The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1914-11-19
The Speakership.

Samuel Y. Gordon, of Browns Val
ley, formerly lieutenant governor,
has been picked as a candidate for
the speakership in the next session
Of the state legislature by the county
optionists. That he will oppose the
naming of H. H. Flowers of Cleveland
was made known at meeting of
those favorable to the Gordon candi-
dacy held in Minneapolis Tuesday
evening. Pledges were called for
and when all signed Gordon was
found to have forty-two promised
votes. 1t will require sixty-six votes
to elect.
Supporters of Mr.. Flowers claim
they have more than seventy votes
pledged and that Gordon can obtain
only a few more This means, from
the present outlook, that the Cleve-
land man will be the next speaker
Gunnar BjornsOn, chairman Of the
Republican State Central committee,
although much mentioned for the
speakership, asked that his name be
withdrawn, urging party unanimity,
intimating that it is more important
to unite the Republican party than
to drag any issue into the speakership
fight.
Mr.. Flowers, when his friends
claimed that his election was assured
yesterday, came out strong for an
abbreviated legislative session
The last Legislature was in session
exactly ninety legislative days, meet
ing early in January and adjourning
late in April.
There is no occasion, says Mr. Flow
ers, for so prolonged a session. He
would have the legislature through
with it's business and the members
on their way home by March Is.
Many Legislators say that it is en-
>tirely feasible to do all necessary leg
islating in that length of time. In
fact, many states limit the sessions
to sixty legislative days.
In days gone by-and this is open
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. purposely pro-
longed the session to the full ninety
days because they received SIS per
day salary from the state and they
were bound to land it all. Some
times it was with great difficulty and
much scheming that the legislature
was kept in session for the full nine
ty legislative days.
This monetary incentive for long
session is now removed, for each state
senator and each representative re-
ceives lump sum of $1,000 for the
two-year term. If the session lasted
but three days each member would
get his full $1,000.
An abbreviated session, however,
would reduce expenses materially.
The third house" members still are
paid by the day. The custodians of
the waste paper baskets, the flag
raisers, doorkeepers and cloakroom
attendants probably would vigorous
ly object to this shortened session, as
it would cut down the third house
pay roll by one-third.
1t is also advanced that short
session Of the legislature would be
boon to business. Every session
variety of bills, some of murderous
intent, others of innocent intent, but
murderous in effect, are introduced.
The legislative session is described as
the "shudder" season for business. A
short session would make this period
just so much shorter.
Mr.. Flowers is a strong advocate
of a revised, system of state govern
ment, and if elected speaker and
called upon to appoint a committee
8 to review the plan of the Efficiency
and Economy commission says he
would appoint the most potent COM
mittee possible. He believes that
with the commission outline before
them joint house and senate COM
tmittees could adopt and report feas-
ible plan. And he is right