Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1931-02-12
Minnesota Legislature
Weekly Review by
HUALMAR PETERSEN
february 2 to Z, 1917
Representative From Pine County

caused the most oratOry and the one
that was the hardest fought of any
this week was the bill to repeal the
socalled newspaper gag law of 1927.
Representative r. r. Davis of Brock
enridge, took up the fight to repeal
the law which has given Minnesota
some unfavcrable publicity. He ar
gued that we should maintain the
rights which the constitution has
given us-that of free speech and free
dom of the press. others who voted
for repeal argued that the libel laws
are strong enough to force scandalous
newspapers into retirement and that
it is giving too much power into the
hands of a single individual when
Judge can suspend the publication of
a newspaper Mr.. Davis was ably
assisted in the fight by E. p. Scallon
of Crosby, who is a good orator and
knows parliamentary rules. MIR. Seal
Ion is mining engineer.
r. w. Hitchcock of Hibbing, led the
opposition, and fought to retain the
law on the statute books, maintaining
scandal sheets which he also classed
as blackmailers. Dewey w. Johnson
of Minneapolis, countered with tel
ling blow when he stated that it was
some politicians that had been nipped
by the rather open papers and it was
therefore desired to have them put
out of business and it was figured by
the politicians that the easiest meth
cd of having this done was through
single Judge.
The final vote in the House was 6S
for repeal and SO against. The writer
voted to repeal the law. Getting back
close to fundamentals is important.
How the bill will fare in the Senate
is problematical. 1t is quite certain
that the vote will be close. The bill
took up most of the time of the two
sessions in the House on Tuesday and
Wednesday afternoons.
One Member is SIS.
On Wednesday, Feb. A. it was Rep
resentative John B. Hompes S5th
birthday. He is a Civil war veteran
and it is believed that he is the only
veteran of that war who is serving
in deliberative body today in these
United States. Representative Hitch
cock called the honored members
birthday to the attention Of the House
and eulogized Mr.. Hompe, stating that
it was ~ years since he was first
elected a member of the Minnesota
legislature. Since that time he has
served in both houses of the legisla-
ture. Many years ago he was elected
as representing the Farmers Alliance.
Others who spoke kind words Of Mr..
Hompe were Mrs. Macbeth Hurd Paige,
Minneapolis; Ray j. Quinlivan, st.
Cloud; and Mr.. Scallon.
A beautiful bouquet of flowers was
also placed on Mr.. Hompe's desk after
which ne arose and expressed deep
thanks for the honors bestowed upon
him. He said that in the many years
he has served in Minnesota's legisla-
ture he has often differed with others
but that they have been honest diff
ferences and that he has always acted
in accordance with the dictates of his
conscience The old warrior related
that Col Charles A. Lindbergh was
also born on the same day-Feb. 4th-
but that the younger man was but 20
years old.
Visit Camp Ripley.
State officials, including Governor
Floyd B. Olson, and some members of
both houses of the egislature-about
$50 in all-made up party that WISH
ted the new National Guard camp near
Little Falls recently-the camp being
known us Camp Ripley. The trip
was made in special train of the
N. p. railroad The camp is located
about miles northwest of Little Falls.
Adjutant General E. A. Walsh took
the visitors around on tour of the
camp and explained that National
Guard units from four or more North
west states will train here. Eleven
airplanes from Fort Smelling also
made the trip to the camp that day
and scared around for the state Of
ficials and the hundreds of people who
had gathered from around the coun-
tryside.
The Lindbergh Home.
After inspecting the camp the WISH
tors were taken on an automobile
tour by business men of Little Falls
to the childhood home of Col. Charles
A. Lindbergh, which is ~ miles
southwest of the city. 1t is beauti-
fully located on the banks of the Mis-
sissippi river with good growth of
natural timber. The home which is
not presently occupied has been some
what molested by the thousands of
visitors there since Col. Lindbergh
became world renowned. Souvenir
hunters have picked up all sorts of
things on the place and have even
taken away parts of the foundation
under the porch. written their names
on the outside of the house, and in
general given it an appearance that
is not becoming. The 99-acre tract
has been decided to the state of Min
pesota for a state mark and arrange