St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-01-20
President Rice Appoints the
Senate Committee on
90 Bribery Charges.
Senator Halvorson's New In
f. surance Bill Sees
50 Light.
An Important Measure Intro
"a duced by the Railroad
~ ~ Board.

once appear on the floor of the senate.
A smile lighted up the face of the col
ored minister, adding mysterious
luster to his gold spectacles and disap-
pearing behind weli-starched collar.
The request was promptly oDeyed,
when it TRANSFERRED that Chaplain La
throp was missing, and for once the
duty of supplicating divine. blessing
upon the senate devolved upon the Gus
todian of the gallery. Elder Gray gave
utterance to a string of appropriate SEN
fences, and Senator Scheffer was after
pleased me very much" The elders
cup OF joy was thus filled to overlooking.
There was vacant chair in the senate
Yesterday. There were several vacant
chairs, but the one referred to had
particular bearing upon the question
uppermost in the minds of the legiS-
latOrs. 1t was the seat of Senator
Ward. The senator has put in some
long hours during the last ten days,
attending to his legislative duties and
assisting in the conduct of the senate
rial contest, and yesterday he was per-
force confined to his room. A little
quiet talk was INDUCED in as to whether
President Rice would appoint the COM
mittee, moved by Senator Ward. to in
veStigate the charges of bribery in the
was made, and indeed none was want
ing, as during the session Gov. Rice
announced the committee as follows:
Senators Ward, Edwards and Pope.
Nothing was said in reference to the
appointments. With regard to the crit
ical references to President Rice not
appointing the committee Friday, when
the resolution was adopted, that gentle
man said to the GLOBE: II did not ap-
point the committee then because it re-
lated to an important matter, and I de-
sired to take time to make the best APP
pOintmentS."
Each morning, after the formal open
ing Of the senate, a little episode takes
place as follows:
Secretary Slocum-Senate journal for
the -
Senator Johnson-I beg to move that
the reading of the journal be dispensed
with.
President Rice-It is so agreed if no
objection be taken.
q Senators are not so particular in this
respect as members of the house of rep
resentatiXeS, who always insist upon the
reading and correction of their journal.
An old saying may be fttingly ut
tered: ''That in the making of laws
there is no end" Yesterday was the
eighth day in which the senate has been
in actual session, and the total number
of bills introduced is seventy-seven.
Senator Hoard proposes an impor-
tant amendment {. as in the laws
He SAYS: eve have law that
provides that under certain circum-
stances, as, for instance, the desertion
or other proceedings that would war
rant divorce, the wife or husband so
deserving would be debarred by decree
of the court from possession of the huS-
bands property or the wife's property.
I propose to amend this law, making it
also possible, where husband or wife
have been insane ten years and de-
cIared incurable. for husband or wife to
dispose of their property. They cannot
now, and | know several instance where
the law has worked very harShly."
Representative Gerhard Willrich was in
the senate when this bill was intro
was his intention to move for change
of the divorce laws. He proposes to
make divorce possible where the hus-
band or wife is incurably insane. "It
is an absurdity," he remarked, ''that
the present law should prohibit that"
Senator Kellar handed up the follow
ing resolution: Resolved, That $40 of
postage stamps be furnished to the
president and each senator"
President Rice--I beg the senator's
pardon. The chair will move to have
that word president struck out.
Senator Kellar--It is immaterial. 1
thought if we had to send matter every
day to our constituents it was nothing
more than right to vote bill of that
kind, and if the president does not
want the stamps I'll withdraw.
President-The resolution will be so
amended.
Senator Kellar-I cannot see why the
president shouldn't have $40 Of stamps.
He is going to be here, although we
would all like to see him United States
senator.
President-The president is not amen
able to this body.
Senators Scheffer, Bowen and Day
voted against the resolution.
II move," interpolated Senator Hal
yorsen, "those who voted against the
resolution be excused from taking the
stomps."
"No," retorted Senator Day, s'if any
senators are short in their stamp ac-
counts we will donate them few"
a committee, with Senator Scheffer in
the chair, the bill of Senator HaIvor-
sen was repor ted on favorably by the
Judiciary committee. This bill is to
punish fraud in the sale of seed grain
and cereals.
81 think" Senator Kellar ventured to
remark, s'we are little rash in passing
this bill so hurriedly. 1t is an impor-
tant bill, it is good bill, but Pm afraid
lit will open the way to any pettifog-
gerry of lawyer to make money. He
/ has only to arrest somebody and say
they are charging more for the grain
than it is WORTH"
Senator Dodge took the floor for the
be no objection to this bill. Any man
who has got one spark of honesty
o|jfpht to be satisfied with per cent
profit provided under the BILL"
r Senator Halvorsen-It is not 4 per
cent profit, but 400 per cent; AMI no
lawyers or any one can touch you unless
YOU attempt to make more than 400 per
cent on the sale of grain or cereals.
There is no reason why we should not
have a law to punish these swindlers.
oQSenator Day-The bill is an exact
copy of the Iowa law, where it works
/ very successfully.
lei am for protecting the poor farm
B ers,.,' replied Senator Kellar, "and de-
sirous that these swindlerS and hum
Burgers should be punished: but, look
ing the bill over, think it is leaving
gap open for some of those pettifoggers
of lawyers. l might sell anybody
horse, and they might not be satisfied
with it-say it was not worth the money,
and put me in prison." [Laughter.l
The bill was reported favorably.
President Rice assumed his duties
when the committee rose, and Senator
Halvorsen was allowed to introduce the
following bill:
Whenever any policy of insurance shall be
written to insure any real property or any