The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1897-02-11
THE LEGIsLATU,RI}E.
Both Bodies Are In Good WORKING
Order.

Cosby Letters Giving in Detail tho More
Important Work of the Senate
and House of Repre-
ssntstives.
st. Paul, Feb. 2.-Yesterday was cy-
clone day in the house, the senate not
being in session. That Is, it was chiefly
devoted to wind. Only five bills were
introduced, and aside from one reduce
ing the legal rate of interest to per
cent and 10 per cent by contract, they
were all of minor Importance. The
great bone of contention was the bill
offered by Schmidt, of Duluth, making
board of three persons to select
banks where the state funds shall be
deposited. The argument against the
bill was that 1t relieved the state treas
urer of responsibility, which he should
be compelled to shoulder, and the ar
gument for it was that the state treas
urer could favor certain banks, with
draw funds from country banks to
bolster up city banks, and that he
really ought to be relieved of the great
responsibility which now rests upon
him. Mr.. jacobson made very de-
termined effort to defeat the bill out
right, but it was finally referred back
to the committee for further amend
ment. Its ultimate passage is doubt
full.
The bill abolishing the 5000 bounty
for the arrest of horse thieves was ap-
proved.
A resolution was adopted authoriz-
ing the committee appointed to inves-
tigate the transfer of the Mountain
Iron mine from the state to private
parties to pay the expenses of wit
nesses without the usual circumlocu-
ton of submitting each item to the leg
lslature and having the committee on
legislative expenses report before pay
ment can be made. This committee
evidently means to do some business.
AS usual when only one branch of
the legislature is in session, the pro-
ceedings were brief.
and the house yesterday were es-
pecially interested in denying news
paper statements. The senate was ex-
ercised over interviews with Mime
apolis merchants concerning depart
ment stores, while the house was dis
turbed by the newspaper stories that
State Treasurer Koerner had not fled
his bond. This was clearly disproven,
his bond having been fled Jan. 4, as
required by law. Another state officer
was also defended, in the person of
Secretary of State Berg, who had been
accused of not producing certain pa
pers desired in the Mountain Iron in
yestigation. This was also shown to
be incorrect and Mr.. Donnelly said he
did not mean it, SO that the millennium
of good feeling was ushered in as the
result of the hullabaloo. The state
treasurer, in response to the request of
the senate, sent that body detailed
statement showing the amount of
money originally in suspended banks,
the amount which had since been paid
and the balance still remaining uncol-
lected. The only banks where there
seems likely to be loss are the Farm
ers & Merchants State bank, of Min
ueapolis, which still owes the state
$4,000, and the American Exchange
bank, of Minneapolis, where the bal
ance due is something over SIS, 600.
Even this may be collected from the
bondsmen, but as it is over three years
since the banks failed. it seems rather
doubtful. The Bank of Minnesota, at
st. Paul, had the largest deposit Of any
insolvent bank, amounting to over one
hundred thousand dollars, but State
Treasurer Koerner has already secured
an order from the court directing the
receivers to pay him $75. 900 immedi-
~<~1~ - le sv~< l@s-
hands. Considering that originally the
state had over $780, 900 tied up, the ul-
innate loss, if any, will be very small.
Mr.. jacobson offered bill in the
house yesterday which will facilitate
the state in bringing suits to recover
such property as the Mountain Iron
mine, the Hastings & Dakota and other
land grants which it is claimed have
been improperly secured. This legis-
lature is evidently determined to rs:
certain whether the created can be
greater than the creator, or, in other
words, whether the state has any
rights that corporations are bound tc
respect. A bill was introduced in the
house, in accordance with the usual
method, which is the duplicate of one
$2S, 900 for the erection of a live stock
ampitheatre and other improvements
at the state fair grounds. The fire.
quent introduction of the Same bill in
both houses indicates dearth of ma
terial from which to make business te
exhaust the ninety days.
The cyclists do not seem to be strong
in the house, as Mr.. Grondahl's bill al
loving cycle paths to be constructed
along the highways does not seem t.
be popular: The house thinks itwoulc
interfere with the farmers, who have
to rely upon the roads for marketing
their produce. Mr.. jacobson said bi
cyclists were nuisance; that they at
flictcd the cities but the farmers should
unite to keep the nuisance out of thu
country districts. To save absolute de
feat the bill was referred back to 1t.
author.
st. Paul, Feb 4.-You can put it or
record that every Legislative day which