New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1913-04-30
Summary Of Work of 1913
Session Of State Legislature
Initiative And ReferendunS Law Most Important Piece
OF Legislation Passed BY Minnesota
SOlons.
eastman Distance Tariff Bill And Working Mems
Compensation Act Successfully
Navigated.

st. Paul, Mimi, April 29th.-As
usual the 1913 session Of the legisla-
ture ha the same tumultuous ending
that characterized former sessions.
There were few jars as the mills
ground out the last laws. In many
ways the session was notable one.
It only remains now to discover what
political alignments or re-alignments
will follow. That the republican par
ty is hopelessly split was exempli-
fed by the manner in which the sem
ate and house fought each other and
the attitude the house assumed to-
ward Governor Eberhart.
Thanks to Lieutenant Governor
Burnquist, the senate organization
was held in line and came to Cover
nor Eberhart's rescue at the last mo-
ment by upholding the Minnette and
Nolan vetoes. When one sits back
now and in reminiscent mood goes
over the political developments Of
the last ninety days he is political
novice indeed if he does not detect
the subtle manner by which Burn
ouist was enlisted with the Smith
Eberhart forces.
To begin with Senator G. H. Sui
Ivan, an Eberhart-Smith henchman,
started to Eight" against Burnquist
by threatening to deprive him Of his
right to organize the senate. Burn-
quist at no time was alarmed. While
the agitation was going on he was
the coolest Of all those concerned.
It is well known that the Sullivan
bunch started the fight just to allay
the suspicious Of the so-called Pro-
rressives, who had previously assign
ed Mr.. Burnquist to the "Amen cor
ner,' so sure were they Of his being
orthodox. He fiirted with the Pro-
gressives before and after the pri-
maries, but after election he became
the bed-fellow Of the regulars. In
other words, to use the phraseology
of Cassius, HE spurned the base
degrees by which de did arise"
It was fitting, dear readers, that
Senator G. H. Sullivan, Saltwater,
attorney for the Twin City Rapid
Transit company, should make the
presentation speech when the reac-
tionaries of the senate presented the
lieutenant governor with a mahog-
any table and an oriental rug.
Aside from this there have been
many signs which indicated the turn
ing of Burnquist from the camp Of
the Progressives and the insurgent
republicans. Governor Eberhart has
been close to Burnquist. They have
been mingling socially. It is rumor-
ed, also, that !. A. Caswell has crawl
ed under the tent. On the face of it,
however, the Rines organization is as
implacable as ever.
A summary of the laws passed by
the legislature shows that the demo-
Gratis were in the front ranks urging
progressive measures from the first.
One of the democratic triumphs was
the initiative and referendum. Senat-
or Moonah and other democrats led the
fight and initiated the agitation. 1t
should be remembered that P. NJ.
Ringdahl, democratic candidate for
governor, urged this issue as the
chief plank in his platform.
Governor Eberhart was silent, but
he slipped it into his message when
he saw the inevitable and now his
press agents are claiming the credit
for the GLORIOUS victory" Asum-
mary of the laws that passed and
those that failed follows:
Some Legislative Things That Did
Happen:
Initiative and referendum.
Provision for 10 congressman.
Two-cent passenger rate on rail-
.oads.
Distance tariff