The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1915-01-21
MORAL ISSUES TO
BE THRESHEO OUT
PROHIBITION, COUNTY OPTION
AND WOMAN SUFFRAGE
LEGISLATIVE ISSUES.
WILL MUSTER some STRENGTH
EFFICIENCY MEASURE WILL
HAVE TROUBLE.-MR. HAM,
MOND A REAL GOV,
Especial to Sank Centre Herald.)

Especial to Sank Centre Herald.)
st. Paul, Jan. 1.-Two weeks have
passed since the Thirty-ninth session
the State Legislature opened. There
has not been much history made as
yet. The speakership fight in the
house, in which H. H. Flowers of
Cleveland won out over Sam Y. Cor
don of Browns Valley, will be remem-
bered as one of the closest battles for
the leadership ever waged in the Min
flesota lower branch. Aside from the
speakership mix-up, which by the way
was not at all victory for Flowers,
there has been little attempted which
will not put either branch of the leg
islature on record.
But coming events cast their shad-
ows before, and right hereis wrehe we
get an inkling of what the big issues
will be this session. Not that they
are all new, but it is interesting to
know what are the things that will
arouse the most interest at the ses-
sion.
Prohibition was cuddled in the arms
of Senator E. E. Lobeck of Alexandria
long before the session started; he
brought it to st. Paul and laid the
baby on the doorstep of the Senate.
County optionists, led by Senator Ole
Sageng. of Dalton, got together on a
bill looking to the replacing of the
present local option. This movement
has an organized following and some
strong avowals for it on the part of
the members of the upper branch. But
prohibition at present seems to be go
ing it almost alone. Sageng will lead
the movement again this year for
woman suffrage. These measures have
all been before the legislature before,
but there is one thing that is new and
bids fair to be the big issue. That is
the Efficiency and Economy bill.
But before going into any detail as
to how this project will fare it might
be we'll to show where the other inn
portant measures mentioned above
stand at the present time.
Senator Lobeck admits that it is
now or never with prohibition.
Likewise do certain of the women
"suffs,' who are broad-minded enough
to not be bigoted in favor of their pet
plan. There is a feeling prevailing
at the state capitol that both of these
measures will find strong support at
this session. The suffrage leaders ev-
en- so far as go to say they have CAM
vassed and have a majority in both
the Senate and House. But as one of
them said: "You never can tell how a
man will vote at the last minute"
AS to county option, it will meet
with opposition probably more so
from near solid delegates, than any
other measure before the present ses-
sion, except it be prohibition. But
many wiseacre watching the issue
this session has been heard to say
that county option, prohibition and
woman suffrage will fall by the
wayside. It is good bet that both
branches will show some good old re-
dictionary tendencies during the next
three months.
The Economy and Efficiency bill
will no doubt be hacked to pieces in
the joint committee, if there is such a
thing at this session for this partic-
ular purpose. With a few amend
ments added it will probably not be
recognized by it's thirty makers.
There is little heard against the title
of the measure. AS to the text of the
bill, it is pretty generally agreed
about the capitol, that the framework
is built largely on theory. The need
is felt everywhere this session for
economy and efficiency. There is lit
tie reason to believe that such a
measure has no chance to pass both
branches.
Many heads of state departments
seem to think that such a bill will
pass and are especially afraid of that
one prepared by the Immortal thir-
ty." Letters to the press have been
written knocking" the plan, other
departments started publicity bu-
reaus extolling their great deeds,
while still others discussed the advis-
ability of attacking the plan by let
tiers to the public and later backed
down.
What if Mr.. Spooner of Morris did
introduce resolution to have the