Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1912-12-25

competent political wr1ter.-EQ.J
St. Paul, Dec. 23-1t is satisfac-
tory to know that the attorney gen.
eral promises to be attorney general
after the first Of the year. Confus-
ion would have been prevented if he
had thought Of it sooner. The Incl
dent which stiffened Mr.. Smith,
backbone, however, is one the res
possibility for which lies rather at
the door Of the executive Office than
at that Of the legal departments It
appears that in Pennington county
two candidates were tied in the elec-
ton for county commissioner. In
such cases the law provides that they
shall cast lots to see who is to hold
down the job. They didn't know this
lin Pennington county, it appears,
and in the absence of Mr.. Smith ap-
pear to have been but little better in
formed Of the provisions Of the law
in the attorney generals Office. AT
all events that is what they say in
the governors Office, from which
without any hesitation a proclama-
ton was issued calling for new
election to decide the question which
the law says should have been de-
cided by lot.
| SOMEBODY BLUNDERED.
The election thus ordered was held
and it cost the taxpayers some $500
or more and resulted in the election
Of a socialist. By this time some
one had discovered that the election
should not have been held at all,
and put the matter up to the attor-
ney general himself, who gave it as
his opinion that the election was null
and void, and that lots would have
to be drawn as provided by law not
understanding the election. When this
came out, the executive Office to clear
it's skirts said a different decision
had been made by one Of the attor-
ney generals assistants. Hence Mr..
Smiths pronouncement that he him.
self is going to be attorney general
after this, and that his subordinates
will not be permitted to speak for the
states legal department without first
consulting him.
GO AS YOU PLEASE METHODS.
It is characteristic of the methods
of the executive office that the pro-
clamation referred to above which
bore the governors signature was
issued in his absence, and that he
actually knew nothing about it until
after the election had been held. Il
is his practice, it appears, when he
|goes off on a jaunt to leave all kinds
of documents signed in blank, the
forms to be filed in later by clerks
who sometimes get things right, but
|quite as often, I am told, get them
wrong. That was the way in the case
of one Alexander who was taken tc
Chicago and put in jail and relieved
Of his money on trumped up charge
and later released without even ap.
pearing in court. It was the case al
so when commissions were first made
out for Judge Catlin and Judge Bum
whom Governor Eberhart had recent.
lily appointed to the bench. The gov
ernor has only authority to appoint
them until the next general election
| AS their commissions were made out
the governor assumed to appoint
them until the end Of the full term
The blunder was fortunately discov.
cred in time in the secretary oil
states Office to prevent illegal APP.
pointments being issued.
A THIRD DISTRICT CANDIDATE
i The republican delegation to the
house from the Third congressional
district got on the band wagon the
other day by endorsing Rines fol-
speaker. They were doubtless the
more ready to do this as they had a
candidate for sergeant at arms whom
they could hardly hope to place with
out the assistance Of Mr.. Rines'
! friends in Mr.. Promo of West St.
Paul. The municipality Of West St.
Paul, though only separated from the
city Of St Paul by the width Of a
street, is in Dakota county. What
Mr.. Premo's claims are do not clear
ly appear, although the fact that he
has the backing of the majority of
the St. Paul members may not be
without significance. Like the ma
jority Of the Third district delega-
ton, their natural alignment is not
with the Progressives.
GATHERING IN THE PLUMS.
1t is reported here that w. A. Ver-
ity Of Wadena is slated for the posi-
ton Of first assistant secretary Of
the senate, which it is claimed he will
be able to secure through the good
Offices of the senators Of Hennepin
county, and thereby hangs a tale not
without it's interest. Mr.. Verify used
to be quite prominent in politics in
this state. and took an active part.