The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1897-02-18
through comnAittee Of the whole a sec.
ond time and today was finally passed

through comnSittee Of the whole sec.
ond time and today was finally passed
That the election laws would be
amended at this session Of the legisla.
tuse has been predicted heretofore and
a good many bills for that purpose have
already been introduced, while more
are promised. Those thus far brought
in the general election law. Two
new bills are promised soon by Senator
Wyman to improve the law relating
to primary elections, making it more
stringent and giving more of the real
power in the caucuses to the people.
One bill will refer to cities of less than
100000 population and the other to
cities above that size. Senator Wy
man believes that the greatest need of
such law is in the populous centers,
and his bill for st. Paul and Minneap-
olis-which would be in class. to
themselves-will contain more strin-
gent provisions than the other measure.
He would have his caucus system based
on the registered vote Of the last pre-
ceding election. At the time OF regis
tration electors should state the name
Of the party to which they wish to at.
tach themselves for primary election
purposes. and the registration books
would then be used at caucuses to pre-
vent participation by improper persons.
All conventions to select delegates to a
state nominating convention should be
held on the same day. in all counties,
and the voters themselves, instead OF
county convention chairmen, should be
authorized to name the primary Of
fcers. Representative Smith already
has introduced bill covering part of
this ground in the house. but these two
Wyman bills would take the place of
that and several other bills heretofore
presented.
Once more has an attempt been made
to abolish capital punishment in Min
nesota and once more has it failed.
Representative Stockwell fathered this
years abolition bill and managed to
muster % votes in its favor, but there
were 70 on the other side and that set
tied it. The fact that some of the evils
of capital punishment may possibly be
prevented by the Ferris bill to hold all
executions at the state penitentiary, to
which.members had already committed
themselves, undoubtedly affected the
vote on the Stockwell bill, although it
ssood no chance of passage even then.
The committee Substitute for the
Reeves iron ore tax bill is now on gen.
eral orders in the house and will be
reached during the week. When taken
up lively debate is assured, for there
are all kinds Of opinions on the matter
and this diversity of opinion will give
variety to the discussion at least
There was opposition to the proposed
law in committee but it came chiefly
from the various mining companies,
other opposition being withheld until
the bill reaches the floor of the house.
There is very pronounced difference
of opinion as to the best method Of tax
ing mines and mining property,
and even those who are most
firmly convinced that the mining
companies do not pay as much taxes as
they should fail to agree on the best
method of raising what is considered
sufficient tax.
There have been in many parts of
the country complaints against any
''office holding class and against more
than two terms for any public officer.
Representative POetz evidently en-
dorses such complaints for he has in
troduced bill making county officers,
except probate judges, ineligible for
more than two terms of Office.
The repeal of the struck jury law is
the first legislative action in response
to the request of the labor Organiza-
lions and labor people rejoice accord
ingly, although admitting that lawyers
and business men generally had joined
with them in petitioning for this re-
suit. Labor's next bill is the proposed
antitrust law, which has been copied
after that stringent Georgia law, but in
this case the labor leaders want an
amendment exempting labor organiza-
tions from the provisions of the law
wherein combinations to influence
prices (of labor as of other commodi.
ties) are strictly prohibited. Unless so
exempted the law could be used with
effect against labor unions and it seems
probable that the amendment will be
adopted. Another labor measure is
the free text book bill which has al
ready received favorable recommend
alton from the house COMMITTEES on ed
ucation. The plumber, barber and
horseshoer license bills have the en-
dorsement of the federation of labor
but their road to final passage is not
exactly an easy one, and the result can
not be predicted, although many VIC
Tins would like to know by some
means other than by hard experience
whether plumber or barber were COM
petent before submitting to his 'exac-
lions or torment-as the case may be-.
But the most difficult problem for
labor and legislative leaders in what to
do with the convicts, whose COMPETE
ton with labor in any industry is re-
scented and objected to so strenuously