The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1889-05-02
PUNITIVE LAWS.

PUNITIVE LAWS.
Most of the 1t gislatiOa relating TO the penal
institutions Of the state was introduced in
the senate, having originated with the boaId
of correction and charities 1t includes u
complete revision of the prison law. the new
law containing several new provisions
with reference % the care of prisoners.
The board Of managers is increased TO
five members, nj he warden, instead of
receiving his appointment from the COVER
nOr. VIII b. elected by this board Tuis
change is made for the purpose of taking
the office OF warden OUT of politics. Bills
were also passed providing for the transfer
OF certain classes OF prisoners beUwee EN-
the STATE PRISON and the state re-
IOrmatOry; and for the parole CT
prisoners and the care of ex-convic s
person who has served two terms of rot
less than three years each is declared an la
Lilual criminal, and on Il third convict on will
lie sentenced for term of twenty years.
he bill prov. ding for the inspection of cat
tie, sheep and swine on the hoOt before
slaughter was among the bills passed. 1t is
one of the important measuSes of the ses-
sion. Laws were also enacted amending the
dairy laws, so as to bring violations within
there is also one to prevent the adu'-
iteration of certain articles of food and of
liquors, which law is t. be enforced by the
Ga ~ commissioner. The military code WI S
amended by a couple of bills, one OF which
admits the Third regiment as a member OF
the national guard. The seed grain bill"
was measure of relief for The farmers in tie
counties in which the wheat crop WIS
ruined ~ frost or blight last season.
II appropriated $1,000 600 as 4 loan to Il e
counties, which loan Is ma !e available TO
the .armer,. The law was taken advantage
CT to it's full extent, the entire appropria-
ton being utilized. Another bill desired by
tIe farmers in the north part Of the stale
the Red river drainage biIl-appropriat-
ing money FOR draining the low lands in tie
valley, was lost in the house.
In the way of political reform the house
has been responsible for a long step forward.
1t was by the passage of the election law
which has taken the name of its author, MI
Reyes of Winona. Mr. Reyes had spent
nearly the whole summer in drafting his
bill, which was the second introduced. By
those interested in the subject it was pro-
nounced one of the most perfect election
laws ever drafted in any state It was care
Iui1y plduuSu ~ OONC-GdIA III VIII tue IdWb
of registration and returns, contain
ing, in addition, with notifications,
the secret system of balloting
which is known as the Australian
system. SO carefully was it drawn that the
house passed it with only a few verbal
amendments, limiting it's operations, how
ever, to cities of 10000 inhabitants or over,
as the country was not willing to accept it
without 4 trial. The senate yesterday pass ed
it by Il vote Of 80 to 2. In addition the house
passed civil service measure copied after
the MassachuEe IS law and proposing
a commission OF examination for APP
pointive offices in the larger cities The
senate, however, was not favorabiy disposed
toward Il similar bill. There has been little
or none of the wildcat legislation toward
railroads which characterz former scs-
sions. Mr. Diment introduced bill fixing
an arbitrary grain and live stock mile age
rate, but the house rejected 1t, as it did Sen
ator Pope's distance tariff bill An attempt
to reduce passenger rates TO two and one
half cents per mile also failed
Another important matter before the leeis-
Jature was tho question of reapportioning
the state, q labor which should have been ac-
complished at the last session. A Joint COM
mittee was appointed and after weeks of
work, a bill making "a senatorial districts,
with IA representatives., was drawn. There
was a good deal of opposition from the
southern part of the state, which lost part of
its representation, and further on the ground
that it was unconstitutional. Willingness
to give the northern part of the state part at
least of its just representation was stronger
aud the bill was passed.
APPROPRIATIONS PASSED.
The subject that touches the public most
nearly is that OF appropriations and taxes
The leg stature found the state with 9
practically exhausted treasury. consequently
1etrenchment and reform has been the cry
While they have not always been consistent
in their economy, and their Judgment in
placing money in some minor particulars is
open to question, the appropriations have
been smaller than usual. The demands
of the state institutions were enor-
nous. 1t was out of the question
to give them all they wanted
and the appropriations were cut to the bone
the idea being to allow them only ough to
run the institutions for the next two years
when it is hoped the state will be in better
financial condition. 1t became necessary, as
IL was, TO raise the tax levy from l. Z mills to
l 8 mills, and to bond the state to the ex-
tent of $4OO, 600 to meet extraordinary ex-
penses Thy various main appropriation
bills call for the following sums:
Permanent annual appropriations for 1890