St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-03-05
THE DAKOTA LEGISLATURE.
Walsh's Railroad Taxation Bill
Gives Rise to Fierce Debate.

Walsh's Railroad Taxation Bill
Gives Rise to Fierce Debate-.-
Adjourned for a Sparring Match
Special to the GLOBE. -:
BISMARCK, OAK, March 4.-The,
members of the legislature seemed re-
freshed by their Sundays rest and
began the final FIVE days war-dance
this afternoon with great vigor and
activity. The festivities will continue
uni1terruptedly until the session closes
Friday night. The two omnibus apprO-
prlatien bills occupied much Of the
houses time and attention. A special
committee, consisting of Green, Potter
and Fletcher, were appointed to har-
monte the two bills and instructed to
report in an hour and half. They re-
ported 'Split the difference" between
the two Oh nearly every item, and with
slight amendments the bill passed. A
conference committee will have to be
appointed y confer with a similar
final agreement can be reached. Among
the mass of bills passed were the fol-
lowing: Accepting the compiled laws;
providing tor the sinking of artesian
wells and constructing water ways;
Fletcher's banking bill. and providing
for lien of grain to secure threshing
bill. Council bill providing for the re-
funding of outstanding capital warrants
was referred to a special committee
of North Dakotd members. A
majority reported favOring the
passage and further time was
a granted minority in which to report.
This minority, led by Elliott, think they
have discovered "a niger i'm the wood
RI fn nIIf
is stated that according to the provis-
ions of deed on file. the capitol site re-
verts to the Northern Pacific in case
the capitol is ever moved from
Bismarck, and that there should be
another deed in existence. with this OBJ
]ectlOnable feature omitted that is not
recorded. This statement, however. is
not guaranteed absolutely accurate.
Patton'S rank prohibition measure,
which passed the council by such
queer vote last week, came up in the
committee of the whole, and it's oppon-
ents guied it to the finish.
Two amendments were agreed upon
that it should go into effect
ception in such measure for sacra-
mental purposes should be stricken out.
In supporting the last amendment,
Newman stated that this legislature
had attempted to reform everything
under the sun except the church, and
that he was in favor of completing the
job by shutting off it's supply of sacra-
mental wine. These amendments were,
of course. offered for the purpose of
killing the bill. and will doubtless have
the desired effect. The governor vetoed
the bill abolishing railroad commits
sions. Council passed bills estab-
fishing blind asylum at Pierre, with
out appropriation, and appropriating
S63, 900 for the Bismarck penitentiary
and $4,000 for the Plankinton reform
school; house bill creating lien on
grain for threShing. and joint
resolution memOrializing congress to
occupy Fort Lincoln. and innumerable
minor measures. The track being prac-
tlcally cleared, Walsh's railroad taxa
ton bill was called up. This provides
that railroads shall pay taxes on gross
earnings basis, provided that they agree
to do so. Attorneys for the various
roads are here and say they are ready
to give bonds that its provisions will be
strictly complied with. If the bill be-
the territorial treasury within thirty
days. 1t meets with much opposition.
The, council took recess until o'clock
this evening and continued the dis
cussion. The house met this
evening. but adjourned without
transacting any business in order
that members might attend six-round
contest between Patsy Cardiff and
John Donaldson. The council con-
tinued to discuss WalSh'S railroad tax
alton bill fer three hours, amending it
numerously, but the vote upon its pas
sage was deferred until tomorrow.
The general opinion is that it will pass.