The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-04-02
BIG HOLE IN GENERAL ORDERS.
Committee of the Whole Puts in a
Busy Afternoon.

At the opening of the afternoon ses-
sion Mr.. Feig was called to the chair
md the, house went into a committee
II the whole.
The Wyman bill to regulate primary
elections was first taken up and oc-
casiOned considerable division of senti-
ment. The only change made by this
measure is that of taking from the
county committee the power to name
the caucus officers. Amendments were
sent up by MesSrs. Hayter, seeking to
change the hours for holding the pri-
maries, and Coe, who wished stricken
out the provision that primaries all be
held at the same hour. Messrs. Jacob
son, Staples and Jones thought the law
as it stood was quite as it should be and
that in the option of the county COM
mittee the primaries could be set for
any hour, but that hour must be OBJ
served through the entire county. It
was admitted that there were Illegal
caucuseS held, but the different amend
ments if made to legahze this would
permit politicians to go from district
to district getting in their deadly work
Mr.. Meyers entered and withdrew an
amendment, after which the bill was
recommended for passage, but later
excepted from the report and placed on
general orders while the Smith meas
ure III. F. 2O covering the same sub
ject was recommended for indefinite
postponement.
The West blanket ballot bill, H. F.
1863, was amended upon motion of it's
author so as to provide that the name
OF no candidate for office should be
placed on the ticket more than one
time, Notwithstanding that the same
person may have been nominated by
two or more parties, and then the bill
came UP upon g. motion recommending
the bill for passage Mr.. Stockwell OPP
posed it upon the ground, as he stated,
that the bill if passed as stated would
disfranchise large number of the peo-
pie of the state. Mr.. Staples, who had
been the leader of the opposition to the
hill, again led the fight against it. He
insited that this proposition was step
backward; 1t would enable the man
who cannot read and write to mark his
cross at the head of the ticket and his
vote would offset that of the most intel
ligent and discriminating voter Mr..
West defended the bill with some statis-
teal information, showing the differ
ence between candidates Of the same
party at the head and the foot on the
same ticket The house, however, had
decided to kill the bill and it took only
a brief moment to indefinitely post
pone it, which was done by an over
Whelming vote.
The other measures considered were
taken up and acted upon as indicated.
H. F. 169 CWest-To change the form Of
the election ballot Lost.
H. F. 6o4 Dale)-To amend the law relating
to the division Of property OF husband and
wife In case OF divorce, placing both upon
the same basis. To pass.
H 2S1 (Smith)-For the relief Of James
Leck of Minneapolis, building contractor,
who had erected George H. Skinner hail. at
Faribaut and lost s., 500 upon the contract.
The work was excellentiy we'll done, and the
Leck bid was $1,000 below the next lowest
bid. The bills established the fact that the
building cost the amount stated, beyond what
was paid by the state. The principal objec-
ton to the bill was that it established
precedent which would result in an indefinite
number of this class of bills. This was con-
ceded by the friends of the bill. and the house
decided to recommend the bill for indefinite
postponement.
gantzation of trust companies, providing that
those corporations when they become guar
dians etc.. must give bonds like natural per-
sons. To pass.
of persons who impersonate deputy sheriffs.
II. F. 6ss (Anderson)-To reimburse Chisa-
go county ON account Of expenses of the
trial of Kelley and Johnson, the Wyoming
murderers, appropriating $500 for the same.
To pass.
to reimburse B. S. Russell, J. B. Culver and
Sidney Luce, commission which was ap-
pointed in 1873 to represent the state of Min
nesota in controversy which grew up over
the development Of the Duluth-Superior har-
Dor. To pass.
H. F. 6s4 Csoule)-Relating to the use Of
sectarian garb ETC., in public schools. The
bill was opposed by Mr.. Schroeder and Mr..
Kraker. Mr.. Foss explained that this was
simply in line with the fundamental idea Of
the public school system. Mr.. Dale said that
the bill did not change the present law in
spirit and only made Its proviso more specific.
He said the present law was against the use
Of the Bible in the public schools, and he
wanted to see catechisms and the garb of
nuns also excluded. The bill was recon-
mended to pass
H. F. 608 cEihaney)-Providing that all
railroad companies within the state shall sell
1,Ooo-mile mileage books for s20 instead Of