The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-03-21
STATISTICS OF FARMS.
Representative Foss' Bill Causes q
Lengthy Discussion.

The house spent a long half-ho11r. in
the debate Of a bill introduced by Mr..
|, FoSS, which seeks to repeal the pres-
ent law relating to- the. gathering Of
farm statistics by the town assessors.
The bill is know as H f. 819. and IT
| has been widely discussed by farmers
and also by elevator and wheat men.
The claim is made that the statistics
are gathered at TIE Expense of the
farmers for the benefit of the snecular-
ors in Chicago, Liverpool and other
speculative markets, and that their
tendency is continually to depress
prices. 1t corresponds to- the argu-
ments made against the government
crop reports, which almost invariably
have depressing effect upon the mar
kets. Ky
Mr.. Donnelly said; the effect of these
reports was to show that the farmers
We're rich and prosperous He would
not OBJECT to the gathering and publ
catlon OF these statistics, if they could
be accompanied by statistics Of the in
debtedness of the farmers. Incident
ally, he said, it had been charged that
l.. G. Powers, the state labor statisti-
clan, had forged these statistics so that
there was no telling whether they were
even reliable as far as they went. Mr..
BlgeloW made a speech for the reten-
ton of the old system of gathering
statistics. He pointed out that they
were not published until after the crops
We're marketed, and so they could not
depress the market. Mr.. Abbott also
spoke for the continuation Of the gath
er1ng Of statistical information Mr.
jacobson spoke against the proposition
and in favor of the Foss bill repeating
the law, upon the ground that the sta
Cstlcs were grossly Inaccurate Mr.
Goss also stated that in Winona county
the farmers did not try to follow the
law, and the reports were farcical. So
the bill was recommended to pass.
The committee reports presented are
as follows:
Committee Of the Whole
Il. F. 1913 (Schmidt)-Relating to special
assessments in certain eases. Stricken off
genera G re upon motion Of the author.
ent law relating to bakeries. To be indef-
nltely postponed. Mr.. Meyers points out that
the bill was deceptive, in that it repealed
important n provisions Of the present law and
mat 1t attempts to set up an inspectorship of
bakeries which would be worse than the state
on 1nspectorship. It was also opposed by Mr..
staples and Mr.; Barta, and Mr.. Mcdonald
gave 1t only a half-hearted defense
5. F. l9S Hanna)-For the relief Of P. o.
H. F. 47S (ScotD-To authorize cities to IL
cense bicycles. To be indefinitely postponed.
H. F. 100 (SchmidO-To establish the office
Of state fire marshal. To pass. ....-.' 49,.
H: F. PIT chmidt)-Relating to mining and
H. F. 521 Oonneliy)-Relating to forfeiture
Of lands illegally held. To pass.
., H. F. 6s6. substitute for H. F. 474 Judi
slgnees and receivers. To pass.
Agriculture r-re .. -.,.-+..
S. F. 200 (smith)-To amend the act re-
organizing the State Agricultural society To
pass Adopted.
Judiciary Z"
H. F. 44O Cstaples)-Tof fix the legal rest
denee OF insane persons and dependents. To
From Municipal Legislation
H. F. 500 (Bigelow)-To legalize certain in
corporation CT villages To pass. Adopted.
5. F.. "a -(WVman)--To provide for uniform
time for holding municipal elections. Re-
ferred to Ramsey, Hennepin and ST. louis
delegations. Adopted. i-
H. F. ST CYates)-To amend law relating to
the justification of sureties on bonds of con-
tract. Indefinitely postponed. Adopted
S. F. 29S (knatvold)-To provide for the in
debtedness Of townships. TO pass. Adopted
ton OF cities. Indefinitely postponed. Adopted
H. F. 715 Hicks)-Relating to issue of
bonds; To pass. Adopted. ~.
S. F. 81 Committee on Misunderstanding
to Libraries in incorporated villages. To be
amended and referred to appropriations COM
mittee. Adopted. = ass 7'''.'
H. F. 79S (snodgrass>-To enable counties
towns and villages to use automatic
chimes at all elections. To pass. Adopted.
S. F. so (Theden)-To amend section 2,
chapter ZIG; General Laws 1895, relating to
primary elections. To pass.
ID S. F.. 413 (Pottgieser)-To prohibit certain
city and county officers from holding any
other office. To pass.
T. S. F. S77 (Wyman)-To amend law relating
to primary elections To pass. =
H. F. sol (ShelD-TO amend section 1913 of
chapter 4. General Laws 1893 relating to-
elections. Without recommendation. Adopted,
From Claims
H. F. 20 (HilD-For relief of Thomas sla-
vim. Indefinitely postponed. Adopted.
H.. +. 719 (HartshornJ-For the relief of
George W. Wetherell, injured at the G. A. r.
encampment last September. Indefinitely
postponed. Placed on general orders.
H. F. 6SS (McDonald)-To appropriate $120
annually for widow of late Chief Mazomanie,
pass. Adopted.
H. F. sos tRenier)-Tof appropriate SO, $50 TO
reimburse Mcleod county for expenses Incl
dent to capture and trial of the murderers
of Sheriff Joseph Rogers. of said county.
pass. Adopted.
H. F. Coz (Johns)-To appropriate 81 POS. 80
to reimburse Hon. E. S. Hall for contest ex-
penses. Amended to read $500 and recon-
mended to pass. Adopted.
From Labor and Labor Legislation
H. F. 727 (Ferris)-To regulate employment
agencies. To pass. Adopted.
Fl. F. 62S Uovejoy)-To increase the hours
which children may be permitted to be en-
ployed in stores. Adopted.
H. +. TAG (Donnelly)-To provide for per
ing and one meal, and also aiding them to
get work To be indefinitely postponed. Mr.
Donnely opposed the report, saying the bill
should be amended perhaps. and passed. and
1t was referred to special committee con-
sisting of Messrs. Donnelly, Barta and Lit
Teton.
From Forestry and Fire Protection
S. +. 411-For the protection of forests and