The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1897-03-04
CITY VS.. COUNTRY
4 ..-IvELY ROW ENGEN0EREp : sy
THE DOUGLASS FREIGHT BILL

4 LIVELY ROW ENGEN0EREp az
THE DOUGLASS FREIGHT BILL
Openly Asserted That Improper Influ-
onccs Have Been at work-Friends of
the MEASURE Arc In tho Country and
They Do Not Like the Attitude OF the
Cities May Defeat Some Other Pet
Measures-Two Proposed Amendments.
ST. PAUL, March 2.-[Special. 1.-The
feature of the week has been the Doug
las maximum freight rate bill, and the
end is not yet. w. B. Douglas, the
Moorhead lawyer member who was
prominent in the last Republican state
convention as candidate for attorney
general, some time ago introduced the
bill. being induced to do so by the
charges of rate discrimination that have
been made SO often in his section OF
the state. The bill aimed to reduce
grain rates in particular, but included
coal and, as amended in committee,
also potatoes. Because of grain being
so prominent in the bill, Mr.. Douglas
asked to have it sent to the committee
on grain and warehouses, and as
Speaker Jones thought it belonged to
the railroad committee Mr.. Douglas
made formal motion to refer the bill
in accordance with his request. After
a warm debate his motion prevailed.
and for several weeks the bill was in
charge of the committee on grain and
Tl,ic finally
reported it to the house last Friday,
ten members advising against and
seven for the bill. Then came an all
day contest over the measure and in
the end the victory lay with the
opponents of the bill, who had
fought to have it sent to the
railroad committee. This action was
ordered by vote of 80 to 46, Indicating
how evenly matched were the opposing
sides. In the course of the debate,
Messrs. Douglas and Jacobson, being
leaders of the friends and Mr.. Schmitt
heading the enemies of the bill. there
were some harsh things said, and these
were afterwards repeated in the cap
itol. Mr.. Douglas and Mr.. Jacobson
assert positively that money was used
against the bill, the latter stating on
the floor of the house in a speech that
there was present one of the most cor
rupt Hobbies ever known. These mem
bers looked on the railroad committee
as a place for burial of the bill and
therefore fought the harder against
commitment.
The End Is Not Yet.
Whatever the facts in regard to the
influences brought to bear in this mat
ter it is certain the last of it has not
yet been heard. The principal opposi-
ton came from St. Paul and Minneapo-
lis members, with Mr.. Schmidt of Du-
luth, leading them, although his col
league, Mr.. Laybourne, was stead
tasty loyal to the measure. This city
opposition has intensified the feeling
among the friends of the bill who are
chiefly from the interested country dis
tricts, and dire threats are made
against matters of particular interest
to Duluth, St. Paul and Minneapolis
These antagonized measures include
the Duluth normal school building, the
new capitol bill and the Minneapolis
plan for increased taxes for the state
university. Just how far this aveng-
ing spirit may go remains to be seen,
but at the present time the feeling is
very bitter.
Duluth Normal School Bill.
This Duluth normal school bill calls
for $4,000 for the erection of such a
building on the site already donated by
the Zenith City for the purpose and
has none too many friends to start
with. The proposal as to the uni
versity is for an increase from the
present 10 of mill to 23 of mill for
university purposes and when it
was up for consideration the other
day in the house it had an
uncomfortable time because of the very
pronounced opposition to the increase,
the result of the debate being request
on President Northrup for financial in
formation as to the university, men,
bers apparently deeming the present
income ample for all purposes. These
measures mean extra expense and can
be opposed by the friends of the
Douglas maximum rate bill on the
avowed ground Of unnecessary expense,
with hints of extravaganza, but that
charge would not hold against the St.
Paul bill. This new capitol bill
especially prohibits any increase in the
cost of the new building, and provides
that the capitol commissioners may
borrow limited amount of money in
order to expedite work and derive
benefit from the present low cost of
building. But if the feeling of bitter.
ness aroused by the Douglas bill con.
tinues there will not be lacking stated
reasons for opposing this St. Paul bill,
together with the Duluth and Mime
apolis pets.
Talked About tho Inauguration.
AS the president-elect becomes Presi.
dent William Mckinley this week
many thoughts are directed towards
Washington. There was some desul.
tory talk about the Hobbies of adjourn
ing long enough to take in the inau-
guration, a special train being sug-
gested for the purpose, but there was
no serious consideration of the matter
There was similar talk eight years ago
when President Harrison came into
Office, but four years ago the Repub-