The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1895-04-26
MANKATo FREE PRESS
THE LEGISLATIVE WORK OF 1895,

The legislature which adjourned
yesterday was more over whelmingly
Republican than any legislature in
the history of the state. And it has
proved to be essentially business
body, looking well after the interests
of the people. The people last fall
placed their confidence in the Repub-
lican party by tremendous majority
and it's representatives have not dis
appointed them. The body just adj
journed has not been given to non
sense, tomfoolery or demagogism. 1t
has enacted much in the way of
! wholesome legislation. OF course it
has defeated many important meas
ures which many feel ought to have
become laws. We can all point to
measures which we feel ought to have
become laws for the promotion OF the
best interests of the state. but on this
score it has done no worse than would
be the case in any gathering OF citi-
zens for any purpose. But it has on
the whole been guided by wise coun-
sci and has has declined to venture in
to the field of rash experiment. A
writer in the Pioneer Press of Monday
morning sums up the more important
work of the winter, which weappend,
as showing how the people were look
ed after:
The interests of the agricultural
proportions of the state received
much attention from the legislature.
Among the bills passed are: The
Russian thistle bill, intended to Grad
icate the pest, and subordinate legis-
latiOn amending the weed laws; the
establishing Of two new agricultural
experiment. stations; the apprOpria-
tiOn of $4,000 to continue drainage
operations; the granting OF bounty
for raising beet sugar Mr.. Blagik'S
. bill; increased Irvine manufacturing
facilities in the Saltwater prison; the
creation of department to aid in
fighting chinch bugs and other des-
tructive insects, and large number
of other laws.
The bone and sinew of the state,
UIlS ulSu WIN WI WIUll
received such laws as they asked.
Among them are: The LoveJoy child
labor law, regulating the employment
of minors in workshops, mines and
factories: the Stevens law, regulat-
ing employment bureaus; the factory
inspection law amendment, bringing
nonresident owners under the con-
troll of the labor commissioner and
40 laXU pnla tinu tn factory
and mill fire escapes; the Schurmeir
prison labor law, preventing cOmpe-
titiOn with convict labor, and other
laws bearing On the general PROPOSE
tiOn.
All of the laws relating to the man
agement and sale of public lands and
timber were carefully considered. In
order to prevent repetition OF the
destructive forest fires of 1894 care
fully prepared law was enacted Great
ing state fire warden and making
local township supervisors his depu-
ties clothed with full authority to
extinguish forest fires before they
shall have gotten beyond control.
The temperance and school laws
were carefully revised in minor par
ticulars that will place Minnesota
farther in the lead Of her sister states
in legislation relating to these sub
jects. The high license.system is pre-
served intact and all known loOphOleS
are INSTRUCTED. At the same time no
prohibition or Sumptuary laws found
their way to the statutes of 1895. The
proposed laws relating to public
schools were entrusted TO legislative
committees composed of experienced
educators and afterwards thoroughly
discussed in both branches of OF the
legislature. No startling changes in
former laws were made, but some of
the benefits heretofore enjoyed by
larger villages and cities have been
extended to district graded schools.
A determined and successful effort
was made looking to the publication
of political methods, especially in
crowded centers of population. Five
bills were introduced relating to pri-
maries and caucuseS, and after
thorough investigation a compromise
bill was passed throwing the sanctity
of the law over primaries. 1t is sup
posed to contain provisions that will
prevent the will of the people being
subverted at the foundation of the
free government, the primaries. A
proposed constitutional amendment
will be submitted to the voters at the
next general election which provides
that foreigners coming within the
confines of Minnesota must be full
fiedged American citizens before they
become possessed of the elective fran
chiSe
The insurance and banking laws of
the state were revised and cOdified.
Among the important changes in the
former was the substitution of the
Massachusetts form of standard
policy in the place of the New York
form hitherto adopted. Other
changes were made with the avowed
intention Of framing laws in the in
terest of persons having property to
insure rather than in the interest of
companies. The banking act seeks to
throw around state banks all the safe
guards of the national banking syS-
tenn, and to make it extremely diff
cult for an INSCRIPTIONS banker to
defraud his depOSitOrS.
Several bills affecting railroads and
which have been discussed generally
for number of years were passed.
Prominent among them are: The
bill to tax unoccupied railroad lands
as other lands in the state are taxed.