The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1931-02-06

in full several editorials from various
Hennepin newspapers denouncing ne
potism. It was only a protest but it
bulged with propaganda in every line
of four packed pages The state con-
stitution says that any two or more
members may have entered in the jour-
nal of either house a protest against
ANY act or resolution" The courts
have decided that "act" means bill or
law. Acting upon this decision,
Speaker Swenson ruled that the nam
ing of house employees was neither
IAN act or resolution" and that the
long winded diatribe of the Hennepin
discontents was out of order. Up then
popped Representative Dewey john
son of Hennepin. II don't understand
the ruling" he said. IF you don't
understand it, that's your problem"
said Speaker Swenson, and before Re-
preventative Dewey Johnson could pop
up again the house adjourned.
Resourceful Legislators.
There are ways and ways to skin a
cat or to nip nepotism and Senator
Herman Schmechel and Representative
Theo. Thorkelson, from the strong
farmer-labor baliwick of Renvillle
county, are experienced and resource
full legislators They did it pretty
slick. The senator appointed Repre-
sentative Thorkelsons daughter to a
job in the senate, while Mr. Thorkel-
son named Senator Schmechel's son for
a house job. The faint of nepotism
doesn't touch EN-, fair exchange is
no robbery, and everybody is happy.
Making a Record.
Governor Floyd Olson may have had
a majority of more than 10000, but
he wants to look out for one Patrick
L. Farnand, brand new senator from
| the iron range. Pat had not been in
| the senate a week when he annexed
all the biggest committee places.
Never missed one of them. In addition
he grabbed off Craftsmanship. But
| you havn't heard anything yet. He
hadn't been senator three weeks when
| he corralled the whole senate and made
EN- vote three billion dollars for his
buddies of the Legion. Unanimous,
that vote was. How is that for bring
| ing home the bacon?
| Don't think we are kidding you. It's
fact. The senator's bill memoralizes
congress to pay the world war vet
Grams their adjusted compensation in
| spot cash. Fifty-five senators, every
one that had not escaped the chamber,
voted for the bill
Back in 1919, at the last special ses-
sion held by Minnesota legislature,
Patrick L. Farnand was messenger
boy for the telephone girls in the legis-
lature. Now he's a senator, and look
what he does right off the bat.
All Much Alike.
Minnesotas first legislature, 70 years
ago, made fearful mess of things,
and there are many who think that
every legislature since has followed
hard in its footsteps. 1t is the fashion
to deride law making bodies. But who
is responsible for them?
Minnesotas first legislature sat in a
period of acute economic distress. So
does the forty-seventh. That first
legislature elected United States sena-
tors All we can elect now is a re-
gent of the University. That first
legislature was democratic, which was
enough, and we've never had one
since. This forty-seventh is NON
partisan" which is to laugh. That
first legislature was overwhelmed with
the problem of organizing the new
state. This forty-seventh is consider
ably bothered to organize itself. Legis-
latures are all much alike although
some people think that each one is
worse than the other.