The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-01-05
A SHORT SESSION.

The legislature of Minnesota meets
this year under conditions which make
1t possible to care for the public inter
ests that need its attention without
extending its session even to the limit
permitted by the constitution. Seldom
has there been q year when the large
questions likely to precipitate a bitter
struggle or require an extended investi-
cation before acting were so few If
it attends strictly to its duties and linn
It's itself 10 that sphere, the Legislature
of 1897 will be purely 81 business body.
All questions that need 10 come before
it are such as relate to the transaction
of the states business and the mate
rial interests of the people. There is
no senator to be elected. There is no
political Controversy going forward We
have nothing to do in our local body
with either the tariff or the silver ques-
ton. We are mostly concerned with
matters Of state development, with
the outstanding of the states resources.
with the maintenance of its many and
molten of certain public reforms. While
this list embraces many items, the rule
holds good here, as generally, that the
less legislation there is the better for
the community. There can be summed
up very briefly the subjects on which
the Legislature should act. These which
1t should let severely alone would fill
a volume.
First in Importance, perhaps, of all
the things that ought to be done is
the passage of an act placing the civil
service of the state under the reform
system. We believe that public opinion
Is unanimously in favor of this, and
the excellent workings of such laws
elsewhere leave little to be desired
Minnesota should not be permitted to
go two years longer without taking it's
official places out of politics. The re-
port of the state auditor shows a
good many details in which the interest
Of the state in its land grants needs TO
be taken care of. Everything possible
should be done to save or recover to the
people their interests in lands that
We're devoted to public improvements
Much more important than this. we
venture to say, will be the need to re-
sist an attempt which we understand
will be made to remodel the system of
taxing mineral lands in this state in
the interest Of the great corporations
that now control them. This legis' ature
Will need to be on it's guard against
projects that would relieve mine own
ers of their duty to the state, and pre-
serve to our revenues this important
source Of income.
Some acts will be necessary to carry
into effect the constitutional amend
Inents adopted at the last election.
most important Of which is that relat
ing to home rule in cities. Bills should
be drawn at an early date prescribing
the general limits within which local
charter commissions can act; thus en-
abling the cities Of Minnesota to form
municipal charters suitable to their
peculiar conditions whenever they NAV
please. The advocates Of good roads
will insist that some assistance be given
to the beginning of highway improve
ment i'll the state. The legislature will
be asked to expedite the construction
Of the new capitol by anticipating rev.
enues. which will greatly reduce the
cost Of the work without adding a
dollar to the states obligations.
There has been some agitation for q
change IN the ballot act that will pre-
vent the throwing out of SO MANY
votes improperly cast In view. of the
last election, 1t would, we think. be
proper to prohibit hereafter the use
by any two organizations Of designa-
tons containing the same terms, go as
to confuse the ignorant voter We are
opposed to the scheme Of adopting a
party designation so as to make it easy
TO vote a straight ticket One of the
most excellent features of the Austria
liam system is the obligation 1t imposes
upon the voter Of picking out his candi-
dates individually The provision for