The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1937-03-18
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G. Bjorn Bjornson, Minnesota
Mascot

Last weeks column under this
decorative caption began with
what was termed an appropriate
theme song" Another could be
found we'll suited to legislative
events since. It would be that song
about "all the kings horses and
all the kings men" marching up
the street and then marching back
again. For Minnesota's lawmakers
approach the close of their eleventh
week of deliberations, with only
one goal now likelihood. Unless a
reversal of form comes soon, they
will probably accomplish less than
have any Of their predecessors for
years.
This marching up one legislative
lane and then landing back where
they started once more has been
favorite performance with the
kings men" making up the House
majority during the past week,
| and more.
An Unusual Alliance
Marchers executed the goose-step
with only a minor hitch when the
House Liquor Control Committee
reported Governor Benson's state
dispensary bill out to pass last
Tuesday. The hitch came in
strength of the committees minor
ity faction, for the bill putting the
state into the booze business was
recommended out to the floor by
vote of just II to 10.
At big public hearing the night
before, the old saying about politics
and strange bedfellows" had just
one more of it's many demonstra-
tions. The liquor interests-whole-
sale, retail, on-sale and off-sale-
were all joined in common cause
against the dispensary bill with
one unusual ally-the Anti-Saloon
League. Mr.. Holsaple, representing
the well known temperance group,
made it clear that the "unholy al
lance" was wholly a temporary
one, and he left no doubt as to
where he and his organization
stood on abuses in the private IL
quor traffic. His principal plea be-
fore the committee was, however,
a vigorous one against putting the
state into the liquor selling bust
ness.
Death Knell for Liquor Bill
The bill went to the appropria-
tons committee with the hostile
hope that the chloroforming job
be done there. And last Friday
Governor Benson did some "march-
ing down again" himself. Sources
close to him declared that the gov
ernor was forsaking his cherished
dispensary plan, that he was con-
tent to let it die in committee with
out the embarrassment Of another
unfavorable test vote in the House
he is supposed to control. Support
for the measure was so half-heart-
ed among the chief executives own
hackers that a statement was is
sued declaring the time mot yet
ripe" for a dispensary plan. Thus
ends the drive begun with such
fanfare. A personally delivered
special message by the governor,
unprecedented in the states his
tory, heard over a five-stat'on ra-
dio i1ook-up, demanded creation Of
the state liquor dispensary and in
vestigation OF Representative Roy
Wier's charges about barrels Of
money" collected by the liquor
lobbyists. Complete loss of memory
afflicts those summoned by the
lobby investigators; while Oblivion
engulfs the once ambitious dispen-
sary scheme.
The Civil Service Squabble
Tackling q committee report on
civil service bills for the fourth
time last week, the House on FRI
day voted 81 to 81, to kill the gov
errors bill, House File TO. The
state employees bill, with organic
ed aabor's backing, II. F. 728, was
placed on General Orders by IS
to 50 vote during an afternoon
which marked another decided
break in House organization ranks.
Quotations OF The Week
Quotations CLEANED DURING four
days debate on the civil service is
sue might serve as a sprightly de-
partment in this summary. In pro-
phetic vein, there is, for instance,
the following remark by Farmer
Labor Representative George Ha-
gen, Of Crookston: Everybody
knows we're not going to pass the
liquor dispensary bill; everybody
knows we're not going to pass a
civil service bill"
From a party colleague, VIM. +.
Bennett, Of Minneapolis. frank foe
Of civil service In any form, came
this remark: IT know that state
employees were out campaigning
before the last election on state
time, paid for out Of state money.
And I know too that state employ
ees have done the same thing I'M
der other administrations"
Representative Roy Wier. Min
neapolis union organizer, added as
one Of his livelier contributions
this sally: 1--WE heard a lot these
last two days about putting on
the heat They've told me, You
vote for TO or else'-well, I'm go
ing to find out what the or else
! Is"