St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-02-27
The Head OF the Lake Torn Up
by a Young Rivals
Ambition.
Capital Punishment Abolition
Knocked Out by a Large
Vote.
A Bill to Prevent Employers
From Coereing Labor
Organizations.
The Australian Law to Be
Amended in Important
Particulars.

Particulars.
| After weeks of Skin mishing the forces
arrayed against each other over the
West Duluth incorporation bill-intro-
duced in the house by Mr.. Boyd-Were
| yesterday drawn together. The foren-
sic battle which followed was merry
| one, and conclusion had not been
| reached when the house adjourned for
| the day. The bill was considered in
committee of the whole; and more in
| teresting legislative fight has not been
! seen for many years. Usually when a
village desires its Incorporation as a
| city the bill passes the legislature so
MISUNDERSTANDING under suspension
of the rules and within an hour-that
no one outside the people directly in
tereSted knows anything about it.
But not so with the bill
Incorporating West Duluth. The citi-
zens of that thriving village are not
supposed to know what they want; at
all events. that is to be assumed from
the action of prominent men of Duluth
in regard to this matter, from whom
comes the opposition 10 this
bill. When Mr.. Boyd introduced
this bone of contention, it
was from the outset opposed
by Mr.. Kendall, the third member of
the st. Louis delegation, Mr.. Kinney,
not being heard from until later date.
The bill has been strenuously fought in
committee, being reported favOrably.
and referred back again at the request
OF the opponents, who desired to be
heard more at length against
it. Notwithstanding this second
reference, the committee once more
recommended its passage, and now the
final determination is to be decided by
the members as a whole.
MI. Boyd moved that the bill be rec
commended to pass, Mr.. Kinney follow
ing up with a motion to indefinitely
postpone it.
The battle was now in full blast.
Mr.. Boyd gave an exhaustive state
ment of the growth of West Duluth.
Two years ago there was hardly soul
on the site of the village; to-day there
are between 5000 and 5000. He stoutly
claimed that the village was entitled to
a city charter. The public improve
ments in West Duluth since
1t was gradually becoming
great manufacturing center, but
its continued development would be
considerably retarded if the government
was restricted to the ordinary village
laws. For that reason, and at the ex-
pressed wish of an overwhelming pro-
portion of the citizens, the bill provid-
ing for its incorporation had been in
troduced. The village law worked
harshly upon the property owners, es-
pecially those of moderate means.
MIR. Kinney spoke at length in reply.
His remarks were based upon the belief
that the incorporation of West Duluth
meant the ACKNOWLEDGMENT of the great
city which was the general expectation
would eventually be seen at the
head of the lake. Besides, the incor-
poration was not desired by many
Of the property owners of West Duluth,
and he read protest from owners repre-
senting property valued at $S,000,000-
Mr.. Kinney asked by whom was the in.
corporation of West Duluth asked for?
BY corporations who were DESTROYS of
gODbling up the franchises. The bill
was receiving more support from st.
Paul men than from citizens of
Duluth. Mr.. Elliot, the late pri-
vate secretary OF the governor,
was most deeply interested in this bill,
and he, with the assistance of Mr..
Bixby and MI. Mullen, had been work
ing for weeks to secure its passage. Mr..
Kinney subsequently said that when he
referred to Mr.. Elliot. he did not
wish to convey the idea that he had been
working for this bill at the inStigatiOn
of Gov. Merriam.
Mr.. Kendall also spoke against the bill.
Mr.. Boyd replied. His reply was
very vigorous, well delivered and a
strong argument in support of the bill
as well as in answer to the objections
raised by his opponents. He denied
that the object of the bill was to
let certain corporations come in
The village council now had
complete control OF all franchises, and
had demonstrated that they were in no
wise eager to foolishly give them away.
An electric railway would be in opera
ton in July, and in the way of
schools, ETC., the proposed city
was adequately equipped. MI.
Boyd iinpassiOnately denounced
the attack made by Mr.. Kinney Oh Mr..
Elliot and others. He said it was true,
i'll support of his bill, he had called to
his aid all the lnfience he could. SO had
his opponents; and he appealed to the
sense OF JuSIice OF members OF
the house at the uncalled for at
tack by Mr. Kinney upon gen
tlemen who could not possibly have
an opportunity of replying to him upon
that floor. Mr.. Boyd then took up
the objections raised against the bill,
demolishing them one by one, declaring
in the most emphatic manner that the
incorporation was asked for by the
people. and that the only opposition
came from outside corporations.
He had petition from 800
citizens of West Duluth asking for
incorporation. If ever city was eX-
lied from another, West Duluth was eX-
lied from Duluth. Duluth never recog-
niZed West Duluth until they woke up
to the fact that West Duluth had big
vote. A large proportion of the men
who opposed the city charter were real
estate agents, who wanted to enhance
the value of Duluth property by adding
to its population the inhabitants of
West Duluth and Lakeside. He charged
Messrs. Kinney and Kendall with being
the repres entatives of the corporations
i'll their opposition to this bill.
1t was verging on towards Z o'clock
when Mf. Boyd finished, when motion
was made that the committee rise. This
done an adjournment was taken until
10 o'clock this morning