school at Litchfield Later he studied
law and was admitted to the bar,
and practiced law until ten years
ago. He has served two large COR
pora tons, and therefore knows their
methods.
AS an Introductory setting, he
illustrated what had been done at
the states prison at Saltwater, and
explained the new system of putting
the penitentiary on a profitable ba-
sis, and at the same time to aid the
prisoners and their families who are
without means, while the head of
the family is serving time. These
things are taking place now, since
he was elected to the legislature
and as the result of laws that he
had had enacted. The states prison,
he said is now putting out 100000
pounds of twine, three times as
much as prior to 1907, in which he
rewrote and secured the enactment
of new laws upon which these in
dustries are being acquired.
An Improbable Method.
Mr. Spooner described the unprofit-
able method of selling labor to the
Western Shoe company for 60 cents
day each, with the state paying
for shops, guards, feed, hospitals,
power, etc. The state, he said, is
giving away about $250,OOO a year
by this method, but as the contract
expires September l, 1914, this labor
will afterwards be utilized in the
manufacture of Irvine and farm ma
chinery.
The result, he said, will be saw
ing for farmers who purchase prison
made machinery better condition
among the prisoners and an effort
will be made to reform and reclaim
the human beings who are held with
in it's walls. Schools teaching as
high as the eighth grade will be es-
tablished, and manufacturing fund
law secured, by which profits will
accumulate into a revolving fund.
Mr.. Spooner then touched upon
the Women's Federated clubs. 1t
was through his and their efforts
that the girls were taken away from
the training school at Redwing and
brought to separate institution at
Sank Center. Previous to their COM
ing to him, every legislature had
turned down their efforts and ap-
peals. He denounced the dormitory
plan as devilish plan.
The Railroad Legislation.
The legislature of 1907 was not
able for it's railroad hearings and
railroad legislation, in all of which,
though it was his first legislative
work, Mr.. Spooner as chairman Of
the house of railroad committee took
a prominent part He helped secure
the two cent rate, which was later
turned down by Judge Sanborn, and
the three cent fare restored, al
though it had saved the people of
the state about $6000,000. He said
he had been criticised for his vote
on the distance tariff bill He voted
against it, because had it passed,
deeper evil would have resulted, he
said. r.
II hold fireman, whether paid or
volunteer, as much a patriot as
soldier" he continued, and then ex-
planned his securing an enactment
in the session of 1909 whereby a
firemen's pension fund was created.
What is the matter with Mime
sota?" he then shouted, and answer
ed quickly: at is lack of honest,
business-like administration of it's af-
fairs. 1t is too much pernicious poll
tics and not enough business" "
The Public Domain.
The speaker touched upon the sub
Ject OF public domain and criticised
the methods of the state in this re-
gard. This year he said from $4O,-
900 to $4,000 had been spent, os-
tensibly to secure immigration, but
he said the real estate dealers of
the twin cities were the beneficiaries
in most cases.
The subject of the Minnesota and
Mississippi river improvement re-
ceived some consideration from Mr.
Spooner, who was in favor of i'm
proving these water highways. He
referred to the speech made at the
normal school in this city by Gov
ernor Eberhart, who at that time
spoke of the low per capita expense
OF the state administration. He said
that it cost every person more in
Minnesota than in many other states
The cost of running the state leg
lslature alone, he said, was altogeth-
er too much, having increased at a
staggering rate. Mr.. Spooner took
a crack" at the former methods
of making acquisitions, and explain.
ed how the legislators secured their
pocketknives of which w. E. Lee
spoke of in Mankato. Lee, he said.
omitted one thing. He said the sec
rotary of state orders the knives
long in advance, then the legislators
get some new member, who has Just
been elected, to introduce a resolu-
zion which authorizes the chief clerk
to buy these things, which the Sec
rotary of state has bought before.
After Bigger Game.
But | am after bigger game,' he
explained, and then gave few fig
ures to illustrate the supposed ex-
travagance of the present admins
tration. In 1902 it cost the people
S5. 100000 to run the state while in
1911 it cost over $13,00O.OOO. He
stated that further comparisons show.
that the per capita cost of admins
trat1on of Minnesota is twice that
of Michigan, two and four-tenths
that of Wisconsin; three times that
Of