Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1913-01-08
DEMO RATS REFUSE
TO BALK BURNQUIST
Movement to Curtafl His Power
Collapsed. Contest In
StearnS County.

Stearns County.
Legislative Letter by Tom Lawson1
St. Paul, Jan. THE collapse Of
the proposed senatorial combine
clears the way for harmonious op-
ening of the legislative session. There
had, it is true, been talk Of opposi-
ton to the election of Henry Rines
of Mora for speaker, and subse-
quently Of q movement to take away
from him the organization Of the
house and assign that duty to a COM
mittee OH committees, but there was
not at any time sentiment enough be-
hind either project to make it's adop-
ton probable. At all events, when
the legislature really did meet both
Mr.. Rines and the lieutenant COVER
nor had the situation we'll in hand,
and it will be their own fault if they
fail now to make good.
DEMOCRATS BALK.
/ The lieutenant governor had a
close call, however, and it is demo-
Gratis and not republicans he has to
thank that he is not mere figure
head. There is strong minority in
his own party which has small con-
fidence in him, and if the democrats
had been willing to cooperate with
them to perfect an organization from
the floor Of the senate there was
nothing in the world to prevent the
deal going through. Opinions still
differ as to whether that would have
been a good or bad thing for the
democrats. Certainly Judging from
past experience they have little war;
rant to hope for favors even from a
progressive presiding officer. On the
other hand if they had made the use
Of insurgent republicans that many
think would have been perfectly legi-
innate they might today be in a po-
sition to put over a progressive dem
ocratic program, and force the pro,
gressive republican senator's to helf
them carry it out.
AT CROSS PURPOSES.
1t might Of course be objected tina
this would be scarcely playing fail
with the reactionary republicans
through whose aid the control of tn
y house was secured. Their under
standing might indeed have been tina
they were making catspaws Of tn
i democrats to pull their chestnuts on
Of the fire.. They were no doubt a
all events playing their own game AM
could have no cause to complain i
later they found that the democrat
had theirs also, and that aims con
flicted. The combine republican
- leaders had no warrant to assum
II because democrats co-operated witt
- them to organize the senate along tn
most modern Of progressive line
- that therefore the democratic senat
% ors were ready to betray the othe
progressive measures to which tn
y party is pledged. Nor could the
- justly complain if the Democrat
senators used the machinery whic
r. had been placed in their hands t
carry out reforms which it is we
known the people demand and whic
the democrats have promised to Civ
- them as soon as it is in their powe
to do so.
SHY OF REACTIONARIES.
N However, if there we're democrat
z who took this view Of the matte
there were others and these seem t
- have been in the majority who the
OIL nothing but discredit could accrue t
democratic senators, whatever thei
s. motives might have been, who join
ed forces with the scaly republica
SIS crowd who were out after Burn
n quists scalp. The republican com
bine leaders are VIGOROUSLY, the
a said, the tools Of the interests. Thei
ne record is bad. They have all alon
RS been openly and brazenly reaction
g, airy. For democrats to co-operat
with them, no matter what the pu1
oil pose, would be construed as commit
ting the senators and through thel
'n the democratic party to the reaction
I'd airy policies and corrupt methods O
their associates. The only safe thin
oil to do was to keep away from the1
and not mix. up with the republica
VS. family quarrels, at all events nc
take sides with that faction whic
was obviously in the wrong and i
whom the people had lost confidence
lie SCUTTLING FOR COVER.
~ Whether it was that these latte
, counsels prevailed or that other in
~ fluences were brought to bear, it is a
~ least certain that the proposed com
bine proved abortive. A caucus call
~ ed Friday evening was attended b
" less than a score of the twenty cd
=: democratic senators, and Of thes
" two were in open rebellion and other
were more or less disaffected. .
y was soon plain that the reactionar
" republicans could not count on any
, thing like solid democratic delega
~ ton to support them in their plan t