Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1932-12-01
ORDER AND DECORUM

ORDER AND DECOKUM
The conservative and reactionary
members of the Minnesota Senate are
trying to put over the same stunt
they did i'm the 1881 session. that of
taking the power of committee as
signments away from the lieutenant
governor.
Outside of the 1881 session when
the reactiOnaries oStraciZed Lieuten-
ant Governor Henry ArenS and Sc
lected a committee on committees to
choose committee chairmen and men,
bers TO their own liking. it has been
the rule for the past 40 years to have
the lieutenant governor make the
committee appointments.
The conservative and reactionary
senators gathered at the st. Paul hotel
last Friday afternoon under the lead
ership of Senator Charles N. Orr OF
St. Paul, and Senator Geo. H. Sullivan
of Saltwater Just how many were
present at this meeting is not defin-
itely known as they met behind
closed doors, but according to news
paper reporters check-up as the men
entered the secret chamber, there
were between 25 and 80 present.
Thirty-four constitutes a majority OF
the Senate. Senators from this sec
ton of the state who were in atten-
dance included Adolph S. Larson OF
Sandstone. and H. C.. Hanson of Bar
num- Senator Orr declined to make
public the number who attended the
caucus.
Commenting later on the procedure
in the caucus, Senator Orr declared
that harmony prevailed and ma
jority of the Senate decided on the
same procedure as in 1931-to name
the committees and take into their
own hands the task of directing leg
islation rather than turning 1t over
to a presiding officer who has no in
terest and no responsibility in what
happens"
That apparently is a new one to
the voters of the state that Lieuten-
ant Governor elect X. X. SOlberg has
mo interest" in what happens. Ger
tainly the voters did not elect him
with that understanding, nor is that
the case.
Senator Orr further stated that I'VE
are not organized to form buttress
against Gov. Olson's program" and
added that senators attending this
caucus recognize that they have a
duty to perform to their constituents
and to the state as whole-namely
to see to it that laws to which the
people of Minnesota might find some
objection, are not passed"
The st. Paul senator gives further
assurance and feeling of safety to the
citizens of our great state when he
says that 1.-The State Senate of 1893
will be the safety valve on legislation
that the people of the state will be
glad was there"
Acting behind closed doors, even
the political writer's of the Twin
Cities who were. so to say, burnt up
over this procedure, do not know
what happened behind the scenes
Progressive senators, however, are
not asleep on the job, and together
with Lieutenant Governor Solberg eX-
pect to organize the Senate with &c
or possibly 3S votes, respecting also
the mandate of people as is being
done by the progressives i'm the House
The state constitution. it was
pointed out, was specific on the sub
ject. since it gave to the lieutenant
governor as presiding officer of the
Senate only the job of presiding and
preserving order and decOrum. Hav-
ing established the differentiation
precedent i'm 1881, the conservative
and reactionary senators argued that
they should continue the procedure
regardless of the politics reflected BY
their presiding officer, who has nc
voice and no vote anyway.
Strange isn't it that the old guard
should suddenly after 40 years be-
come so constitutionally-m n d.
Funny, also, they should just discover
that the lieutenant governor needs
only preside and preserve order anC
decorum. These discoveries were o.
course made after the people of the
state voted a change by choosing 6
lieutenant governor as we'll as the
governor with progressive labels II
1880 and again in 1882.
In the Senate are members whC
will dance when Sullivan and Orr
crack the whip just as there are
members in the House who will also
dance when Norton demands action
But that leadership is not nearly as
strong as it was, especially following
the vote of Nov. Sth.