The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1897-04-15

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St Paul. April 12.-At last the re-
superintendent bill has passed both
houses and tardy act of justice has
been performed. It really had passed
Friday night, with. the exception of the
portion pertaining to Ramsey county.
That was excepted, and the Ramsey
delegation was turned loose to fight it
out. It took them all day, but just as
Saturday night was approaching an
agreement was reached, the confer
ence committee reported and the re-
port was rushed through both houses.
The trouble in Ramsey county was
desire to SO divide the county that each
one OF the four sitting senators could
have republican district, and that at
least two of the representatives. who
have senatorial aspirations could also
have republican senatorial districts.
1t was an effort to put six pegs in four
holes.
The senate had the new game and
fish law for special order on Satur-
day, but the special order was suspend
ed from time to time to allow other
business to come, or else nothing
would have been accomplished. An
unsuccessful effort was made to cut the
salary of chief game warden from 49,
oO9 to $1,000, and adjournment was
reached without final action on the bill.
The local option bill was also a dis
puted measure in the senate. The bill
provides that person convicted of sell
ing liquor in a town which has voted
no license shall be punished by fine
''or" imprisonment. The present law
is fine "and' Imprisonment. The ar
gument against the change was that
blind piggers would not object to pay
ing fines if there was no imprisonment,
as it would not cost so much as a
license. The bill passed without a vote
to spare.
The house, on Saturday, had the
spirit of reform" and passed an i'm
portant senate bill. It provides that
when there is to be a state or district
convention the primary meeting to Sc
lect delegates to the county conven-
ton, and the county convention to Sc
lect delegates to the state or district
conventions shall all be held on the
same day. This prevents candidates
from working up their booms by call
ing early county conventions and Sc
curing delegates in their favor to in
duence the later conventions.
There was little novelty in connec-
ton with the bill paying the expenses
of the Coates-Hall contested election.
The committee on legislative expenses
cut off $3.50 from the attorneys fees and
reported it back. The house took it
up on Saturday and restored the $3.50,
making an appropriation of 1906.
Insane Number s,1oo.
The number of patients in the insane
hospitals of the state, March 81, 1897,
was exactly 8, 100. This is an increase
of ITO since the corresponding time last
year. The number of insane has in
creased three-fold, and the ratio to pop
ulation has doubled in the past 16
years.
Secretary Hart, of the board of cor
rections and charities, has just COM
pleted for the next biennial report of
the board table showing the number
of patients in the state and from each
county, with the ratio to population,
on July 81, of 1880, 1890, 1894 and 1896.
1t shows that Minnesota has not more
than the average number of insane, as
has often been asserted.
Perhaps the most significant feature
of the table is the testimony it gives
relative to the increase of the proper
ton of insane to population as the
communities grow older. The ratio of
insane patients to the million inhab-
itants at the dates named was as fol-
lows: 1880, $50; 1890, 1900; 1894, 1,64o.
1896. 1870. This rattle shows remark
able similarity to the conditions that
have existed in the other states in tho
west. The younger localities show, the
smallest ratio of insane.
Found Dying.
An unknown man was found on the
Great Northern track at Paret IN
dying condition. He was removed to a
stable, where it was found his back