Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-01-11
THE SENATE.

There seemed to be but little disposition
on the part of the Senate, yesterday, to take
hold of business in earnest, almost every
body being inclined to hold back for every
body else, and do not appear to pull we'll in
legislative harness. There was, however, a
little rush of business in the morning, con
tinuing for nearly half an hour, when
the honorable gentlemen relapsed into ap-
athy, and nothing further was done but to
adjourn till 10 O'Clock Tuesday. The bust
ness of the session was opened by Senator
Bonniwell, of Mcleod county, who pre-
sented petition signed by some
two hundred Of his agricultural
constituents, praying that the legislature
take some action to relieve them from the
evils of using the 'slittle brass kettle'' for
testing wheat. Then followed little debate
upon brush brooms, spittoons, towels, water
pitchers, ETC., the small economists of the
Senate evidently regarding such articles as
luxuries which they had no use for, or at
least that the State ought not to pay for.
The brush-broom party prevailed, however,
with the understanding that they we're not
to spend more than 800 of the States
money in that way.
Senator Rice, of Kandiyohi, now got an
opportunity to send up a bill for an
act relating to weights and measures,
which makes it incumbent upon all persons
who use weights or measures to have scales
and yard sticks that are honest, and keep
ca 1v1v lin hat
after the passage of the bill such persons
shall have their weights and measures tested
and sealed by county treasurers, and also
provides feasible means for enforcing the
law in this respect.
senator BUCK, OF Wlnona, introduced and
had passed an act repeating an act amending
the charter of Winona imposing arduous
restraints upon the sale of intoxicating
liquors in that city, which even Senator
Williams, the only Prohibitionist in the
Senate, voted for; and some of the members
after adjournment, treated the matter
with levity, as if it were a good joke on
MIR. Williams. But Mr.. Williams is wide
awake man, as was demonstrated when the
Senate elected it's officers.
Senator Adams introduced bill, of which
previous notice had been given, to increase
the pay of district judges from $4,000 to
$4,000, and Senator Powers gave notice that
he would Introduce bill reducing the sala-
RES of certain State and county officers. The
small economists again had love feast when
Senator Powers offered a resolution disap-
proving OF the practice of supplying mem
bers of the legislature with newspapers al
the expense of the State. The resolution was
voted down promptly,a majority of the honor.
nj fNofYvy l,ok
necessary for the enlightenment of legisla-
tive bodies that it is not misapplying public
money to pay for them out of the public
purse. In connection with this matter il
might be well to take look at the other
side of the question, and consider the dis
cussion of such resolutions during business
hours as question of economy. It costs
the State of Minnesota about $4,000 pei
day for legislative expenses during every
day the legislature is in session, and at least
one-t twentieth part of the whole business OF
the week already gone has been devoted tc
discussing the propriety Of paying for
brush-brooms and newspapers out of the
State treasury. The time which has been
devoted to this discussion is paid for by the
State and has already cost the State more
than 800, while it is claimed that the news
papers will only cost $41O and the brush
brooms $1O0; thus it will be seen that if the
legislature had supplied themselves with
brush brooms and newspapers at the expense
of the State without debating the question
and had devoted their time to matters of
public interest, the State would be $3.50
better off.
Senator Hill, of Winona county, an enter
prising editor, is to be congratulated on be-
ing the father of the first bill passed by both
branches of the legislature to become law.