The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1917-04-05
PUBLIC DOMAIN BILL
Governor Burnquist Urges the Passage
of This Measure-State Audi
tor Preus Opposes It. ..
Chas. NJ. BabcOck of Elk River Ap-
pointed Commissioner of High
ways for Six Year Term.
st. Paul, Mimi, April 4, 1917

st. Paul, Mimi, April 4, 1917.
Governor Burnquist is exceedingly
anxious that the Public Domain bill,
which was defeated in the senate by
narrow vote last week, should become
a law. He sent a special message to
The house Monday calling attention to
the Importance of the measure. The
bill was discussed in the house for
several hours and quite number of
amendments were adopted. It was
then ordered printed with the amend
ments and will be made special or
der for tomorrow. Many Of the OBJ
Jectional features have been eliminat-
ed from the bill, and if the house
passes it in it's present shape, I be-
lieve it will also pass the senate,
About the practicability Of the meas
ure 1 have misgivings, but there
seems to be widespread demand for
its enactment into law.
* X *
State Auditor Preus is taking an &C.
tive interest against the Public Do
main bill and every friend he has in
the house is lined up against it. If the
bill becomes law it will deprive him
Of a great deal Of his political
strength will simply be the head
of the auditing department of the
State Auditors office, purely cleri-.
cal position. Mr.. Preus is fighting for
his political existence. It is the GOV
ernor against the auditor-Swede
against Norske. 1t will be a pretty
fight y. " "
There is one state executive officer
who is on the job all the time, and is
ever ready and willing to give men,
bers of the legislature any Informal
ton and assistance within his power,
refer to Julius A. Schmahl, Secretary
of State. Mr.. Schnahl has never been
absent from his office a single day
during a session Of the legislature
since he assumed the duties of his
office. He knows his office, too, like
a book-the state never had a more
efficient secretary.
TX * *
Thanks to Mr.. C. H. Warmers eff
forts that isolated chunk of Aitkin
county, in section 81, town "a, range
81, lying between Mile Laos and Grow
Wing counties, has been detached
from Aitkin and attached to Crow
Wing county. 1t was thought for
years that action by the legislature
was barred owing to a constitutional
> proviso, but a supreme court decision
was unearthed which pointed way
out. Anyhow, no one will ever ques-
ton the constitutionality of the act,
and Grow Wing county will see to it
that the link Of the Scenic Highway
which traverses the fraction in ques-
ton is properly maintained.
* X *
Last Thursday the bill extending to
woman the elective franchise pertain
ing to the nomination and election of
president and vice president was a
special order in the senate. Every
seat on the floor and galleries was
occupied, and standing room was at a
premium. Senators Putnam, Sageng,
Andrews, Peterson, F. H., and O'Neil
made valiant fight for the bill. Sen
ators George H. Sullivan and Duxbury
argued ably against it's passage. The
debate lasted all the afternoon and a
vote was taken about o'clock, and
resulted 35 against and 81 for the
= bill. Several of the senators who vot-
ed in the negative would have voted
for constitutional amendment, sub
hitting the question to the people of
the state, and they so stated; but for
some reason or other those senator's
who profess to be most strongly in
favor Of woman suffrage are opposed
to the submission of the constitutional
amendment. believe the constitu-
tional amendment would carry in the
senate, and it has already passed the
the so-called progressive senators are
opposed to submitting the question.
* * *
am sorry to so state, but I am re-
luctantly forced to the conclusion that
we have too many members in both
branches Of the legislature who are
long on moral reform legislation and
short on measures that are of real
practical benefit to the people Of the
state. It is rather strange that the
progressive moral reformers are gen
orally lined up with big business. In
this connection it is intimated that
sgsthere will be no dearth of funds next
year to put across the ''bone dry" con-
stitutional amendment.
X X *
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