Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-01-30

roads, reported the bill consolidating the Offices
of insurance and railroad commissioners with
an amendment relative to clerical assistance,
and the recommendation that it pass.
THREADING OF HOUSE BILLS.
To authorize the commissioners of Martin
county to issue $25,000 in bonds to build a
court house and jnil. Passed under suspended
rules.
memorial to Congress asking an appropri-
Minnesota river. Passed under suspended
rules.
To amend an act authorizing the construc-
ton OF an avenue around LAKE Phalen.
BILLS PASSED.
Granting the city of Winona the privilege of
maintaining ferry at that place.
10 amend the general laws Of 1877 relating
to public schools.
To detatch lands from school district No. Is.
in Dodge county.
THE INTEREST Law.
In committee Of the whole, Senator Wedge
in the chair, the bill proposing to reduce the
rate of interest from IL to 10 per cent. the
consideration of which was left unfinished on
Tuesday. was warmly discussed by Senators E..
M. Wilson, Castle, Page, Powers and Buell., who
favored the bill; by Doran, d. Buck and G. +.
Buck, who did not want the bill to pass unless
it conformed to the national banking law. and
by 81. B. Wilson, Kinds and j. B. GilfIlan,
who were opposed to any legislation regulating
rates of interest. Substitutes and numerous
amendments We're offered, but the bill was
recommended to pass substantially as it came
from the judiciary committee.
REMoNsTRANCE.
A communication was received from the Gov
ernor enclosing the remonstrance of citizens of
Traverse county against the change of their
county boundaries.
Recess till $3.50 P. ID.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
The Senate reconvened at $3.50 o'clock. and
Immediately resolved itself into committee of
the whole, Senator Rice in the chair. and pr,,-
ceeded to discuss the bill consolidating the
Office of railroad commissioner into that Of the
insurance commissioner.
Senator Brown stated that the bill had been
considered by the committee on retrenchment
and reform and favorably reported upon. and
had also been submitted to the committee on
railroads and that thew had recommended that
it pass, and he moved that when the committee
rise it report it back to the Senate with the re-
communication that it pass.
Senator McCrea dissented from the report of
the committee and did not think it advisable
to abolish the Office. He did not advocate the
continuance of the Office in the interest of any
individual, but in the interests of the State.
The man who nils the Office should be selected
his knowledge Of railroad matters. He was in
favor of keeping the office and extending the
duties OF the commissioner, and thought it
unwise TO abolish it.
Senator H. B. Wilson was in favor of refer
ring the bill to the committee on railroads in
order to obtain information, and an he had not
heard from that committee he should like to
hear from it now. The Office was the outgrowth
of the so-called granger legislation, and had
been OF benefit to the State in times past, and
if it was now beneficial to the State he was not
in favor of abolishing IL, and would like to hear
from the committee on railroads relative to its
utility.
Senator J. B. Gilfllan wanted to know if the
committee on railroads had reported.
The chairman-The railroad committee has
reported and recommends that the bill pass.
Senator Castle, of the committee said the
duties of the commissioner were defined bv the
law creating the Office and read the act.
whereby it appeared that the chief duty Of
that officer was to collect STATISTICS of the
building and business Of railroads, and man
sgera Of railroads ere required to report to him.
i To eommisaioasr ban reason to believe that.