The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1885-12-10
s-~--ss@-----------------
MINNESOTA.

Prayer For An Extra Session Of the Min
nesOtR Legislature Denied.
Under date Of Nov. 18th, Gov. Hubbard
replies to petitions from Duluth and other
quarters for an extra session OF the
Minnesota legislature, declining to call the
same. The constitution OF the State, he
recites, authorizes the Governor to con-
vene the legislature in extra session on
extraordinary occasions"
No extraordinary occasion has arisen
uuder the new laws relating to inspection,
handling and weighing grain, or the
regulation of railroad companies, and il is
yet too soon to determine what amend
ments are essential.
Admitting that the population of the
state has increased very unequally since
1870, SO that the apportionment upon the
census of that year is no longer just and
equal, and that this inequality ought to
cease at the first opportunity, Gov.
Hubbard says that the constitution itself
anticipates unequal increase of population
with resulting inequality in the existing
apportionment, and authorizes the taking
of q census to ascertain the fact aud a
reapportionment every five years at the
next session after the census, if found
tiOn in the legislature has been found to
exist after every census, as was from the
first expected. Can that he called ian
extraordinary OCCASION which occurs
according to habit and expectation
The next legislatures is the one OF which the
work of reapportionment is sconstitutionally
expected, and the present legislature, if
called, might not attend to the mat
ter, it being the duty of the other. An
'sextraordinary reason" for an extra ses-
sion might appear, il it had been observed
that the new or weak counties have hither-
to been neglected or oppressed. A good
test is the distribution of the internal reve-
nue. improvement fund. The legislature
disposes of that fund at its pleasure. Tie
present legislature distributed about $50. 900
belonging to that fund at its last session.
OF this amount twelve districts, having
forty five members of the legislature, took
nothing at all; twelve other districts, all
now over-represented, having fifty mem
| bers, obtained less than $4,000; the Ave
country districts, now under-represented,
having thirteen members, were voted more
than $33, 600.
A to the request for an extra session,
Gov. Hubbard states that In addition to the
action at Duluth, he is advised that the
city council Of st. Paul and Of Fergus Falls
have adopted similar resolutions, that sew
eral editors have asked for an extra ses-
sion, 33 representative men of Otter Tail
county have petitioned, aud other petit
tions bearing 224 signatures have been pre-
sented, and these form the total demands.
Gov. Hubbard concludes his paper as fol-
lows: But if the favorable expression had
been more general, could not have justi-
fled to myself the action you request. You
will remember that was obliged at the
end of the last session to protect the credit
| OF the state by vetoing appropriations
amounting to Sl54,OOO which there was
| reason to believe the treasury would not
be in a condition to pay. 1t is not yet GER
tain that too much was not, after all, al
lowed to pass. 1t is certain that the ex-
penses Of anextra session could not be paid
without another state loan.