St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-04-22
APEEP UNDER THE CURTAIN
Reveals Some Very Important
Measures Lurking Behind
the Wings.
AMENDMENTS ARE PLENTY
To the Constitution--Must Be
Submitted to Popular
Vote.

the present legislature can pass bills.
All night sessions of both branches
are possible, and a final adjourn
ment will be made tomorrow. The
session on Tuesday will be held to
allow the officers and the governor
to finish up business and clear up
the debris. There are a number
of important bills still pending, be-
sides a large number that it would
do no harm to let die. There are sew
eral that may precipitae acrimonious
debate and cause a deadlock at
any time. One of these is the pro-
posed constitutional amendment, S.
F. 4, introduced by Senator Stevens,
relating to taxing parlor and sleep
ing cars and the property of tele-
phone, telegraph and steamship
companies that are organized with
out the state. The bill is on its
third reading in the house. Another
bill that will cause a wrangle if
reached is Senator Knatvold's prop
osition to reduce the freight rates on
iron ore and coal 1t is on general
orders in the senate. The bill to in
spect cattle, sheep and swine in
cities of $4,000 population or over
is on its final passage in the senate.
1t will occasion a conflict H. F. 555
is in the senate. 1t relates to black
listing of employees. There are three
measures which provide for inspect
ing mines and quarries and for ap-
pointing state inspector of mines
Two of these are senate measures,
and are on general orders Then
there is Senator Potter'S bill to pre-
vent trusts and combines. 1t is on
senate general orders. The Meilicke
bill, relating to freedom in traffic
OF food products, is in a good posi-
ton in the senate and will provoke
vigorous fight. It is strongly op-
posed by the Minneapolis elevator
2 combine. Another bill, pending in
the senate, is Mr.. LittIeton's meas.
ure TO revise the laws of the state
A Russian thistle bill is pending in
the senate.
REHEAI1NG HISTORY,
Emulating the event in history. when
the great charter of liberties was
wrested from the Normans, the Eng
disappearing people often demand
more liberality or change in the estab-
ltshed charter or constitution. The
Americans frequently ask for complete
revision of a state constitution or for
MINOR changes in the way of amend
ment, thinking thereby to secure more
liberty. 1t has been nearly thirty
years since the people of Minnesota
have had complete constitutional re-
vision. Within that time most of the
other states have had constitutional
conventions. Minnesota has had manv
more amendments than the original
articles of that literary production of
the pioneers. There has been many
demands for changes, and they are in
creas1ng, as is apparent from the num-
Der of bills introduced during the pres
ent session of the legislature propos-
ing amendments. Twenty-Five such
bills were introduced, besides two 9TH
ers, which submit propositions to the
people to be voted upon. A number of
such bills have been killed and several
others yet remain to be acted upon,
two of which are likely to pass. Five
of them have been signed by the gov
ernor and will be voted upon by the
people at the next general election.
Those that are now ready to be ap-
proved or rejected by the people are
as follows:
House File No. l. introduced by Au-
gust j. Anderson, of Taylors Falls.
This is not strictly a constitutional
amendment, but will be submitted to a
vote of the people for approval. 1t is
the famous bill providing for taxing
unused railroad lands.
House File No. 80 was introduced by
E. j. Schurmeier, of this city. and
amends section 1 of article 2, so as to
change the present provision relative
to the qualification of voters and office
holders. 1t does away with the clause
which allowed a person to vote upon
nrst papers and after a residence of
only one year in the United States and
four months in this state. If the new
amendment shall be adopted a voter
will have to reside five years in the
United States and become a citizen
under the laws of the United States
before he can vote.
Senate File 167 was introduced hv
Senator D. F. Morgan, of MINNEAPOLIS.
1t was signed by the governor March
70. This amends section 13 of article
i, so as to prevent taking or dana gine
private property for public purposes
until compensation shall have been
paid or secured to be paid This will
be far reaching in it's consequences. as
1t will give damage to owners of real
estate who are not located on the ex-
act line of a street or railroad. 1t Will
doubtless interfere with the present
system of condemning land for street
purposes in cities.
Senate File 1S9 amends article 4. and
is the famous "home rule measure of
Senator Sheehan, of this city. 1t will
authorize cities to make their own
charters.
Senate File S25 was introduced by
Senator Potter, of Minneapolis, and
was signed by the governor on All
Fools day. 1t amends article 8, rela-
tive to sale Of the school lands of the
state.
IN THE WASTE BASKET.
The bills proposing constitutional
amendments that have been killed
are as follows: S. F. Z, introduced by
Senator Allen, relative to taxing rail-
road lands. This bill was similar to
the Anderson bill, and was not strictly
an amendment to the constitution, al
though it was to be voted upon by the
people. S. F. 5S was introduced by