The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1931-02-12

Pastor, S. E. Oliver.
Will Dip Heavily
Into Public Funds
CONTINUED From Page One)
famed Rip Saw, of Duluth out of
business. The wordy battle ragged
for two days, when the bill for the
repeal came to vote and won out
with 60 votes, just two votes more
than the necessary Sc.
Representative r. r. Davis, Of
Wilkin, made gallant fight for
the repeal of the law. Two years
ago he waged the battle almost
alone, but this year his compatriots
in the farmer-labor ranks took up
the fight for him, and he received
reinforcements from the opposition.
The argument, falling most surpris-
ingly from the lips of Representa-
admits that he represents the iron
mining interests in the legislature,
the argument that the Minnesota
gag law permits government by
injunction, won votes for the re-
peal of the law. representative
Harriet H. Weeks, one of the most
appealing speakers in the house,
spread CONSERVATION in the ranks
of the defenders of the law with d
telling talk denouncing govern
ment by injunction. Others made
the eagle to scream and threw the
scare with a will o. the wisp boyle
man of the liberty of the press. In
the name of the liberty of the
press, let license be unrestrained,
they declared.
The Minnesota gag" law put a
Matchmaking, licentious character
assassinating press out of business
in Minnesota, but the house voted
SO to So to let down the bars for
it's return.
Public Opinion Changes
One bill made a record for itself
in the house last week. 1t was the
bill to enlarge Earle Browns road
patrol from 35 to 100 men.
The law establishing the highway
patrol was one of the hard fought
measures of 1929. The house strug-
gled with it for several days. It
was so banded back and forth that
it's friends despaired of its life. Fin
ally, after the most strenuous OPP
position, it won out by narrow
vote.
This year the pending bill
amends the highway patrol act so
as to increase the number of pa
trolmen and also so as to increase
Earle Browns salary, for that
very efficient gentleman has thus
far been drawing down the gross
ly inadequate sum of $1,000 per
year for his splendid work in or
ganizing and maintaining the pa
troll. The chairman of the high
way committee, Representative
Andrew Finstuen, made a briei
statement explaining the terms OF
the bill when it came up in the
cmmittee of the whole. Nobody
else said a word and the bill was
unanimously recommended to the
calendar. When, next day, it was
reached on the calendar, it again
went to a vote without a word of
discussion and was passed by an
overwhelming vote.
No rigid martinent ever made
his squad face to the right about
more smartly than has Earle
Brown with public opinion in the
matter of the highway patrol.
When is a Boss?
The work of Representative
Willis I. Norton has made him
famous among those who know
the truth, and notorious among
those who have been fed on false
report, Mr.. Norton has been bit
terly denounced as "the boss of
the house., and his political back
biters have made the political well
kin in Minnesota ring with their
cries of "Nortonism". The truth
about Mr.. Norton is illustrated
by a little incident of the opening
days of the session. During one of
the pitched battles which marked
numerous political tits of the
early days of the sessian, refer
ence was made, in words that
were unadorned tho perhaps not
undefiled, to Mr.. Norton's power
in the house. The attack was so
acrimonious and so persistent
that Mr.. Norton was finally NOV
ed to declare that he possessed no
more power in the house than any
other member. Here's my chance"
thought a certain. member, who
processes not to know what "blah-
blah," means. "Can you tell us of
any time when you were defeated
on the floor of the house?" he de-
manded of Mr.. Norton. The implied
but unattended compliment of this
question almost floored the chair
man of the rules committee for a
moment, but he smiled and said
quietly, Perhaps that indicates
that I was pretty nearly always
right" A rather neat reply, we
should say, and one which quite
accurately sets forth the truth in
regard to Mr.. Norton. He is pref
ty nearly always right. We could
stand it if we had more bosses of
that kind.
State Song
Many have tried, but no one has
yet succeeded in making state
song by law. Some one has
made the attempt at nearly every
session Of the legislature in re-
cent years, and they are at It