The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1889-02-15
LEGISLATIVE NOTES.

An interesting debate came up in the
House over the passage of Mr.. Keye's
bill providing for the revision of the
statutes of the State. The bill contem-
plated the appointment of a commission
of revision by the justices of the sup
RENE court at salary of $25 day. Mr..
Hompe moved to fix the compensation
at $40 per day. This was fought by Mr..
Hay, Mr.. Lane and other attorneys, who
claimed that it would be impossible to
employ a lawyer competent to satisfac-
torily perform the requisite functions for
any small sum. Replying to these gentle
men, Mr.. Benson made the point that
as so many distinguished lawyers had
seen FL to devote their time and talents
to the service of the State in this Legs
lature at the beggarly stipend of SIS per
day, he thought there would be no
trouble experienced in finding others to
do the proposed work for less sum than
five times that amount. A comprise
was thereupon effected at $l5 per day.
1t is estimated that the petitions for a
prohibitory amendment already submit
ted to the House include about 5000
signers, while in the Senate there are
not more than 1000 signers to the petit
tons. This would make total of 1000
petitioners for constitutional prohibition
out of an estimated 100000 population
OF the State. OF these signers about hall
are women, so that the ratio between the
two figures of and /, 400 would be about
fair estimate of the voters asking for
the amendment.
The Senate file has been added to by
the introduction of bill by Mr.. Comp.
ton amending section 4, chapter 107
General Laws of 1878, relating to quail
tications OF jurors. 1t exempts all State
officers, county officers, telegraph oper-
ators, undertakes, etc., from serving a
jury. The bill went to the judiciary COM
mittee.
Senator Durant wants the District
judges to have an increase ofsalary from
So, 500 to 800 a year, and has intro
duced bill to that effect.
Representative Temple introduced a
bill Friday to amend the high license
law of 1887, so that in the cities hereafter
the license should be 81 200 and in the
country towns 5000. Since the temper
of the house is against prohibition and
local option it is expected that some
such bill as this, with new penalty bill
Furnishing the sale of liquor to minors
and women, will be the outcome of the
temperance agitation of this year.
Nearly every member of the legisla-
ture has received letters from the sher-
ifs and register ofdeeds, asking that the
terms of their Office be extended to four
years, the same as demanded by the
auditors. There will be no such extten
sions granted this year.
In9 state prision committee of the
senaI lie Thursday considered lthe bill re
latlnsy to convict labor, and will recon-
mend it with a couple of amendments
one cutting down the minimum price a
whit h the prison labor may be let on
by C ontract provided the contract sys
tenn shall be adopted) from so cents t.
40 cents; the other appropriating $50,
600 for carrying out the provisions of thu
bill. The senate railroad committee
also had a meeting Yesterday, and de
clar ed the bill permitting railroad com
panfes to issue half-fare tickets to minis
ters a good one. They did not stoI
there however, but will recommend
that Sisters of Charity be extended the
SAME privileges as preachers by the rail
roads.