Morris tribune., 1891-03-18
STATE LEGISLATION.
RECORD OF WORK DONE BY MIN
NESoTA SoLoNS.

NESoTA SOLoNS.
A Comprehensive Summary of the Pro
ceedings for the Week Giving a List o
Important Bills introduced, Referred
and Passed.
Tuesday, March 10.
Senate: Interest bills postponed
Resolutions appropriating 1891. IL to re
imburse Mr.. Searles for his election
contest expenses adopted; also one ap
proriating 81 294. 90 for Mr.. O'Brien fol
similar purposes.
Among the bills introduced was ON,
from Senator Geissel fixing the punish
ment for the sale for smoking and the
smoking of opium at $1,000 fine, or i'm
prisonment from one to three years.
Senator Sevatsm fathered bill fixing
the compensation of county officials In
counties under 10000 inhabitants a,
$500, and in counties of from 10000 to
25, 600 at 81 900.
After half an hour ON the calendar
Senator Peterson's bill amending the
law requiring railroads to build and
keep in repair highway crossings was
passed. Senator Hompe's railway bill
was recommended to pass.
Senator Hompe's bill requiring court
commissioners to give bonds for $1,000
was recommended to pass.
Tuesday mornings session of the house
was dull and uninteresting. There was
scarcely quorum present, and those
members who were in their seats seemed
not to realize they were there for bust
ness.
R. A. Walsh introduced House File
T52 which provides for the establish
ment of court of appeals to consist OF
a chief Justice and two associate jus.
tices. The bill provides that the judges
shall be appoined and serve until the
next general election, when their sue
cessors shall be elected. They shall be
elected for two years, and shall dIaw
$3, 200 per year salary and 10 cents per
mile for each mile travelled in the dis
charge of their duty.
At o'clock the house went into COM
mittee of the whole and took up the
general orders. The memorial asking
congress to do away with dealing in
options was taken up and passed after a
lengthy debate. :.
Wednesday, March IL.
The senate met Wednesday morning
at 10 o'clock, and for half an hour rou-
tine business was transacted. At 1880
the interest bill was taken up. -,
A motion to strike out "the principal"
from the second section was voted
down, but came up later on an amend
ment by Senator Donnelly, which was
lost by a tie vote. AS soon as the vote
was announced Donnelly arose and an
nounced that a member of the senate,
banker, had informed him that the
bankers of the state had raised $4,000
to beat the usury bill. He gave Senator
Keller as his authority, but he had
hardly made the charge before Keller
was on his feet to deny it. A resolution
was adopted to investigate the charge of
Senator Donnelly, and the senate adj
iourned.
The usual number of local bills hav-
ing been introduced the house calendar
was taken up and the consideration of
senate files continued. Among those
passed were Senator Stevens and Sem
ator McHale's bills amending the Gen
eral Statutes of 1878.
Senator Donnelly's memorial to con--
,fass reiating to the sale f- 0f { options in
agricultural products was next taken
np and passed.
Representative Searla opposed the
passage of Senator Stevens bill giving
trust companies banking powers, with
put the restrictions placed upon ba nks.
After some debate the bill was recon-
mitted.
Senator J. D. Smiths bill declaring
W Washington's birthday, May 80 Mem
orial day and the first Tuesday after the
FIRST Monday of November ON the even
number Of years legal holidays passed.
Thursday, March IL.
In the senate the interest battle was
renewed with even more bitterness than
before. Mr.. Donnelly arose to ques-
ton of privilege to deny statement
made by Mr.. LeaYitt that he had a score
Of times charged the senate with cor
ruption. Donnelly declared it to be
untrue. Senator Kellar hotly disputed
his veracity and lively time ensued.
DIR. Mayo finally secured recognition and
said: hope, sir, that this phosphores=
cent senator from Dakota will be re-
buked for such action. | am tired of
such a leader. Why, gentlemen on the
Dthcr side of the house, at the COM
of this session we charged
you with eating crow. Why, we are
now eating dog and dead dog at that. |
hope this simple demagoguery will
cease. But it didn't cease. The war
Of words went merrily on for some time
ending IN the adoption of the Donnelly
resolutions, The question then required
On Mr.. March's amendment to section 8,
Of the Davis bill, making the penalty
$500 fine or six months Imprisonment
For violation Of the section. This was
lost by q tie vote.
Section 4 of the bill, the last to cause
was next taken up. and Mr..
Davis moved to amend it SO that local
building and loan associations could do
business as at the present time 1t was
finally agreed to exempt them from the
provisions of the act, after which Sec
lion was adopted. Section 5, which
repea1s inconsistent acts, was then
adopted, as was also the final motion.
Senator Davis then moved that the bill
be recommended to pass.
After some routine business the con-
est committee reported an omnibus
nil1 for the expenses Of contestants, as a
substitute for all other bills on the sub
ject. The bill calls for total of 81, 249. 81
For the five contestants reduction being
mostly in attorneys fees. Asa sample, w.
w. Erwin's fees are cut. down from
81 100 to $500. Senator Searles' bill for
Durant's case in the contest
8 cut down frona 5000 to $400. The re-!
fuctions are pfoportionate all the way
shrough. Therest of the morning session
was devoted to local bills.
A bill to change the manner OF select.
ng the railroad commissioners was
passed; also bill to provide armoriea
e~y,- tho aI nrr1oF1