The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1897-02-24

pie. Another bill proposes to have an
immigration commissioner appointed
by the governor. A bill is already
pending for an immigration commits
sion composed of one from each con-
gressional district, that body to select
a secretary of immigration. The indi-
cations are that something will be done
during the sessions to revive the immi-
grafton work which the state aban-
doned 20 years ago. Still another bill
creates the Office of county assessor, to
be elected by the people in counties
having over $4,000 population. No
bills were passed in either branch.
st. Paul, Feb. 19-To investigate or
not to investigate, that's the question.
Leastwise, it seemed as if that was the
question, for the senate spent the larg-
est portion of its session yesterday in
debating whether the committee APP
pointed to investigate Labor Commits
sioner Powers should continue its work
or throw up the Job. The investiga-
tion was started by the labor unions
and now the labor people and the COM
mittee have gotten at loggerheads over
the manner of conducting the investi-
cation. In order to cut the Gordian
knot the committee proposes to stop
short and report no case while the la
Dor unions, through their friends,
come into the senate and desire to have
the committee instructed along the
lines they 1.-THE labor unions) have laid
down. After debating a very consid.
or Ia Of ho he h,o1o
matter was made the special order for
next Tuesday afternoon.
The only real important action OF
the day in the senate was the passage
of bill making loan to the counties
in the Red River valley for the pur
chase of seed wheat The counties are
to furnish the wheat to the farmers
who were drowned out last year and
unable to raise any crops, and at the
end of three years must reimburse the
state and look to the farmers for the
county compensation.
The day was poor for new bills, ff.
teen coming in from the senate and
only two from the house.
The house was more barren of re-
suits than the senate. A large por.
ton of the session was devoted to dis
cussing the proposed reapportionment.
The house evidently does not have
much confidence in its committee ano
after long discussion instructed the
committee to limit the number of sena-
tors to sixty five and representatives &c
one hundred and twenty. No bills
were passed and it is really beginning
to be puzzle to dig business sufficient
to continue ninety days, which is the
constitutional limits of the per diem
for mem Der of the legislature. Bust
ness or no business, the session viii
terminate with the per diem limit.
st. Paul. Feb. 2o.-The weather was
very comfortable out of doors vester-
day, but a regular wind storm ragged in
the legislative halls. The session OF
the senate was especially devoted to
considering the question whether the
tax payers should be allowed to pay
their taxes semi-annually, instead OF
once a year as now. Strange as ii
may seem, this question has been
mooted off and on for twenty years OF
more, but never adopted. The recent
bank failures have called attention sc
strongly to the accumulation of the
states money, and the having to hold
it for months until it is needed for use.
that the proposed reform seems to have
great impetus this session. The result
of the long debate yesterday was
strong recommendation for its passage,
and as a similar measure is pending in
the house, and meeting with favor, it
seems fair to predict that the bill will
pass.
There was also a considerable de.
bate over proposed new banking law.
which is designed to protect the pub
lie against reckless and dishonest bank
ing. As originally offered, it carried
no punishment with it, but during the
debate it was amended to male the
maximum penalty ten years in the
penitentiary for officers who improper
ly use the funds.
The bills introduced into the senate
were not numerous. One, which was
interesting, allows the wives and chill
dren of inmates of the soldiers home
to also be admitted to that institution.
The house contested election case
was less expensive than that of the
senate, which aggregated nearly 81, 600.
Bills were passed by the house yester-
day giving each of their contestants
$50. Another bill was passed giving
savings banks the right to deposit
money in Chicago and New York.
In committee of the whole there was
lively debate over the law relative to
the custody of the state funds. One
member said that Mr.. Block, of st. Pc
ter withdrew from the race for state
treasurer because it was demanded of
him that he should pledge in advance
give the state deposits to certain banks.
Nevertheless, the bill under consider
alton yesterday providing for state de-
positories. was quite decisively defeat
ed. The free text book bill elected
much debate without a decision. 1t
authorizes boards of education to Sc