The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1925-04-22
eo''' rdSSeS
Interim Bill as
First Presented
FORTY. SEVEN FOR AND NINE
TEEN AGAINST PASSING BILL
IN FORM APPROVED BY Cow
ERNOR.

The Minnesota legislature yielded
to demands of Governor Theodore
Christianson for an enactment, which
he said would enable him to effect
economies in state government, when
the senate, by a vote of AZ to 19,
passed the reorganization bill, the
major Legislative proposal of the 1925
session.
The lower house previously had
passed the bill, 116 to 9.
The senate became the center of
one of the most violent legislative
storms in many years in a debate
which lasted more than six hours.
Opponents of the governors proposal
for centralized control over tax spend
ing fought to the last ditch. They
went to defeat shouting a warning
that the taxpayers had been given a
"gold brick" and that the act would
prove to be a boomerang to the re-
publican administration.
The debate was one for opponents
of the measure. It's proponents,
satisfied that the bill would muster
sufficient strength, contented them
selves largely with an explanation,
although there were flights Of ora
tory on behalf of the measure.
Governor Christianson, following
final passage Of the measure, issued
statement in which he said he be-
lieved the legislatures action would
mark the beginning of sound BUSH
ness management for the government
of Minnesota"
The governor at the same time,
indicated clearly he proposed to draft
from the business world successful
men to fill the posts of budget COM
missioner, controller and purchasing
of the super-board of administration
and finance which is to supervise the
financial operations of the IA state
departments.
The debate which terminated in
passage Of the bill found three Min.
neapolis senators in stellar roles.
They were A. 0. Devoid, Minneapolis
socialist, and E. w. Cameron, on the
one side fighting the bill, and s. w.
Child, one of it's staunchest sup
porters.
Around A. j. Rockne of Zumbrota,
whose board of control exemption
amendment in an earlier fight on the
reorganization bill, led to virtual en-
asculation of the measure, much of
the debate revolved. But Mr.. Rockne
never rose from his seat and assumed
the attitude of an interested spectator.
He once had won spectacular fight
in the senate, supported by farmer
labor senator's. much of his victory
had been wiped out in conference be-
tween committees of the two houses,
of which he was a member, He had
done his. part. He offered nothing to
the debate yesterday.
Lieutenant Governor w. /. Nolan,
presiding officer of the senate, fre-
quently was attacked by the opposi-
ton to the bill. He was charged with
stacking" the senate conference COM
mittee for the bill, although majori-
ty of the senate had voted against the
bill in the earlier test Friends of the
bill and the administration rose in
support of Mr. Nolan.
The 1923 legislature took up the re-
organization issue when the house ap-
pointed a committee to draft plan
for coordination of the government
Governor Christianson was member
/ VI CHlS COHilHitLcc, Dy NIIIuc VI Ills
membership in the lower house. The
committee reported an outline Of it's
reorganization proposal early in
February. A bill to carry out the
recommendations in the committee
report was introduced February 25.
On April 2 the senate emasculated
the bill by one vote majority and then
passed it. The lower house reinstat-
ed the basic features of the original
bill April 8 and returned it to the
senate. The senate refused to con-
cur and conference committees of both
houses were named. The conference
committee reported April IT.
Governor Christianson made the
following statement:
"While have not had time to study
the bill as approved in final form by
the legislature. am satisfied that
the basic principle which the interim
committee established that of CEN
tralized financial control has been
preserved. This includes an eff
cient budget system, which will fur
nish to the legislature specific rec
concentrations for appropriations,
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