The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1913-03-15
Fraught with Sectionalism-Led by
Minnesota Members Who Would
Not Give Up Offices.
CITIES WERE ONCE IN DANGER
Amendment Proposing to Leave Their
Representation the Same As At
Present Lost 80 to 20,
BY United Press.

BY United Press.
St. Paul, MIMI, March 15-After
a four hour debate. fraught with
the bitterness of sectional strife, the
senate late Friday afternoon passed
the reapportionment bill as reported
by the committee, Sen. v. L. john
son, Center City, chairman. The
final vote was 4S to 10.
AS passed, the bill provides for four
more senators and ten more repre-
sentatives than at present. AS this
is an increase OF two senators and
five representatives over the bill as
previously passed by the house, it
will necessitate the appointment of
a joint conference committee to ar
bitrate the differences.
The fight on the bill was led by
members from Southern Minnesota,
especially those from the First and
Third congressional districts, who
tried to prejudice the country men,
bers from Northern Minnesota by tell
ing them the bill would virtually
place the control of the state in the
hands of the three large cities-St.
Paul, Minneapolis and Duluth.
The Northern members, however,
refused to be mislead, although
tempted by an amendment which pro-
posed to allow the northern part of
the state the representation provided
in the bill, but which proposed to
leave the representation in the three
cities the same as at present. This
amendment was offered by Sen. F. E.
Putnam, Faribault, and the fight for
it was lead by Senators F. A. Dux-
bury and John Moonan. The amend
ment was lost by vote of SO to 20.
When the opponents of the bill
saw that the fight was going against
them they made a vain attempt to
have the bill re-referred to the re-
apportionment committee, on the
pretext that the committee ought to
amend he bill and leave the repre-
sentation in Ramsey, Hennepin and
St. Louis counties as it is at present.
This was lost by IS to 43 vote.
Senator Johnson, in talking for
his bill, made the point that there
had been no reapportionment for
sixteen years, and that during this
time the southern part of the state
had been over-represented.;
Given now we cannot compel you
to give up this over representation"
declared the chairman of the re-
committee. 1--WE must
come and kneel before you in humble
and beg for what is
Justly due us and which does not
belong to you.'
The attempt to amend the meas
ure so as to deprive the three large
countries from increased representa-
ton was a revival of the seven SEN
ator fight of two years ago. Speak
ing on this proposition, Sen. J. D.
St. Cloud, said;
1.-TWO years ago supported the
seven senator proposition. If that
was the issue at this time I would
again support it. But it is not the
issue, or should not be. The seven
senator proposition was put to the
people at the last general election
and it failed to pass. Therefore, in
passing a reapportionment bill we
must be guided by the constitution
as it now is, and not by what the
might be or would be
had the seven-senator proposition
passed." 49,. =. -
AS passed by the senate, the ad-
ditions of two senators and five
have been given to
Southern Minnesota. Beltrami and
Koochiching counties are coupled
with one senator and two representa-
tives; Clearwater, Pennington and
Red Lake are put together with one
senator and one representative; Ro-
seau, Kittson an Marshall have one
senator and three representatives;
Cass and Itasca have one senator and
two representatives; and st. Louis
county is divided into three districts
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