The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1915-04-28
Bill Favored by Two Governors
Is Put to Death by Slow
Process of Neglect
SENATE DIDN'T APPROVE!
Long String of Red Tape Leaves
Bill High and Dry on Table
Where 1t May Be Found
(By Chas. Cheney.)

the commission of 80 appointed
by Governor A. O. Eberhart
nearly two years ago, and in
dorsed both by the retiring gov
ernor and by Governor w. S.
Hammond in his inaugural mes
sage. Before the session the bill
seemed to be universally popu-
lar. It's title was sufficient Gre
Dental to popular favor. Every
body wanted efficiency, and the
people were demanding econo-
my.
But after the session opened,
and the printed bill became a
subject of careful study, senti-
ment began to change. 1t be-
gan to dawn on members of the
legislature, and on persons con-
versant with state affairs, that
the big bill was too theoretical
and revolutionary. 1t made
wholesale changes without ap-
parent reason for them. Many
of its changes were question
able, to say the least. There was
no claim by friends of the bill
that it would save any money,
except as officials under the new
system would do better work and
cut out unnecessary expenses.
Instead of simplifying state gov
eminent, the bill abolished the
present system and put in one
more complicated. It had many
good features, but the defects
were more and more apparent
as the bill was studied.
Senate Members Hostile
Early in the session it be-
came apparent that sentiment in
the senate was against the bill.
In the house the prospects for
a while were favorable. There
was a great preponderance Of
new members in the house, I'M
familiar with the mechanism of
state government, attracted by
the title of the bill. But even
in the house sentiment soon
turned. The bill there was re-
ferred to a special committee
headed by L. c. Spooner, a men,
Der of the commission of 80.
This committee, with the SEN
ate committee on civil admins
tration, F. A. Duxbury, chair
man, held several joint hearings
on the bill. These turned out to
be mainly academic discussions,
and did not throw much light on
the question. Members attended
the first hearing in large num-
bers, but the attendance fell off
until only a corporaPs guard
would, turn out.
New Plans Advanced
During the hearings feeling
developed that some practical
measures for piecemeal reform
should be put through in the
event that the general bill failed.
Sam Y. Gordon introduced res
olution for a committee of 20
to frame such bills. He named
the members of the committee
in the bill, but later called up
the resolution and changed it to
give the speaker the naming of
the committee. In this shape
it carried and the committee
soon reported series of seven
bills. One was the budget plan
in vogue in New York state, I'M
der which department heads
make their estimates for the
biennium and give them to the
governor, and then meet in coun-
Gil in December preceding the
session, to revise them and rec
ommend list of appropriations
to the legislature. All the 9TH
er bills were for consolidation of
state departments, looking to
both efficiency and economy.
Bill Made Special Order
Mr.. Spooner wanted the house
to pass the commissions bill off
hand and send it to the senate
for deliberate revision. This did
not meet with favor. The bill
was finally reported out and
made a special order, but the
special order was continued
twice, and when it finally came
up for action a perfect flood of
amendments were offered. Eight
OF them were offered by Mr..
Spooner, while Thomas H. Girl
ing had 48, all aiming to restore
the present status Of four de-
partments, the board Of control,
railroad and warehouse commits