The Princeton union., 1895-02-28

St. Paul, Feb. 2S.-The senate was
IN a talking mood and spent the ma
jority of its session in discussing three
bills. 1t decided to reverse the ac-
ton of the finance committee, which
reported favorably on two bills appro-
priating $4,000 to sufferers from the
effects Of cyclone that swept over
Meeker and Stearns counties on June
27, 1894. The bills will come up again
| in the committee of the whole. The
Duluth normal school bill was the oc-
casion of some eloquence relaing to the
| states educational system and the ad-
Instability Of building a fifth institu-
ton to educate professional teachers.
The bill finally won and took its place
| on the calendar. The third subject of
debate was an amendment to the
Schurmeier elective franchise bill,
which is to be changed so as to re-
quire thirty days residence in an
election district instead of ten.
The senate passed, under suspension
| Of the rules, the house joint memorial
| requesting congress to pass the Olney
| arbitration bill, or some similar meas
| ure. Among the bills introduced was
one changing the usury law 50 as to
| make the agent who exacts usuro,lS
! interest as a bonus, or in any other
| way, guilty of a misdemeanor, and to
repeal the law making the usury work
a forfeiture of prinsipal to the lender.
| There was also bill to extend the
operation of the mechanics lien law
so as to include laborers who repair
farm machinery, and give them a first
lien on the machine. The Ramsey del
egation presented bill to repeal the
special law Of 1889. under which the
municipal court is working If it be-
comes a law the court would be re-
organized under the former special act,
the law Of 1889 being amendatory
thereof
Senator Cole proposed an amend
nent to the usury law which will
strike some little terror in the hearts
Of those gentlemen who are engaged
in lending money at rates not favored
by the law. The bill makes certain
minor changes, and then changes sec
ton 6 of the present law. The new
section will read: "Any person who,
acting as the agent Of the lender in
any transaction perta: ". to the loan
ing of money. or any person who in
any such transaction acting without
the employment of an agent, directly
or Indirectly takes or receives from
the borrower any money, goods or
things in action, or in any other way
as commission, gratufty or otherwise,
any sum which. together with the in
terest contracted to be paid by the
borrower for the whole period named
| in the contract whether such interest
is or is not actually paid. exceeds the
| lawful rate Of interest. shall be pun
| ished by imprisonment in the peniten-
| tiary for term not exceeding one
year, or by fine not exceeding $780,"
|, In the House.
The house turned off a good days
work Thirty bills We're reported back
| from committees, and like number
of new ones were introduced. Six
bills were passed on the calendar and
! fight Of the day was over S. r. No. T.
Ozmun-to amend the military code
and appropriate $4,000 for the pur-
chase Of service uniforms for the ma
tional guard. Mr. Jacobson led the
! fight against the bill, which was
passed by vote of 70 to II.
| Mr.. Douglas introduced a resolution
irstructing Mr.. Feig's investigating
committee to inquire into certain sales
Of state lands, wherein it is alleged the
state has been defrauded out of a part
Of the purchase price. The resolution
was adopted, and the committee will
find out for the house whether a GER
tain county auditor sold state land for
50 per acre and only turned over SIS
per acre; also, whether other valuable
land on one of the iron ranges was
sold for the price received by the state.
or whether there was higher price
paid and a portion Of the money di-
verted