Morris tribune., 1913-04-11
LATEST THING IN
ELECTION LAWS
SOIOns Greatly Extend NOnpar-
tiSdn Features.
BILL NOW IN CONFERENCE
Candidates for County Offices and Mem
bers of Legislature Will Be With
out Party Designation.
BILL NOW IN CONFERENCE
lsnecial Corregpondence.l

81. HauI, April e L nc DIl1 pAOfAo
ing for it is not law as yet, but the
chances are good that the next legls-
lature, and this includes the senate,
will be without party designation.
There is even a possibility Of the en-
tire state ticket being nameless as
far as party is concerned. Get ready,
for most anything may happen this
year. I refer 20 the latest thing in
election legislation which passed the
senate last week, received a ready re-
spouse from the house and is now in
the hands of conference committee,
The house added a number of amend
ments and the senate does not seem
inclined to accept them. The bill
started with the senate, where 1t was
introduced as committee measure.
Nonpartisan was the feature through
out and the wonder is that it's passage
did not finish with the elimination of
party designation all down the line.
The senate majority really felt that
way, but it rebelled when the office
of governor and the other state Off
GERS were reached. The house had q
similar bunch, but like the senate it
got cold feet The finish was a bill
extending the nonpartisan idea to all
county officials and the legislature and
making the primary date the first
Tuesday in October. The senate Sc
lected June as the month for the
picking of faYorites. This is the only
difference between the two bodies and
it is why a conference committee has
been selected.
As stated, the election bill is not
yet law, but it will be if the Demo-
cratic members of the two legislative
bodies can bring it about. The meas
ure simply means that the present
Democratic membership will be dou-
bled when the next legislature meets,
with a possibility of majority control.
The day following the passage of the
bill by the house Representative No
Ian of Minneapolis and others, amazed
at the almost unanimous reception OF
the bill and the various amendments
offered, got the bunch that they had
been tricked and attempted recon
sideration of the vote, but they fell
down on the job. The claim made was
that the liquor interests were behind
the whole thing. With party elimina,
ton assured naturally the adoption OF
platform of principles with temper
ance as a feature was out of the ques
ton and Mr. Nolan and his followers
were peeved Mr.. Nolan's one hope
now is that the conference committee
will not agree and that the bill will
ever; the bill will prevail. There may
be some changes, but they will not
be material. The primary date is the
only matter in dispute.
!. 4. =.
The present session of the Minnesc
ia lawmakers is not different from
the thirty-seven Legislatures which
have preceded it. The house creates
and the senate, sitting in judgment
gives the final decision. Sometime;
there is a clash, but in the end tht
senate prevails. Naturally this condi
ton starts the cry of reactionary-
every upper body has had this charge
flung in its teeth-but to be square
dear reader, the present senate is no
as bad as some would paint it. It i
q deliberate body, something that ha
brought out yelled charges to the Ell
feet that the interests are in charge
However, do not be too hasty in you
conclusions. 1t takes six years t
make real laWmaker out of tn
average man. The first two years h
wants to burn up the state The mex
two years he has bunch and tn
last two years, if he is fortunat
enough to get back, his one idea is t
kill everything Quite few think tn
senate is a menace to good govern
ment, but believe me, the builders G
the state constitution builded We
when they created this particula
body. The senate in Its deliberat
way has killed many bad bill tina
would now be decorating the statut
books. zsaaziEs-: ---,,r->,
X !. :.
Governor Eberhart has new secr'
tary. His name is George F Authie
and he Is a former Minneapolis new
paper man. He succeeds Ralph "
Wheelock, who last week took hi
place on the state board of control 6
successor to Peter NJ. Ringdal, tn
Democratic sacrifice at last fall
gubernatorial contest. Mr. Whaeloc
has been private secretary to the go
ernor ever since the latter took offic
He is also an old newspaper man al
has been a most efficient official FL
genial manner and habit Of nakir
friends readily has helped him o.
considerably and he has been vel
valuable asset to the governor
every particular He has clos
knowledge of Office detail and that
what is needed on the board of co