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
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.


| A session Of the senate convened at ter
minutes past 10, and as the lieutenant gov
ernor was absent Senator Goodrich, presiden
pro tempore, called that body to order anc
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 unsanc
tilted Share quorum" labored under peculiar
disadvantages to start with. AS truthful
and conscientious journalist the reporter i;
CON PEELED to call attention to this fact. 1t i;
passing strange that when the state pays So
per week, to say nothing of postage stamps,
stationery and dead-head railroad passes, tc
have divine blessing and favor invoked upon
the deliberations of the senate, that body
should be left even for a day out Of the four
or five which it usually devotes to public bus
mess during the week, without any one tc
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 be 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 senators. Regarding the disposal of
school, university and capitol lands, there is
no question as TO the wisdom Of the state
officers regarding them. But 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 theywere orig
inally donated by congress q. e., to internal
Improvements, the construction of roads and
bridges, draining and retaining over1owed
lands, aiding the construction Of railroads in
sparsely settled regions, etc., and applied
them to the support of the educational insti-
tutions, (already munifcently endowed,) the
charitable and penal institutions. Now, sup
porting these institutions out of the proceeds
of swamp lands viii sill hty reduce the taxa
ton of the older and weathier 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
aggreved, and say their sections have been
harshly and uniustly 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 all parts of the state shall receive
and enjoy the largesses of the general gov
eminent, share aud share alike. A glance
at the southern and middle portions of the
state, gridironed by railroads, mOst.of which
have received United States land grants and
swamp land aid from the state, aud then a
glance at the northern third, makes the just
mesa of thrir complaint self-eyident, Their
views will receive legislative and constitu-
tional 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
convivial chap drink of the ''ardeDt," was
referred to a special committee composed Of
Senators O'Brien, Peck, Comstock, Hick-
man and Billson. The great, dark pool Of
oblivion will quickly swallow up this meas
ure. -.
Senator Wilson dgain introduced bill for
railroads In the form of a constitutional
amendment. The measure was defeated at
the last session Of the lt gislature. ''Perse-
verenee and industry must prosper" Article
Of the constitution Is the one sought 10 be
SD amended.
The ''grangcrs' came near scoring a
"scoop" upon the railroad committee in re-
spect to the bill providing for joint legisla-
ton on the part of the state of Minnesota
and territory of Dakota on the subject OF
railroad tariffs. The bill was reported by tie
agricultural committee 10 the committee OF
the whole, and it came near being recon-
mended TO pass. It is now in the hands of
the committee on railroads.
Senator Sergeant made a very credtable
chairman OF the committee OF the whole
Another session will be held on Tuesday
morning, at 10 O'Clock.