Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-02-21
SENATE.

IN the senate. From the beginning of the
session at 10 a. n. until the gaYel of act
ing President STEVENSON fell at 6.15 pm,
about all the chin music that disturbed the
solemn reflections of the grave and rev.
erend senators and the still more atJeu
tive ears of the reportorial corps was the
sOnorous voice of the secretary or one of
his assistants in going through the regular
order Of the day in reading bills in their
various stops, or calling the monotonuos
roll of The names of the members, occa-
sionally would be heard the voice of the
president announcing the result of a vote,
or deciding point of order or the status
of some bill or resolution under consider
alton.
It was a big day for st. Paul and Ram
sey county, and also for Minneapolis and
Heunepin county, as nearly all the local
legislation Of the two principal counties of
the state was disposed of, and the respOn-
sible duties devolved upon them by their
immediate constituents was sanctioned by
and agreed to by the representatives of
the balance of the state, as viii be seen by
the routine report given below. All the
local legislation thus far agreed upon by
the dele cation from Ramsey county, and
which had heretofore met the approval of
It's various civic bodies, was passed under
suspension of the rules, and now only
awaits the approval of the governor
TO become law. For much of this
expediting the citizsns of st. Paul and
Ramsey county, is indebted to Senator
Griggs, who, on account of the illness of
Senator G. D. Gilillan, had the different
bills in charge. Senator Griggs was in
his seat from roll call in the morning
until adjournment at night, %atchful at
every point and right Lobly did he do
double duty in the interests of his con-
stituents. 1t is needless to state that if
Senator Gilfllan's health would have per-
mitted him to be present in his seat he
would have heartily endorsed Senator
Griggs' efforts.
The same fidelity to local interests may
be recorded in favor of the delegation
from Minneapolis and Hennepin county.
All their local measures were promptly
looked after and the needed measures
passed. For further particulars the
readers of the GLOBE are referred to the
routine report.
While this is true of the local legislation
of st. Paul and Minneapolis, it must be
borne in mind that other localities of the
state were not overlooked by their sena-
tors. All were watchful and the interests
of their constituents were looked after, and
while the bulk of the business transacted
was of a local nature, a considerable
amount of general business was transacted,
among which may be mentioned the fol-
lowing bill introduced by Senator Clark,
which of course went to the railroad com
mittee. The following is the full text of
the bill:
Section l. Section seyenty-six (76) of
chapter six (6) of the general statutes 1878,
is hereby amended so as to read as follows:
ANY railroad corporation who shall vio-
late the provisions of this act as to extor-
ton or unjust discrimination shall forfeit
for every such otfense to the person, COM
pany or corporation aggrieved thereby,
the actual damages sustained or over
charges paid by the party aggrieved, and
IN addition thereto penalty of five hum
dred (S500) for each instance of such un-
Just discrimination or over charge, tOgeth-
er with the costs of suit to be recovered in
civil action"
Sec. 2. This act.shall take effect and
be in force from and after its passage.
Senator Pillsbury's bill reducing the in
terest upon the proceeds of the STATE Ag-
ricultural college lands from 5 to AZ per
cent, was passed under suspension of the
rules.
Senator Peterson introduced a bill to
change the length of the terms of judges
of probate from two to four years, and it
met with a favorable reception and will
probably pass.
Senator Wilson's bill to tax railroad
lands, the merits of which, and the dis
cussions thereon have been fully reported
IN the GLOBE. was passed without a dis
senting vote.
Senator Clark introduced a bill to amend
the law relating to taxing telephone and
sleeping car companies, imposing a tax
not less than per cent. upon gross earn
lngs, the same to be adjudicated by the
state board of equalization.
The three bills introduced by the COM
mittee on elections,proposinga amendments
to the constitution, changing the terms of
office of certain executive officers and
judges of the supreme court so as to COM
ply with the features of the amendment to
the constitution providing for biennial
sessions of the legislature, were passed un-
der suspension of the rules and sent to the
house.
Senator Steenerson's bill in the same di-
rection, relating to or rather explaining
the law in reference to the terms of Office
of members of the legislature, was laid
aside upon motion of Senator Peck, until
the opinion of the attorney general of the
state could be obtained thereon.
Routine Report.
Senate met at the usual hour and was
called to order by President Gilman, and
after the usual preliminary exercises pro-
ceeded to business.
BILLS INTRODUCED.
By Senator Peck-Authorizing the
board of county commissioners of Scott
county to reimburse the county treasurer
in certain cases. Passed under suspension