The Sauk Centre herald., 1917-02-08
MEASURE SEEMS
SURE OF DEFEAT
BILL APPROPRIATING $4,000 TO
HELP BIG EMPLOYERS
OF LABOR
WAS AIMED ATsTHE |. ". W.
TESTIMONY BRINGS OUT FACTS
NOT CREDITABLE TO LUM-
BER COMPANIES

St. Paul, Feb. 3.-Accepting popular
opinion, the interests, or to use a
more up-to-date title, "Big Business"
is the bane of good legislation, but
bless you, dear reader, "Big Business"
is responsible for more good legisla-
ton designed to curb its activities
than any other known agency. 1t
spends millions to head off, and then
laws the foundation on which the very
structure it has been fighting is
erected. Perhaps there is no better
illustration of this than the hearing
the house has been conducting pre-
liminary to the consideration OF the
senate bill empowering the unlimited
employment of deputy sheriffs in the
handling of strikes and other disturb
ances and the appropriation of $5O,O0O
subject to executive disbursement, for
the payment of expenses incident to
the suppression of such disorder and
the enforcement of the law. Though
its object was carefully concealed the
bill was really creation of the big
lumber companies and other large en-
ployers of labor and was directed
mainly at the operations of the l. w.
W., which popular opinion is wont to
associate with the gun play and other
lines of disorder. Taking the public
prints for what they are worth and
the representatives of the lumber COM
panies this particular organization
was melting to riot and preventing
peaceful labor from working. The
senate passed the bill, but in the house
a Minneapolis representative, w. ID.
Washburn-a name long associated
with big things-evidently figuring on
giving his colleagues an insight into
the iniquitious workings of the |. w.
W., demanded committee of investi-
cation and got it. Well, this particu-
lar investigation has been on week
and instead of helping the senate bill
it has sounded it's death knell. If the
legislature does pass the measure it
will be without the $4,000 appropria-
tion, and that appropriation repre-
sented it's death. Further, it has
brought to light NEEDED sanitary and
other reforms in the lumber camps
and legislation designed to provide
such is sure to follow.
This is no brief for the l. w. w.
Many of those representing the organ
ization, who danced attendance at
the hearing, were not of the kind to
inspire confidence in or respect for the
movement, but they had crafty and
shrewd leaders and the very testimony
offered by the lumbermen and mine
owners was used by them in support
of their own cause. Persecution was
their keynote, and the entire line OF
questioning was directed at showing
that the prosecuting officials were
mostly tools and in the pay of the
lumbermen. Joseph Ettor, a man small
of stature and with an appearance
that could hardly be said to be prepos-
sessing, was the chief representative
of the 1. w. w., and brought out many
damaging things with his adroit ques-
tioning. That there was turn in the
in the tide was noticeable the first day
of the hearing. Most of the investiga-
ting committee showed sympathies
that were unmistakable. Squabbles
were frequent and clashes numerous.
The senate bill on which the hearing
is based is nothing more than an act
to relieve the big employers of labor
of the expense incident to the hlr1ng
of numerous deputy sheriffs in time OF
trouble. Though such are provided
by the various counties where out
breaks occur the counties make the
employers pay the bill. That some
thing should be done to rid the state
of such an intolerable condition is
generally agreed, but I am afraid that
the relief sought will not be supplied
through the medium of the senate act.
Well. as far as the house is con-
cerned the people of Minnesota TWO
wears hence will have an opportunity
to pass upon the question OF dry or
wet Minnesota and there is every IN
dication that the senate will add It's
approval. The overwhelming victory
for the drys in the house seems to
presage such and there is nothing TO
offer in the shape of possible mxup.
When my last letter was written the
drys of the house, aided by the Anti
Saloon league, were involved in a con-
troversy as to what kind OF dry
constitutional amendment to offer'
which finally ended in the presenta-
tion of an act designed to prevent the
manufacture and sale Of intoxlcants
in the state, but permitted its snip
nent into Minnesota. 1t was manl1est-
" unfair and as the days grew It's oe-
feat seemed certain, but the drys, un-
able to face the criticism INDUCED ln'
relented at the last moment and per-
mitted bone dry measure, which pre-
vailed by vote of s6 to A. All at
tempts to incorporate near dry
amendments were rejected. While
never positive of victory, the vets
nevertheless were somewhat disap-
pointed in the vote for their cause. The