The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1876-03-02
LEGISLATIVE.

bill restoring the death penalty TO-
murder.
1t also passed bill proposing ,
constitutional amendment which pro
vides that grand juries may he dis
pensed with at the discretion o
the courts, and proceedings in ordi.
nary criminal eases may he begun
by the States Attorney filing an in
formation instead of a jury indict
ment. -'., ''>as. -ss:~:'
| Mr.. Gorton's homestead bill, lin
iting value Of homesteads, exempted
to 81, 900, was killed in the House by
postponing it to the last day Of thu
session. ,.r# ~, >. -.
In the Senate Monday, after vari
Gus amendments had been offered,
McDonald's bill prohibiting the read.
ing of tho bible and the use of secta.
rian books in the public schools was
lost by vote of IS to 10.
The bill prohibiting the teach.
ing Of foreign languages in
the public schools was passed, but
Tuesday the vote was reconsidered.
The Senate refused to concur in
the House amendment to the woman
| suffrage school bill, which permits
foreign women to vote without being
naturalized.
The bill to attach Cass county to
Crow Wing for taxable purposes
passed.
So did the bill to regulate the in
spection Of grain and weights and
meas ures, and to establish a depart
ment of agriculture, railroads and
forestry.
The evening session until 2o'clock
Tuesday morning, was consumed in
discussing the ap portionment bill
without any result being arrived At.
In the House Monday the last Gen.
tennial bill, appropriating $4,000,
was killed, by a vote Of 81 to So,
"amid much applause" on the part
of the Solomons who comprise that
body.
In the Senate Tuesday the House
bill appropriating $4,000 to the State
Forestry Association to be offered as
premiums for tree planting, passed. =
The House bill providing for bien-
NAL sessions was lost.
The evening session of the Senate
was devoted to the apportionment
bill, and the work was we'll along,
when by a trick, an adjourn.
ment was declared, although evident
ly against the wishes Of the MAORI
ty. There will therefore be no ap-
portionment this year. The bill was
killed through the joint efforts of the
Democrats, who knew that new ap.
portionment would increase the Re-
publican strength in the Legislature,
and Of a few Republican Senators,
who want to hold over for the u. S.
Senatorial election next winter and
who had no hope Of being returned
by the people. The proceeding is a
shameful one, but wholly in keeping
with the action Of this Legislature on
almost every measure of importance
to the people which has come before
it.
Mr.. Mieghan,. from the special
committee to whom was referred the
railroad bond matter, made a report
reviewing the history of the issuance
Of the bonds. The committee argue
that as the constitutional Limitation
of the State debt to $250,OOO had
not been repealed when the loan bill
passed, the bonds issued could not in
crease the debt Of the State; that
the bonds had no market value when
issued that the State in forecloslng
upon the road beds and grants of the
defaulting companies only act.
ed as trustee, and that the fore
closure did not in any way disturb
the lien of the bondholders on the
road. beds or grants; that the com
panies which succeeded to these
road-beds and lands are the only
debtors on the bonds; and the propo
sition to obtain the opinion of thu
U. S. courts as TO the liability of tn.
State is Of questionable propriety and
could have only the force Of a request
upon these courts. The committee
therefore, recommend that no actor
be had on either Of the propositions
and advise that the State and the
people move cautiously in the mat.
tor, having two foes to contend with
the bondholders and the land grant
companies.
The Senate passed in its regular
order the Congressional appropriation
bill, which makes no change except
adding Lac qui Parle, Yellow Medi
cine and Lincoln counties to the sec
! ond district.
| Wednesday the Senate in commit
tee Of the whole recommended thu
passage Of Mr.. Poehler's resolution
published last week. appointing 8
commission to investigate all matters
relating to the old railroad bonds and
report to the next Legislature.
| The same day bill introduced by
Mr.. Poehler authorizing towns and
villages in Stearns, Meeker, Mcleod
| Wright, Nicollet and other counties
to'issue railroad bonds, passed.
! In executive session Friday The
! Souoto oonfrmn1 tho fn11owin0 an.