The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1923-01-19
POLITICAL CHATTER
Thy VANCE CHAPMAN

Reactionary opinions to the con-
trary the Forty2third Minnesota leg
islature, just convened, is no diff
ferent from it's predecessors of the
past ten years. True about rs per
cent of its membership is new and
has no legislative experience what
ever, but this element of green
ness has in no wise detracted from
the general desire to get down to
work at once, to pass what major
ity of the members regard as good
and needed legislation and to adj
journ as early as possible. So far
no bombs have been thrown and
very few long haired individuals
are in evidence, although several of
the Twin City papers have been
busy trying to apportion the two
legislative bodies as between radi-
calls and regulars with a claimed
preponderance OF. the former. The
radical end of the game has been
over played, and the sooner the
Twin City papers, who have been
stressing such, forget it the better
it will be for a number of Twin
City Legislative problems. In answer
to party demands house members
bearing the Farmer-Labor brand
went to the mat or the question
of speaker, but they We're unable
to prevent the caucus selection of
w. l. Nolan of Minneapolis as pre-
siding officer. The best they could
do for Carl M. Iverson of Grant
County, their candidate, was thirty
seven votes, though the party's
known legislative strength is about
forty-two votes. In the organiza-
tion of the senate practically no
opposition was offered by the Farm
er-Labor crowd. To be frank about
it while the Farmer-Labor and Non
partisan League membership of the
two houses constitute a rather for
midable minority there is an over
supply of leaders and the chances
of get-to-gether for the present
at least is slim. Herding either
faction is going.to be rather diff
cult job.
A graduated income tax with per-
sonal property exemptions to take
the place of present day taxation
inequalities, the elimination Of frills
and fads and the use of common
sense in the carrying out of the
states educational programme and
pronounced opposition to an intens-
i've and costly road building pro-
gramme, such as is advocated by
c. NJ. Babcock, commissioner of
state highways, were prominent
features of Gov. Preus' message to
the legislature this week. His ex-
cellency's inaugural talk could hard
ly be styled a classic, but it was
full of meat and fairly bristled
with economic demands. That Com
missioner Babcock had either pro-
ceeded on his own hook or failed
to connect with his chief in his adj
vocacy of a 100000 900 bond issue
in aid of an immediate and intens-
i've road building programme was
evident. as His Excellency',s message
carried very little in support of the
plan. The burden of his talk was
economy and retrenchment and de-
cided opposition to increased taxa
tion or expenditures. That the
Babcock plan of a big bond issue
faces trouble is unquestioned That
the cities and every dealer I road
supplies and material is behind the
issue is evident, but there is much
outspoken opposition in both houses.
Decided opposition to the state
convention act of two years ago,
repeal of the Brooks-Colemaa srceee
ear control law and the passage IF
a state hank guarantee Dill wee
features of the Farmer Labor fiji.
for control in the late campaign,
but the story now is that the lead
ers have had a change of heart es-
pecially on the question of pro.
posed election law changes. With
the Farmer Labor party at present
a top-notcher in state political af-
fairs it is said the leaders have
come TO the conclusion that the re-
peal of the Convention law would
be unwise. 1t is also reported that
at a recent conference of the party
heads block voting was favored and
the return of the legislature to
party lines advocated. As to the re-
peal of the Brooks-Coleman street
car control law the belief was ex-
pressed that such would be harm
full, while in the case of state
bank guarantee there was such a
difference of opinion that no action
was taken. State bankers are badly
divided on the latter. The weak |
concerns want such law. but the