St. Paul daily globe., 1889-02-08
LEGISLATIVE POINTS.


that three-fourths of jury may render ver-
dict in civil cases, is looked on with consider
able favor by the legal fraternity. 1t is q
| move in the right direction, and a reform
that is needed and will surely come.-Janes-
vile Argus.
1t is proposed to increase the state insur-
ance commissioners salary to $500 per
year. So long as good and competent men
are more than willing to take it at the pres
emf compensation, there would not appear to
be any crying necessity for an increase
Faribault Republican.
Gentlemen of the legislature, before you
amend the Whiteman law or adopt the Aus
tralian method, thoroughly investigate the
Rhines system, for there must certainly be
some better way than either of the two
former, and the last contains in itself more
of promise than anything we know of.-Fair-
mont News.
Senator Keller. Of Stearns county, has in
troduced bill in the senate to increase the
salaries of the judges of the supreme court to
So, 500 per year. This is a proper and just
bill, and should be passed, and we hope to
see 1t so amended as to give the judges of the
district court the same amount.-Sauk Rap
ids Sentinel.
We see now why the lower branch of the
state legislature wants to amend the divorce
|. laws, and it is explained in the fact that
there are but seven bachelors in that body.
I'VE know not what day may bring forth"
and the average legislator deserves to smooth
the way for cutting the gordian knot.-Albert
Lea Enterprise.
The bill prohibits the use of cigars and
liquor to influence votes, and allows a candi-
date to expend money for the use of hall
for meeting and the necessary expenses of
speakers He may also employ two men to
bring voters to the polls on election day.
How very nice it would be it all these evils
could be done away with simply by passing
Mr. Seyaton's little bill.-Mankato Free Press
The proposed change is not commend
able one. and the people will doubtless vote
it down. If any change is made it ought to
be to abolish the jury system entirely. If the
legislature wants to tinker with the jury
laws let it tackle the outrageous grand jury
system, and provide for expunging it en-
tireiy from the constitution.-Albert Lea
Standard.
If the present legislature does not fix the
oil inspectors salary they do an injustice,
not to him, but to the state. The money that
accrues as fees from the inspection of oil be-
longs to the state just as much as the money
taken in by clerk belongs to an employer.
and there should be no bonus given an ap-
plicant for this desirable plum.-Granite
Falls Tribune.
The present legislature does not seem dis
posed to meddle with the temperance ques-
ton. Local option, prohibitory and other
kindred bills are referred to committees with
out debate. Where the Republican party es-
poused the cause of temperance sometime
ago and posed as the friends of temperance
reform, it was for set purpose, and that twas
to kill prohibition,-Lake City Sentinel.
The Twin City papers will presently begin
a howl for re-apportionment of the 1egIsla-
tive districts. In justice to the Fifth district
a re e-apportionment should be made as soon
as practicable. which will be two years hence,
when the coming census will be available
ST. Paul and Minneapolis already have a
heavy enough hand on the state, and there is
no necessity to hurry the ceremony of turn
ing the entire state over TO them.-Mankato
Free Press.
We hope to see this increase OF salaries)
and similar iniqitous measures buried be-
yond a hope of resurrection, and we also
hope to be able to record the votes of the
solid delegation from this county as assisting
in squelching and making odious this and
like legislation. Euaot laws that will bene-
fit the people, but in heavens name don'ta6d
to their burdens by forever increasing the
compensation Of the few at the expense of
the mauy-Preston Times.
We understand that Representative C. r.
Davis is preparing bill to abolish the death
penalty and that number of legislators are
favorable to it. Yet it seems sometimes that
hanging is too good for some people, and on
Capt. Davis theory Of making all punish
ments fit the crime. some criminals should be
drawn. quartered, burned and slowly tor
tured for about three score years ana ten. We
are forninst the abolition prior to the mill
enium.-St. Peter Tribune.
It should not be assumed that all legisla-
tors who favor making divorce easy are them
selves seeking divorce. 1t may be that they
really feel so secure against any desire on
the part of their better halves to obtain sep
aration that they don't want the aforesaid
better halves to think they are afraid of their
threats on that score. The best way to quieta
growing dog on the other side of the fence Is
to open the gate and give him chance to
really bite it he wants to- But the fact that
the man opens the gate isn't always proof
that he is really aching to be bitten He
would be badly fooled to find that some bark
ing dogs do bite when the gate is opened
81. I1i1,1