St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-04-20
The House Almost Sits the
Clock Round in Disposing
Of Bills.
There Are, However, Eight
Hundred Bills Killed in
the Final Roundup.
This Represents the Number
of Bills on General Orders
Enacted Upon.
Attempt to Call Up MeHale's
Anti-Tights Bill Quickly
Squelehed,

The house remained in session from
$50 Saturday evening until 6:15 o'clock
yesterday morning. From midnight to
the time of adjournment the proceed
lngS were very noisy, and, at times. of
most boisterous character. The men,
bers seemed to enjoy the fun of sitting
up all night lawmaking.
AS reported in yesterdays GLOBE,
early IN the evening the bill raising the
tax levy 2 2-10 mills, so as to meet the
Increased appropriations granted, was
the cause of very animated debate.
The Democratic members stood almost
solid against the bill. A, few of the Alli-
ance members refused to support the
measure, the remainder protesting, but,
having voted for the increased appro-
their vote on the side of raising the
taxes. Members bitterly complained
against the absurdity of having deferred
action on the appropriation bill to
the last working days of the session.
1t is certainly most preposterous way
of conducting public business, and
speaks little for the executive ability of
Senator Hompe and Representative
Bjorge, chairmen OF the respective
finance committee, who had the report
ing of these bills in charge. These
gentlemen have had all winter in which
to get their respective committees to-
appropriation bill, and yet they failed
to report to the legislature until last
week. But for the laundering in capac-
lty thus displayed. the legislature would
never have sanctioned so Large an in
crease in the appropriations and the
consequently enlarged tax levy. A
majority of the Alliance and Dem
ocratic members of the house were wild
at the eXtravagent appropriations they
were compelled to vote for, the bill be-
ing fOrcibly thrust down their throatS,
under the plea that the defeat meant an
extra session of the legislature. Mr..
Wacek, Mr.. Trlpp and Mr.. Gallagher
were among the Democrats who fought
hard to keep down the excessive appro-
priatiOnS, and, it is but fair to say, that,
on the Alliance side, Mr.. Currier was
the only member, to make a straight
out and ont fight against the bill. His
course was manly one and in line
with his earnest advocacy of retrench-
ment and reform the entire session.
The tax levy bill passed, but by
very close vote. Its passage was solely
Due to the Republican
leaders. who were most indefatigable
in drumming" up votes.
The tax levy disposed of, the remain
der of the sitting was of hum drum
character. 1t was one long call for local
bills. A score of members would at
tempt to address the chair at the same
time. Speaker Champlin, early in the
evening, relinquished the chair to Mr..
McAllster, of Hennepin, whose rulings
and witty replies to members kept the
bouse in the best of good humor. At
1l:20 the clock was stopped, and towards
midnight members went out in patches
for lunch. The work at the reading
desk was very severe. Reading Clerk
Deakin's voice had given way
under the strain, and Assistant
Clerk Moody took his place. Mr.Moody
expected to stand the terrible task of
reading and calling the roll all night.so
Chief Clerk Smalley had to take his
turn. Both clerks were eventually
''worn out" when Representative
Stockwell took turn, when, the senate
having adjourned, Secretary Van Duzee
volunteered his services.
The lobbies were crowded with visit
orS up to about a. m.. when one by one
they began to disappear.
A few general bills were passed
There was disposition among members
to sit upon all general bills. Wood
was observed. The members flocked
round the reading desk, and, bill hav-
ing teen disposed of, thirty of them
would raise their hands with one
mighty cry of "Mr. Speaker" Poor
Mr.. McAllister! Who was he to
recognize first? He at last
demanded that members be seated, and
then recognized some one. By the time
the bill called up by this individual was
passed the crowd around the reading
desk would be as thick and noisy as
ever, and thus they went on, hour after
hour.
Only senate files were disposed of.
Mr.. Greer Succeened in calling up
Senator Sanborn's bill, establishing a
uniform system of admission to the bar
of the state, and had the satisfaction of
seeing it pass.
Mr.. Furlong also had bill passed re-
lating to Alliance insurance companies.
Mr.. Cole (E.) started breezy discus
sion in the early hours of the morning
by calling up bill regulating national
building. and loan associations. The
bill was introduced in the senate, rec
commended by Gov. Merriam and bank
examiner. Mr.. Gallagher and Mr.. Bait
ley protested against the suspension of
the rules for the passage of the bill, but
majority Of the house were against
them and the measure passed.
Mr.. McAll1Ster had been relieved by
Mr.. Lynn, who, owing to noise in the
lobby, had ordered the dispersion of the
visitors.
Anti-Tights Don't Go.
About o'clock Mr.. DAILY, of Wash
ington, created little diversion by pro-
posing to call up the McHale anti-tights
bill. The proposition raised such a
howl that Mr.. DAILY was pleased to sub
side into his seat and was no more heard
of for the rest of the sitting.
To save time Mr.. Kendall proposed to
pass dozen or so local bills under one
roll call.
Phew! What yell was raised.
But the st. Louis gentleman undaunt-
ingly faced the storm, and having
quieted the opposition, a dozen local
bills were read and passed. This con-
sumed about twenty minutes. A roll
call for each bill would have occupied
nearly two hours. There is absolutely
no reason why the local bills could not
have been punched and passed in this
way throughout the session. Instead of
the legislature adjourning to-day with
nearly 800 bills unacted upon, not one
measure of any merit would have been
lost for lack of time to consider it. The
local legislation has been the block of
all general legislation. The laws that
the people are crying for had to give
way to the special needs of small town
Sims villages towns cities and conn.,