The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1937-06-17
TT HAPPENED AT THE
CAPITOL
edited this. week by Jerry F. Keo.
hen, Montgomery Messenger
Belated housekeeping


Reports were out Thursday after
noon to the effect that there would
be a general housekeeping in many
Of the departments in the state.
The attack seems to be conferred on
the Highway Department, where 1t
is claimed many of the holdovers
are entrenched. The boys, who
seem to be in the know, feel con-
fident that some of the boys who
have been keeping the machinery
running smoothly out on Univer-
sity Avenue, will remain regardless
of the heat. There seems to be only
one reaction to the move at this
late date and that is that the Ben
son administration is beginning to
feel itself slipping and wants to
gather up all the plums in an ef-
fort to strengthen its lines for the
future campaign.
Talking Out of Turn
Governor Benson has been In the
habit of speaking out OF turn since
he took office in January, and one
would be led to believe that his
maneuvers has been bringing no
small amount of worry to the Far
mer-Labor leaders. During the per-
iod that Benson served Minnesota
as United States Senator, it must
be admitted that he went to town
in fine shape. Many are at a loss TO
understand his change in front,
and more so his change in express
sion. While the Governor was down
at Washington he was constantly
kept in the limelight by none other
than Johnny Johnston, who
welded a wicked pen. Johnnys
services were used to mighty good
advantage during the campaign,
but after the victory rumors had
it that Johnston did not fit in so
well in the Benson household and
was shunted off to the Highway
Department, where he Is in charge
of publicity, in order to make room
for Roger Rutchick.
A House Divided Against Itself
Up to the present time the spec
ial session would lead one to opine
that the administration is not hold
ing the whip over the house that 1t
did in the regular session. Inc
Barker-White contest for the office
of Speaker seemed to have split
the Farmer-Labor ranks wide open
and the votes on some Of the tax
bills show clearly that there may
be a few rehearsals before some OF
them win approval. It took three
DAYS of debate to get the Moneys
and Credits Bill passed and then
the vote was close. At the regular
session the bill would have gone
through without an amendment by
a wide margin.
A Peaceful Lobby
Attorney Benson of Stearns
county appeared before the House
Tax Committee the past week and
petitioned for reduction of state
expenditures in behalf of a large
group of farmers in central Mime
sofa. A resolution, recently passed
at mass meeting, was read to the
members of the committee and
there was no excitement whatsoever.
The lobby was just the opposite OF
the one last winter, when the COM
mittee rooms were stormed and
the senate chambers taken over, in
it's demand for heavy appropria-
tons of money.
How Long Will 1t Last?
1t was twenty years ago that the
boys over in France were shouting
that they would be out of the
trenches by Christmas. Many OF
the legislatures are beginning to
feel that they will be lucky to get
home for the holidays this year.
Rumors Have 1t
The corridor gossip has it that
Governor Benson will not be a can
didate to succeed himself in 1888
whether he would like to or not.
Some are of the opinion that Paul
Rasmussen will develop into the
white hope" of the Farmer-Labor
party, but all will admit that HAL
mar Peterson carried a powerful
punch and will cut quite a figure
in the endorsement convention as
well as the primary election next
year.