Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-02-28
SENATE.


Three sessions of the senate were held
Yesterday ana accomplished goodly
amount of work, much of which was hasti-
10 considered, as IS usually the case near
the close of the session. The knowing
ones always keep back measures OF ques-
tionable p ropriety for these closing days,
their experience having taught them
that their chances are a
hundred per cent. better than they
would be could the legislature have the
time TO thoroughly examine bills for wood
chucks or more odorous animals lurking
III the recesses of apparently harmless
provisions. Many Of the bills passed upon
Yesterday were recommended to pass by
senators who did not even know what the
number was on the printed general orders
before their eyes, and it would not be at
all surprising if in some of them were
provisions that viii surprise many OF the
soIoDs who sanctioned them.
Among the bills that had thorough
oyerhauling was the high license bill nitro
duced by the temperance committee as
substitute for Rice's bill. The provisions
Of the bill are the same as the original, but
the license fee and penalties are greatly
redaced.
The bill providing for the imposition of
exemplary damages upon persons or cor
poration5 stopping logs in the streams
of the Fifth lumber district occupied time
altogether out Of proportion to its i'm
portance, when we consider the condition
of legislative work. 1t was amended, or
rather emasculated so as to make it prac-
tically imperative, after which it was laid
on the table, where it will probably re-
main as a standing menace as probable
time consumer to the end of the session.
The chaplain ought to invoke divine inter
position to save the senate from further
infection from this source.
Senator Lawrence's bill allowing county
attorneys to have the last word in Grimm
al trials was also lengthily discussed. In
deed, it was doubtful whether the friends
or the opponents of the bill would have
the last word on the bill. 1t was finally
laid on the table and will probably remain
there.
IL Senator Shaleen, from the committee
on claims, in reporting back the house bill
approprating $4,000 to compensate the
city OF ST. Paul for the use of the market
house as a state capitol, stated that the
city did not desire such compensa-
ton, but that inasmuch as
the house had passed the bill and the state
had received the full value of the sum
named in the bill, the committee reported
the same back with favorable recommen
dation.
The anxiety of senators to advance the
new measures introduced by them having
prompted them to ask for suspension OF
the rules to effect that purpose, and the
time occupied in SO DUNG very seriously
impeding the progress of legislation, on
motion of Senator Doran the rules were
so far suspended as to allow all bills intro
duced to be read second time and placed
on general orders.
It was agreed that the evening session
was to be devoted to the consideration of
the various railroad bills that have been
introduced from time to time in both
houses of the legislature, but the house
having summarily disposed of the whole
subject by indefinite postponement, the
senate decided to take up general orders
and endeavor to clear the list. Accord
ingly the senate went into committee of
the whole and passed upon the merits of
bills until II o'clock. Two bills creating
new judicial districts were reported upon
favorably and the bill giving the puplic
examiners Office $1,000 per annum more
was laid upon the table.
At present the conditi on of the work in
the senate is not particularly good. Some
Of the senators persist in lengthy remarks
much to the disgust of those who know
the value of the minutes thus squandersd,
but there appears to be no remedy for the
evil, and longer hours and brewster heads
is the inevitable result.