Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1913-12-26
AjnnesotaSenator Says States
Are Dlsfranchised by
Legislative Tyranny"

Washington, Dec. 25.-'lt S a long
road that has no turning. The mills
of the gods grind slowly, but they
grind exceedingly fine. have seen
two democratic administrations come
and go during my life. | have seen
another one come, and l think | shall
live to see that go, too. I think by
and by a greater day shall dawn for
the republicans, and this democratic
legislative, tyrancy that has been in.
ficted upon us will be one of the
things the democrats will be asham-
ed OF. as they have some o. their 9TH
er actions in the past"
The foregoing "a the conclusion of
a vigorous speech by Senator Nelson
yesterday, denouncing the democratic
members of the conference committee
On the currency bill in excluding the
republicans from their deliberations.
Pounding his desk and shaking his
finger warningly at the democratic
senators, he told of the humiliation
put upon the state of Minnesota as
Well as upon himself by his exclusion
from the conference.
Promised Non-Partizan Conference.
When this bill came to the senate
about the 18th Of September, it was
understood, said Senator Nelson, "and
was so indicated on the other side Of
the chamber, that this was a matter
OF legislation that concerned the well
fare of the entire country, high and
low, rich and poor, republicans and de-
mocrats, socialists populists and
whatever their political or social ar
flliations might be and that We were
to consider the bill purely in a non
partizan spirit. Whatever motive NAV
nave actuated other senators il that
respectf, as far as l am concerned |
considered the bill in that spirit from
first to last, but, strangely enough, We
were hampered from time to time,
while we were carefully considering
the bill.
After the bill was passed, it was,
according to parliamentary usage. put
into conference. But there has been
no conference. When the conferees
met, the republican members were not
permitted to associate with them. Oh,
lection came from the six democratic
senators of the committee. and they
saw tit to exclude us from a full,
fair and free conference over the bill
as had always been the custom from
time immemorial.
The confluence was agreed to last
Saturday. The democratic members
OF the conference committee met that
afternoon or evening. They met again
Sunday morning and continued in ses.
sion until 3 or 4 O'Clock Monday morn
ing. Their report was printed and
we have never been consulted or in
vited to the conference.
Says States Are DISTINGUISHED.
AT 4 o'clock Monday we were sum.
moned before the committed aften
they had a conference lasting from
Saturday noon until Monday morning
at : or 4 o'clock. After they had all
that conference oyer the bill, we were
called up just as a criminal is called
up after a verdict of conviction has
been found and asked what we had to
say, why the sentence of the demo-
cratic party should not be p%ronounc.
ed.
Il feel that this was an insult and
an indignity offered the republican
members of the committee. When the
president of the senate PIT me on as
one Of the conferees on that commit:
tee, | was there as a senator from
Minnesota and under the constitution
my mandate vas as strong, my power
Of attorney was Is comprehensive as
that of the senator from Oklahoma.
What does this lead to? 1t means