St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-01-25
SHOCKING SUGGESTION.
A Bill Offered in the Senate Requir-
ing Drinkers to Get o
License.
The House Holds Its First Session In Com
mittee of the Whole.
A Little Disagreement in the Ramsey
County Delegation Over the
Bridge Bonds.
SENATE.


minutes past 10, and as the lieutenant gov
ernor was absent Senator Goodrich, president
pro tempore, called that body to order and
presided during the day with his usual dignity
and urbanity. The chaplain was also absent,
an unusual and almost unprecedented occur
renee, and hence the unblessed and INSANE
titled ''bare quorum" labored under peculiar
disadvantages to start with. As truthful
and conscientious journalist the reporter is
com PEELED to call attention to this fact. II is
passing strange that when the state pays s35
per week, to say nothing of postage stamps,
stationery and dead-head railroad passes, TO
have divine blessing and favor invoked upon
the deliberations of the senate, that body
should be left even for day out of the four
or five which it usually devotes to public bus
mess during the week, without any one to
solicit aid from the Almighty One above US
to guide and direct the progress of legislation,
for veal or for woe, of the sovereign state Of
Minnesota. The reporter hopes for charity
in considering his own sins of omission and
commission, hence he pursues the subject no
| further.
The bills recently introduced for the dis
pOsal and care of the state lands have ELECTED
some informal exchange Of views regarding
them and what should be done with them,
among senator's. Regarding the disposal of
school, university and capitol lands, there is
no'question as to the wisdom of the state
officers regarding them. But a former leg
islature proposed an amendment to the state
constitution, which was adopted in 1881,
whereby the state swamp lands were diverted
from the purpose for which they were orig
| inally donated by congress ii. e., to internal
| improvements, the construction of roads and
bridges, draining and reclaimipg overfowed
lands, aiding the construction of railroads in
sparsely settled regions, etc., and applied
them 10 the support of the educational insti-
tutious, (already munifcently endowed,) the
charitable and penal institutions. Now, sup
porting these institutions out of the proceeds
of swamp lands will slightly reduce the taxa
ton of the older and wealthier portions OF the
state and will retard the progress OF settle
! ment and development in the northern por-
ton. The senators from the north feel
aggrieved, and say their sections have been
harshly and uuiustly dealt with; that might
is not always right; that a majority can
sometimes be unjust and oppressive, and that
the amendment should be repealed in
order that al parts of the state shall receive
and enjoy the largesses of the general gov
ernment, share and share alike. a glance
at the southern and middle portions of the
state, gridironei by railroads, most.of which
have received United States land grants aud
swamp land aid from the state, and then
glance at the northern third, makes the just
ness OF their complaint self-evident. Their
views will receive legislative and constitu-
tioDal recognition sooner or later.
Senator O'Brien's bill requiring drinkers
to obtain a license or permit before the
''spree-keeper'' shall be allowed to sell the
con vivial chap drink OF the ardent" was
referred to a special committee composed of
Senators 0'BrIen, Peck, Comstock, Hick-
man and BiIlson. The great, dark pool Of
oblivion will quickly swallow up this meas
ure.
Senator Wilson again introduced lS'bill for
bidding county, town and municipal aid to
railroads in the form OF a constitutional
amendment. The measure was defeated at
the last session of the lt gislature. 'Perse-
verence and industry must prosper" Article
Of the constitution is the one sought to be
so amended.
The ''grangers'' came near scoring a
scoop upon the railroad committee in re-
spect to the bill providing for joint legisa-
ton on the part Of the state of Minnesota
and territory of Dakota on the subject of
railroad tariffs. The bill was reported BY the
agricultural committee to the committee of
the whole, and It came near being recon-
mended TO pass. 1t is now In the hands of
the committee on railroads.
Senator Sergeant made very creditaole
chairman Of the committee OF the whole
Another session will be held on Tuesday
morning, at 10 O'Clock.