The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-02-26
VICE BILL NEARLY DEFEAT
1T.
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE,
PASSAGE BY A VOTE OF "a
TO Il.
POWERS HEARING GOES OVER.
1T Is Again Made Special Order
This Time for Next Mon
day.

Chief Of all the contests on the sem
ate floor yesterday was that which
struck terror to the heart Of Senator
E. III. Ozmun, for it was waged upon
his pet measure, the bill providing for
a civil service reform system in cities.
1t has been in general orders for nearly
a month but was not printed till yes
terday.
When general orders were reached
there was some discussion over the
Theden bill, declaring void transfers
or exempt property to satisfy debts
for the sale of liquor. The judiciary
committee had limited it's operation to
married men. Senator Theden did not
like this and progress was finally re-
ported.
Senate file s, the Ozmun bill for civil
reform in Cities was received from the
printer and was then taken up. After
Senator Ozmun had pleaded for it, it
was read section by section, and nc
dissent was heard until Senator
Stevens had the sixth section amend
&c so as not to affect those now in
office. When section 10 was reached
Senator Potter tried to have the whole
Vii iestN ONCI dIIlll tie Olu6I civil SeE-
vice reform bills pending should be re,
ported, when they might all be COLI
sidered together
Senator Wynran thought the bill was
good one and he did not know
when the senate would have a better
chance to consider it. The original
Potter motion being lost, he tried to
get postponement of a week, but
this, too. was lost.
Senator Howard came to the de-
Tense of Senator OZmun's bill, the first
time he has agreed with Wyman for
several weeks.
The reading of the bill was then re-
summed.
laborers should be selected by lot did
not suit Senators Potter and Stevens,
and the latter sent up an amendment
giving the commission the power to
decide the manner of selecting its
labOrers by its rules.
There was some talk about the SAL
aries named in section IS and Senator
Wyman proposed that in cities Of less
than 10000 no salary be paid. Senator
KnatvOId wanted the bill limited to
cities of over 10000 people. The WymaE
suggestion as embodied in Senator
Bars amendment was adopted.
Section "a was SO amended as not to
prohibit officials from paying the legal
fees for having their names placed on
tickets when running for office.
Senator Pottgieser did not want the
bill to take effect, but his amendment
was lost.
Senator Knatvold moved to amend
that the bill only apply to cities of over
20, 000 1t was lost.
Senator Greer called attention to the
fact that if the mayor refused to ap-
point the commission, no penalty was
provided.
Senator Ringdal thought each city
should be permitted to decide whether
or not it should adopt the bill.
Senator Stevens said that the supreme
court would not allow this.
Senator Sperry moved to amend sec
ton so that the commissioners must
conduct their examinations, instead Of
selecting examiners so to do Adopted.
On division, a motion to recommend
the bill for passage as amended, was
adopted, Is to Is.
On the adoption of the report as to
the Ozmun bill, call of the house was
ordered. Senator Wyman deplored what
he declared was an evident purpose to
kill the bill,
Senator Sheehan said, while it was
unpopular to oppose bills which were
backed by the mystic words civil ser
vice." he desired to state his reasons
for opposing the bill. The bill took
from the mayor the appointment of
the chief of police, and yet gave him
the power to dictate to the elective Off
GERS indirectly, who should be employed
by them in subordinate capacities. The
bill was recommended to pass, the vote
being as follows
Ayes-Barr Cole. Cronkhite, Currer, Hene-
man, Howard, Jones, Johnson, A. G.; Johnson,
thur, Ozmun, Reishus, Rngdal, Sevatson,
Spencer, Sperry, Stevens, Whitney Wyman,
Yale-A
Noes-Collester, Dunn, French, Fuller,
Greer, Hanna, Hodge, Iltis, Knatvold, Lloyd,
Masterman, Peterson, Potter, Pottgiestr, Row
erud, Schaler, Sheehan, Smith, Sweningsen,
Theden, Thorpe-2.