The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1889-02-21
Minnesota Legislature.

SENATE.-Not in session

SENATE-Not in session.
HoUsE.-The Hennepin delegation in the
house resembles the famous lot of Kilkenny
cats. They do not by any means dwellin
peace and harmony as they should, but are
continually quarreling oversomething. There
is a majority and an unterriied minority on
nearly every measure affecting local
measures.
After the introduction of bills another fight
arose over the question of fares bsrween the
Twin Cities. Friday a special committee
of FIVE was ordered, to consist OF members of
the Ramsey and Hennepin delegations.
Yesterday Mr.. c. H. Davis moved to recon-
slider this vote, which was done. A long ar
gument then took place, during whichit was
proposed to enlarge the committee to nine
by adding four from the country; to refer the
matter to the railroad com mittee; to put all
questions of railroad fares along with it; to
refer to the railroad commissioners.
Tuesday, Feb. 1s.
SENATE.-One of the most important
measures that has been placed before the leg
isature is the bill introduced in the senate
Yesterday by Mr.. SCheffer providing for the
calling of constitutional convention. The
bal is very comprehensive, making provisions
for all the machinery of the convention
from the organization of the body down to
the appointment of the doorkeepers and
pages.
/
about the cham bPrsof both branches Ofthe leg
islature yesterday, and seemed to fill the at
mOsphere with the fever of retrenchment.
Her presence seemed to per meate the entire
building and every department was more or
less effected. 1t was said that she
must have felt very much out of place in
view of the lavish distribution of places by
the two branches since the session began.
But at all events the reform movement was
vigorously pushed by bothsenate and house,
and an effort is going to be made to reduce
the number of clerks that are now hanging
about the legislature, many OF whom do
nothing except to draw Il salary of IS per
day.
Among the important bills put in was one
introduced by Mr. Day providing that the
railroad and warehouse commissioners shall
be elected as are the general state officers,
mt the regular election, for term OF years.
A bill introduced by Mr.. Schefer in amend
ment OF the law relating to the restriction OF
real estate ownership in Minnesota declares
that it is uulaw III for any persons not citi-
zens of the United States, or for any cOrpOr-
alton more than twenty per cent. of which
IN owned by foreigners. to buy la nd adapted
Tor grazing and agricultural purposes
HoUsE.-The Underwood bill making it q
mis-demennOr to refuse old soldiers preference
for places on public works, was passed, Il
TO 81.
Hon Jared Benson OF Anoka, gave econ
omy aDother wEirl yesterday by the intro
duction of resolution to have the commit
tee on Legislative expenses examine into the
necessity of the committee clerkships and Of
trers not provided for by law with view
OF reducing the number Of clerks already APP
pointed and OF cutting down the expenses of
the session He said that he had had con-
terence with the governor and auditor of the
state and they both expressed themselves
very strongly against employing an unneces-
ala, 1r,ToIy, tD
expenses of the Legislature beyond actual
necessity.
The resolution was passed, 81 to l. Mr..
Dunn OF Mile Laos, voting in the negative.
Mr. Benson was shrewd enough to demand
the ayes and noes, so that none OF the mem
beys dared to go on record as opposing the
measure
Wednesday Feb. Is.
SESATE-SeYeral more important bills
vent into the senate files yesterday. but aside
from the Introduction of bills very little was
done One OF the measures is q municipal
election law introduced by Mr.. Scheffer and
IS an almost exact copy OF what is known as
the sexton bill, recently printed in full by
the Pionssr Press. Mr.. Halvorson intro
iurel a bill IL amendment of the timber
culture land. 1t provides that
anv person who shall plant from one
to ten acres OF land with any kind of forest
tree except black locust shall receive from the
state So for each acre so planted; but he must
plant at least =. 700 trees to the acre in the
first instance; cultivate at least $500 during
The first and second years. and fOrthree years
thereafter cultivate and maintain at least
900 trees This law will not apply to rail-
roads or to persons who plant trees under
the Under States timber law.
The bills prepared by the dairy commission
10 amend the dairy law and to prevent the
adu2teration of certain articles OF food and
drink were sent to the presidents desk by Mr.
pruax. The dairy bill is quite extensive, re-
-isipg and amending the old law in many
particulars.
HoUsE-In making q plea for adjourn
ment on Tuesday, Mr. Jacobson remarked
that the whole house wanted to have a
good time Just as much as the committees,
so the house went over to Saltwater yester
day and had their good time" They al
en;oyed the trip, and, more important, there
is not one of them who does not know moFt
about prisons and prison labor, aud who
will not be able to vote more intelligently
on the questions OF his nature to come be
fore the house because of this visit.
Mr. Morgan will introduce in the house to
Js,y q bill to prevent trust monOpOIies anC
to rSF orQOte free competition III trade, 1t Ii
modell7d after n similar measure on the stat
ute hooks of New York State.
A bill said to be fathered by Senate
Wbiteman Of Duluth. is soon to beintroducet
an one house or tie other of the state legisla
tnre. confirming the claim OF the Duluth
Winnipeg railroad to 10000 acres Of swamp
lands IN the northern part OF the state, IN
st. Paul. Minneapolis & Manitoba railroa'
and Kindred forces aFe preparing to defea
the bill
Thursday Feb. IA.
SExATE.-The senate session was brief AM
not prolific of sensational Developments
ONLY four or five bills were introduced, ant
n couDle of these were of local bearing
Among the measures Of general importance
rr.,s a bill introduced by Mr.. Shields, Whig
brings the country grain elevators ant
warehouses more closely within the super
vision on the board of railroad and ware
house commissioners by providing that o.
of these institutions that handl
grain for compensation shall tax
ont O license at cost OF 81
and shall not be perEBitted to operate unles
they do take out such licenses. Mr. Lend
nut in a bill to fix the fees of clerks OF court
{or searching the records for judgments o
abstracts The fees charged by clerks 9
courts in different counties vary, and this bi
- designed to establish uniform and reason
able fees The bill providing for the sale
the reform school lands received its final pas
sage after M Ives had tackled on lust on
mare amendment"
Mr. Behson's bill for the society Esr the pr
ven+ion OF cruelty to animals was passe
without DIGESTION. The contest over the bi
changing county &eats, which was begun
the committee of the whole Tuesday, Wa
taken up again by Mr.. Crossfeld. who wante
the bin referred back to the committee OF Il
whole for amendment. HIS thought She bi
yas very faulty, and vent into long q
gument to prove his position, and pointin
out the faults.
Mr.. McKusick-It Is very evident fror
hearing these two gentlemen that one Eanf
to move county seat, and the other dot
66S. think this bill ought to go back
the chmmittee of the whole, as / believe it
faulty. fit is passed the county seats
some of our counties will start off on wheel
Mr.. Hanke opposed the motion Of the ge
fleman from TTaysrse, and showed by fgur
that the provisions of bis bill were designt
to protect counties, particularly his eW
Mr.. CrossfieId lives in one corner Of his cou
~, and his town does not want TO iese Il
county seat. The vote vas taken, and II
friendS of the bill managed to gather IN
gotes to % against the measure.
FridayF eb. Is.
SENATE.-Fiys of the ten bills introduc!