Rines, a newspaper publisher, emigrated as a child from Orsa, Sweden.

He was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 1906.

He served as speaker from 1913 to 1915, as a part of a faction of progressive Republicans.

He was elected as State Treasurer in 1916, a position he held for two terms.

After leaving office, Rines served in a variety of capacities, working as the chair of the state commission of administration and finance, and serving on the state office building committee.