St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-01-18
REFORM THE FINANCES.
Speaker Graves Makes a Speech
on State Revenues.


First it was Gov. McGill, and now the
speaker of the house who came forward
voluntarily and confirm the assertions
made by the GLOBE during the late
campaign as to the condition of the
states finances. The GLOBE is most
emphatically Endorsed as to its position
in declaring that the states financial
system was bad one and needed i'm
mediate reform. The chaplain had
hardly finished bis stereotyped prayer
in the house and Clerk Carpenter waded
through the journal when Speaker
Graves called Representative Morgan to
the chair, and, taking the floor, asked
permission for the Introduction of the
following resolution:
Resolved, That the committee on ways
and means be directed to inquire into the
present system OF raising the revenues OF the
state; into the division of this revenue into
separate funds: the systems now in use for
supplying temporary deficiencies in either
of those funds, and the probable results Of a
continuance of the present systems. And
the committee are requested to report the re-
suits of its investigations to the house at as
early day as practicable.
Then said Mr.. Graves: 81 have, FROM
information received. been anxious that
there be special committee to look
into these questions. i may not be cor
rectly informed, but 1 understand that
large proportion of the revenues of
this state are, under the present system,
locked up in special funds, while the
banks of the city are loaded down with
the promlssory paper OF the state,
which, possessing wealth. yet pays
interest upon temporary loans. The
question arises, also. what is to be done
with the constantly increasing demand
for heavy appropriations for the main
tenance of the permanent buildings of
the state? Is it right for the people of this
generation to bear all of these burdens?
1t is the purpose of this resolution to
have inquiry made into this and
kindred questions"
Representative Lane, when he called
up again his resolution for the appoint
mite g, found that Representative
Haven was loaded for bear on that sub
ject. In fact, Representative Haven
developed the qualities of a Calling gun
in the discharge which he aimed at the
congested exchequer of the Oil inspect
or's department.
Representative Haven began his at
tack by saying: ''Since yesterday [
have examined into some Of the features
of this oil inspection system. | found
that from Aug. 10. 1887, to Aug. 10, 1888,
the oil inspector inspected 1877, 951 pack
ages, the fees from which would be $685.
5000. Take the county of Blue Earth,
the fee receipts from there were 81, 81;
from Hennepin, SIS. 270.20; from Ramsey,
S7,2S4, and from st. Lonis, $2,955.S0,
none of which entered into the treasury
of the state, but became the sal
airy of the oil inspector and
his deputies. Under the bill
which 1 have introduced the state would
receive on the basis of the inspection of
the year note s14,555.11, a revenue
now not received by it. Specifically,
as salary now would under the proposed
law yield only salary of 81, 1874, the
balance, S6,r7352.66, going to the state, and
so with the other counties. l am not
opposed to this special committees APP
pointment except as | see i'll it an at
tempt to head off legislation on this SUD-
iect as was done two years ago.
Representative Davenport favor
this special committee and think that
the gentleman from Sherburne is wan
dering from the subject.
Representative Lane-The supreme
court holds that it is impossible for the
oil inspector to collect his fees and turn
them into the state treasury under the
present law. | admit that reform is
needed and | have no desire to kill any
bill upon the subject. My desire is to
have it and all other bills on this sub
ject go to special committee. can
tell the gentleman from Sherburne that
at the present time large amount of
the oil Inspector fees collected in Hen
nepin county are now i'll the hands of
the clerk of the county court of that
county, and cannot be taken from him
until the courts have decided the cases
at issue.
Representative Willrich--I think this
special committee should be enlarged to
five.
Representative Ives-l amend it.:
make it seven, so that we may have
light on this subject of illuminating
oils.
Representative Hoyt-I move to lay
the whole subject Oh the table. Lost.
The amendment of Representative
Ives prevailed. and a special committee
of seven on Oil inspection will be ap-
pointed.
Representative G. r. Davis put on the
badge of a reformer when he introduced
a resolution adding new rule to the
meGD0Q OF procedure OI lily HouSe, VIZ,
that hereafter when the order of ''intro-
duction of bills" is reached, the legisla-
tive districts be called in their numeri-
cal order, each district so called upon to
present any bills it may have, and each
day the calls for bills to commence with
the district succeeding the one last
called the day previous. The object of
this is to give each district fixed time
for the introduction of bills. Although
opposed by representative Dunn and oil,
by large majority.
The mileage committee, of which
Representative Hoppin was chairman,
filed the following report, which was
adopted.
Members MileageI Members. Mileage
Alderman. 49,. 100 James. ........... SO
AndorSon 11olIohnso1i z G. oz6