The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1877-02-08
Minnesota LEGISLATURE.

In the House on the 30th, Mr.. Bonni-
well called up his resolution tor sending for
persons and papers as testimony before the
railroad committee, and it was passed after
good deal of opposition. A Communication
vas received from the Attorney General in
answer to 9 resolution asking tor an opinion.
on the St. Paul and Pacific railroad question;
he deciding that the act Of l776, chapter III,
is constitutional and of forcee. Bills were in
troduced by Mr.. Crooks to empower railroad
companies to enter into agreement with bond
holders; and to empower railroad companies
to issue preferred stock. Mr.. Mott introduced
q bill increasing the number OF commissioners
OF Winona county to seven. Bills were also
giving s, 600 to the Forestry association; to
incorporate Zumbrota; relating to the assess
ment and collection Of taxes, and for boun-
ties for the planting OF trees. A bill was
passed amending the charter of Northfeld,
and also amending the charter of Hamline
University.
Bills were introduced in the Senate,
on the 3lst, to provide for posting constitu-
tiers; amending the act incorporating the Min
nesota Western railroad company; to create a
new judicial circuit of Anoka, Wright, Eher-
burne, Mile Lacs and Isanti counties; besides
several otler bills. Senate bills were passed
on various unimportant local matters, also
several important House bills. The bill to
admit James R. Bennett to practice law was
to pension soldiers OF the Mexican war, was
again brought before the Senate by reconsid-
ering the vote by which it was on the pre-
vious day postponed Mr.. Donnelly's usury
bill was passed, after repeated amendment,
by vote Of Is to 3. The bill to establish a
second hospital tor the insane, to be located
at Rochester, was discussed at much length,
Mr. WI1}iSfnn 11onvInn fn sfri1ro ont Rochester
and insert Red Wing. After much comment
the Senate adjourned without acting upon
either the bill or the amendment
On the 3lst ult. petitions poured in
from all over the State asking for the passage
of the bill regulating the sale of liquor, intro
duced by MI. Wilson. A large number OF
petitions from sportsmen were also presented
protesting against the passage Of the bill for
bidding the killing of birds which prey upon
grassh0ppers. Bills were introduced on nu-
merous unimportant local subjects. Senate
billstwere passedsleaving the summoning OF
grand juries discretionary with circuit judges
in counties having less than IL, 600 population;
amending the act incorporating the st. Louis
Dalles Improvement company; exemptlng
benevolent associations from the insurance
laws. House bills were passed relating to re-
porating Benson; authorizing the draining OF
certain lakes in lsanti county; amending the
general law for incorporating villages. The
bill submitting the twice defeated constitu-
tional amendment to another vote by the peo-
pie was passed, also the bill authorizing
towns in Isanti, Mile Lacs and Sherburne
counties to vote bonds to aid in building
railroad. In committee of the whole the bill
tor constitutional amendment prohibiting
the use OF public money in sectarian schools
was amended SO as to apply to all schools
where religious ceremonies or services are
had, and motion to indefinitely postpone
was lost by vote of 43 to 81.
In the Senate, on the 1st inst, after
the presentation OF the usual number of Pc
titions, MIR. Hall introduced q memorial to
Congress opposing any extension OF time for
way. Mr. Stacy introduced bill reducing
the required test of kerosene to 10 degrees.
Various other bills of minor character were
introduced, after which Donnelly's usury bill
was called up and amended so that one-halt
Of all penalties collected under it's provision
shall 60 to the school fund. The bill was
criticised by Messrs Williston, Wheelock and
nelly, 4. l. Smith, Nelson, Wilkinson, Doran
and others. The bill was finally passed by
vote OF 26 to IL. The bill, in brief, provides
that the rate OF interest in no case shall be
greater than twelve per cent, and if SO COL
lected the whole amount ofinterest paid may
be recovered, and all notes OF bills upon which
more than twelve per cent. shall be charged
shall be void, whether the fact be shewn on
the face of the instrument or otherwise. The
bill then provides for clerical errors and other
proper exceptions.
The House on the 1st inst, passed
the Senate bill to prevent catching fish in
Round Lake, and House bills appropriating
g, 800 tor repairing the Normal School at
Mankato, relating to writs of habeas corpus,
and changing a school district boundary in
lsanti county. A large number OF bills were
introduced, among which the only ones of i'm.
pOrtance to our readers were the following: to
compel children to attend school to provide
| for draining wet lands or swamps and amend
| ing the laws of 1873 relating to county treas
urers. In committee of the whole the bill to
pay Wheeler and Manning, who killed two of
the Northfeld robbers $500 each, was recon-
mended to pass. Mr.. Mills offered resolu-
tion declaring the cfice of Railroad Commits
| sioner unnecessary and sinecure the res
0lution went over under notice OF debate.
A large number of bills were intro
was one legalizing printing country newspa-
pers upon the cooperative plan, and bill le-
CALLING the conveyance ofreal property with
but one witness. The committee appointed
to enquire into the eligibility Of Senators re-
ported that they had been unable to find any
SllSplC1Ou VI uOuDL ufOu tLe cll&lUlllty VI duy
Senator: A bill was introduced author.
izing Wilkin, Becker and Wadena coun.
ties to issue bonds to aid in building the
Minnesota Northern railroad. A lengthy
debate was had on the Inebriate asylum on
the bill repeating the law creating that insti-
tuition. Senator Daniels, Stacy, Hall, Edger-
ton, Robbins, and others spoke in favor Of the
asylum, and Wilkinson, Donnelly, Eneau
and J. Smith, Jr. against it. A motion to re-
commit the bill for amendment was lost by a
vote ot II to 20.
In the House, on the I'd, the ways
and means committee reported against appro-
priations to build new wall and blacksmith
shop for the State prison, and considerable
discussion was occasioned. The bill was re-
committed Twenty-three bills were intro
duced, few of which deserve special mention:
That of most importance was by Mr.. Crooks,
appropriating $7b, 600 for the purchase of seed
grain for sufferers by. grasshoppers. The grain
to be furnished the destitute farmers, and his
receipt taken therefor, and the amount Of
its actual cost be charged up against him up.
on the books Of his county auditor to be col
raise crop. Mr.. Crooks also introduced q
bill providing bounties for the destruction OF
grasshoppers, giving one dollar per bushel
for insects caught before June 1st, and pro-
portionate amount thereafter. Mr.. Muir at
tempted to have the bill providing for repair
ing the root OF the Mankato Normal school
building, brought back from the Senate, but
In the Senate on the Sd. Mr.. Nelson
stated that subpoena from the Sergeant At
Arms of the national House OF oiRepresentatives
had Teen served upon Senator Finseth to ap.
pear At Washington to give evidence IS to his