Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1897-03-23

to near newspaper representatives rel
alive to the proposed repeal of the libel
law of 1887. The Publishers Associa-
ton of the Twin Cities and the State
Editorial association were represented
by several speakers in opposition to
the proposed repeal.
The contention in the house yester-
day was relative to the disposition of
the road and bridge fund. Bill after
bill has been introduced making APP
preparations for roads and bridges, to
an amount which cannot be provided
for in the next four years. There is
only $39, 900 in the fund, and more than
twice that amount is called for by the
bills now pending. In consequence, a
resolution was offered apportioning
the sections of the state where the
funds available shall be expended, and
also the amount which each section
shall have. After debating. nearly all
the forenoon on this topic the resolu-
ton was Withdrawn, and the house
found itself emerging from the same
hole it went in at. One important item
of business accomplished was the pas
sage Of resolution forbidding the fur
Their use of the house for lectures on
phrcnology.
The farmers were brought to the
front in the house by bill imposing
fine of from $40 to $50 for selling I'M
wholesome milk. For falsely brand
ing cheese a fine of from $25 to $50 is
imposed.
The senate passed three bills and in
troduced ten. The house passed four
bills, killed three and introduced
eleven.
St. Paul, March 1s.-To scale or not
scale. That was the question which
agitated the senate yesterday. The
scale in question is known as .the San
Jose, Cal, product and the bill IN ques-
ton is to prevent it's introduction and
spread in Minnesota. In California the
scale insect is one OF the greatest draw
backs which confronts fruit growers.
The opponents of the bill claimed it
was merely in the interest of nursery
men. After two hours debate it was
recommended to pass by 10 to 10, but
that is 9 votes short of passage.
Several quite important bills came
into the senate. One increases the tax
on the gross earnings of insurance
companies doing business in the state
from 2 to per cent. Another taxes
sleeping and drawing room cars per
cent on their gross earnings. The
teachers pension bill was third meas
ure which will attract a good deal of
attention. The fund is to be created
by tax of per cent per annum on
the salaries of teachers. To obtain a
pension a teacher must have served 20
years, and ~ years of that time IN the
place where the pension is to be paid.
The highest pension allowed is $500
per annum.
A new state printing law was also
brought in. It abolishes the present
classes under which the printing is
done and leaves the commissioners to
make the specifications and advertise
for bids. Among the bills passed was
the one appropriating $4,000 for the
dedication of the Gettysburg monu-
ment to the First Minnesota.
The house showed its good will for
Speaker Jones by presenting him with
a large oil painting of himself. He ac-
copied with thanks.
The travelling library bill lacked two
votes of passing in the house. 1t has
been one of the most agitated bills of
the session and has been killed and
resurrected several times. It looks as
though it would stay dead now. The
| bill extending the terms of county
| auditors to four years produced long
debate, and while it was allowed to go
to the calendar for passage or rejec-
ton, it only developed strength of so
votes, which is eight minus of passage.
| Three bills were passed by the house,
the one of Importance providing for
free text books in the schools.
| st. Paul, March, 19-The bill regulat-
ing the state board of equalization was
the subject of sharp debate in the
| senate yesterday. The bill authorizes
the board to increase, but not to de-
crease the assessments made by the
county officers. A strong effort was
made to allow them to decrease an
assessment as we'll. but it failed and
the bill was recommended to pass with
proviso that a party should have a
hearing before his assessment was
raised. Senator Knatvold endeavored
to resurrect his bill making village
license 81, 900. but failed. The bill was
put on the table very hard.
The judiciary committee gave q hear
ing in the open senate to a large num-
Der of merchants from the leading
cities in the state who appeared IN op-
position to the proposed antitrust law.
They claimed it would not reach the
trusts, but would destroy mercantile
business in the state. Northumberland
St. Panl and Minneapolis united in
favor of allowing the capital commits
sion to issue $780, in certificates of
indebtedness. the bill was laid over for
further consideration. AS far as the
senate committee on insane hospitals
has gotten, the evidence is that a fourth
asylum is necessary.
The Twin City Jockey club, having
expended 100000 in building grand
stand at the state fair grounds, thought
it was hardly fair when the legislature
two years ago passed a law forbidd,ng
pool selling. A bill was accordingly
intr0dnce6 in the hOnse renea1inu the