The Sauk Centre herald., 1917-11-15

This was an instance where advertls-
ing paid and the Ottertail farmer in
question, unmindful Of others who
would like to get their sixteen back,
has let everybody in on the secret.
Rural school finances and the gov
ernor's veto of $1,O7O,OOO for defic-
iency school aid bobbed up again this
week when parties in Benton county,
through Harris Richardson, ST. Paul
attorney, instituted mandamus pro-
ceedjngs in the supreme court to COM
pei the payment of state aid to
School District No. so, Benton county.
This district had never participated
in the annual distribution before and
the evident object of the suit is to
compel payment before the money
now remaining is disbursed for de-
ficit purposes. In effect, if this school
wins it means that the school aid
which the governor permitted to get
by can not be used for any other than
current purposes. The governors eN.
cuse for his veto was that this was a
time for the practicing of econom!
and that school funds now on hand
could be used not only to pay any de-
felt existing but for current purposes.
Naturally there would be deficit, he
argued, but such could be taken care
of by the next legislature. However,
neither the suit nor the proposition
to let the next legislature pay is help
ing out the schools.
The probability of special session
of the legislature has the members OF
both state lawmaking bodies by the
ears and they evidence their interest
by frequent requests for information
as to what the governor will do. Quite
few house and senate members
were in St. Paul this week and talked
of special session was the principal
topic. Left to himself the governor
will not call an extra session, buS ne
cessity may force him to give in. If
he could compel or force pledge to
confne the session to one Oh two
things it is known that he would
gladly issue the call. In the minds Of
some financial legislation would be the
principal object Of a special session,
but others regard new law per-
hitting the boys in training and
"somewhere in France" to vote, as
paramount. One southern senator,
who favors the latter, thinks that a
pledge could be secured from a ma
jority of the legislators confining the
session to such.
Members of the board of control
are not overly anxious to burden the
public with their troubles, but inside
information is to the effect that the
commission in charge of the states
charitable and penal institutions is
facing serious financial difficulties.
Already the pinch is being felt IN an
increased cost for foodstuffs and other
materials, but what is the most ser
ious is a threatened increase in the
cost of raw material used in the
manufacture of binding twine which
funds now at the call of the board
will not meet. The members hope for
a drop in. prices, but such is not at
all encouraging. Last week it is re-
ported that the members Of the board
met with the financial officers of the
state at which suggestions for relief
were made, but the results were not
at all satisfactory.
Loyal Minnesota is certainly ex-
pressed in the unusually liberal con-
tributions of space by the country
press for the big Northwestern 10y
atty Convention and Rally which will
he held in st. Paul and Minneapolis
November 16 and II. The rural press
above all was responsible for the big
gatherings which characterized the
county loyalty conventions held in
each of the eighty six districts and
At which delegates WERE named for the
Dig meet to be held in the Twin
Cities. 1t is expected that fifty thous-
and enthusiastic hackers of the boys
somewhere in France" will be present
At the Twin City gathering.
A movement has been started look
ing to the unanimous return of Chief
Justice Brown to the supreme bench
next fall. The idea is to discourage
contest for the office which could
only result in disaster for those at
tempting it. Chief Justice Brown is
regarded as invincible, so why con-
test, friends and admirers ask.
Which organization will have
charge of the dry campaign i'm behalf
of the constitutional dry amendment
next year promises to be quite a bone
of contention. Already the State
Anti-Saloon League and the state
prohibition leaders have locked
horns over who will be it and no one
seems able to settle the controversy.
Who will handle the money seems to