The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1917-01-18
HOUSE EXPECTED
TO APPROVE Plan
PROHIBITION AMENDMENT BE-
FORE BOTH BRANCHES OF
LEGISLATURE
SENATE'S ACTION DOUBTFUL
BODY DEFEATER PROPOSAL IN
1915, BUT SOME MEMBERS
HAVE CHANGED.

st. Paul, Jan. 15.-In both houses
of the Minnesota legislature bills call
ing for constitutional prohibition have
been offered, but what action will be
taken is doubtful. That the house will
send the amendment to the voters is
generally accepted, but the senate is
the hope of those who are against a
dry state. Two years ago this partlc-
ular body laid the matter on the shelf
by a majority Of six votes, but things
have changed since then and doubt is
entertained as to the outcome in the
upper house at this session. Of the
six senators who blocked the game
two years ago several have since seen
their districts go dry under county
option and they may see fit to change
their minds accordingly. With the
rank and file the present agitation for
a dry state and the submission to the
voters of an amendment providing for
such is simply question of dry and
wet, but with the kingmakers and
those whose hopes are tied up in the
perpetuation of Republican admin
istration more than the question of
dry or wet is involved in the contro-
versy. They profess to see trouble
ahead and the possibility of Demo-
cratic ascendancy. Accepting their
argument the submission of the
amendment will rebound to the credit
of the Prohibition party and with a
man like w. G. Calderwood, who in
the late election polled over 10000
votes for United States senator, as
their candidate, the position of the
Republican head of the state ticket
would be critical. With the dry vote
divided the chances of the Democratic
candidate would be strengthened. In
order that there may be no delay the
house committee on temperance, which
is dry to the bone, will report the
amendment out an early date, and
in the senate there will be similar
speed. A. S. Larson of Sandstone is
fathering the amendment in the house
and Senator P. A. Gandrud of Kirk
hoven in the upper body.
the house and senate have been either
very much wet or evenly divided on
the question, but there is no room for
argument this time. Both Speaker
Parker of the House and President
Frankson of the senate named COM
mittees the makeupof which is dry
all down the line, and it is a cinch-
the house committee especially-that
whatever comes before it in dry or
liquor regulatory way will receive ap-
mont heads the house temperance
committee and his position as "dry"
is unquestioned. Senator Gandrud of
Kandiyohi county is in charge Of the
senate committee on temperance and
while his known sense of fairness will
naturally compel him to give the other
side a fair hearing there is no doubt
where he stands in the finals. Rep
resentative Sutherland is a relative of
Governor Burnquist and associated
with him on the house committee are
such well known drys at w. 1. Norton,
Magnus Johnson, Leavitt Corning, N.
T. Moen and Henry Holmes.
Governor Burnquist has announced
that he will reappoint Elias Lien as
state law librarian and his action dis
poses of another threatened contro-
versy. A bad taste has been left, how
ever, and the specter may yet bob up
to bother his excellency. S. Y. Cor
don was a candidate for this particu-
lar plum; also Miss Josephine Norval,
an assistant to Mr.. Lien. Mr.. Gordon
never pushed his candidacy, but Miss
NorvaPs friends were more insistent
and secured endorsement of members
of the supreme court. 1t awaited moth
ing, however, and it is needless to say
that her friends are sore. What
ditched Gordon / never learned. Lien
first broke into official life as an ap-
pointee of former Governor Van SAINT.
He was brought from Kittson county
and has been connected with the IL
brary ever since. He has studiously
avoided politics and has even lived
down various attempts to induce him
to part with a campaign contribution.
AS librarian, however, he is listed
as among the best ever connected with
the department and this qualification
evidently swayed Governor Burnquist
in his decision.
The senate whip is George H. Sulli-
van of Saltwater and his handling of
the situation to date has been without
friction. 1t was he who led the organ
ization of the upper body and though
opposition was offered he prevailed
by a handsome majority. The senate
first saw Mr.. Sullivan in the session
of 1907 and the senate leaders of that
period, it could be said, did not fall
over themselves in an effort to well
come him. His monkey wrench was
ever ready and between you and me,
fellows, his retirement to the tall and
uncut was considered on more than
one occasion. He simply could not be
side tracked or downed. Today Mr..
l.. 7 4 -