The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1891-03-12

the tn senate it's usury provisions.
There is not much reason to doubt
that the passage of Mr.. Davis bill
intact would work almost inestima-
bic I'M ury upon the farming COM
munities of the State and that it
would practically drive money be-
yond their reach. It will be diff
cult enough to get money in GER
tain localities at 6 and s per cent.
under any circumstances, but if the
man who handles it is to be de-
prived Of his commission, it will be
practically impossible. That the
present legislature will reduce the
rates of interest there is no reason
to doubt but that they will increase
the exactions of: the usury law or
even let the law stand as it is at
present is not at all probable.
The Currier railroad bill, house
file 68, was given its quietus last
week by the railroad committee
when a sub committee of five with
Judge j. j. Furlong as chairman,
was appointed with instructions to
draft a substitute. It is not likely
that the substitute will go further
than to clothe the railroad and
warehouse commissioners with Judi
cial powers, SO that their orders
may be more effective and to
amend the present law in a few
minor particulars in which it has
been found deficient. The Currier
bill is copied almost word for word
from the Iowa law with this differ
ence that some of it's provisions
are even more exacting and severe.
Its passage would be a question
able benefit to the State under
present conditions and the decision
Of the railroad committee to COM
promise by adopting a. substitute
is probably the easiest way out of
the difficulty. No action has yet
been taken on Mr.. Bjorge's
bill fixing a schedule Of
maximum rates of charges
on freight. The bill was
drafted by Eric Olson and many
of the schedules were also taken
from the Iowa law. The bill re-
quiring all railroad companies
operating IN this State to- equip
their rolling stock with air brakes
by January LIST, 1898, is now in
the committee of the whole
with favorable recommendation
from the committee on railroads.
As originally drafted by Mr.. N. P.
Nelson, of Hennepin, it required
the companies to equip their cars
and engines with automatic cou-
piers as we'll as with air brakes. It
also provided that this should be
done by Jan. list, 1895. The rail
road committee amended the bill
by striking out the provision re-
latlng to automatic couplers al
together and extending the time to
1898. It was argued that the
couplers are at present in an i'm
perfect state. Inventors are work
ing at them all over the country
and improvements are constantly
being made. In other words the
coupler is at present simply in an
experimental stage and, it was az
gued, it would be unfair to require
by Legislative enactment railroad
companies to adopt them until they
were perfected.
The malodorous Eric Olson was
the subject Of another three round
set-to on the floor of the house last
week. A rule was adopted early
in the session to prohibit employees
or clerks of the committees from
lobbying for OF against any meas
ure or in any way whatsoever try
ing to influnce the vote of any
member. Notwithstanding this
rule Olson, who is clerk of the
prison committee, requested hear
ing before the railroad committee
on the Currier bill and took up the
greater portion of two hours in
urging reasons in favor of it's pas
sage. Mr.. Lockwood several days
afterwards offered resolution call
ing for the appointment of a COM
mittee of five to investigate and
ascertain the facts with view to
removing Mr.. Olson under author
ity of the rules of the house, if it
was found that the charges pub
licly made were true. The vote
on the adoption of Mr.. Lock-
woods resolution stood 80 to 80,
the speaker casting the deciding
vote in the negative, thus giving
the professional political reform
er another vindication. Nothing
but inward cowardice has pre-
vented Olson's being fired long
ago. Because he is supported by
Mr.. Bjorge, the Alliance leader,
half of thn 1onn, hn1c who oro oo+,,