The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1897-04-14
ITS CARD IS FULL
SENATE HAS MANY ENGAGEMENTS
ERE THE BALL ENDS.


ERE THE BALL ENDS.
With Less Than Two Weeks of Life,
There Are IS Bills Oh the Calen.
ures, and Many Special Orders
Net Results of the Past Week.
What the Senator's Did and Did
NOt-Review of Liquidation in Both
Branches of the Legislature.
ST. PAUL, April 11.-Athough less than
two weeks are left in which to conclude
it's legislative functions, the casual OBJ
server would never dream that such was
the fact from cursory glance at the
senate. 1t has calendar with something
like 20 bills waiting consideration, and
a general orders with more than 100 uncon-
sidered measures, but for all that the
major portion of the time is spent in the
consideration Of special orders.
Special orders for Monday are the game
and fish bill, the state printing bills, and
the Cole freight tariff bill. These will
probably require the whole day for their
discussion.
The net result of last weeks work is
fairly good. Reapportionment has at last
been settled, with an increase of member
ship in both houses. The next legislature
Will have 1l9 representatives and IS sena-
tors. This measure consumed only about
two days in each house, and that was not
bad, as re-apportionment sessions go. In
TACT, the senate managed to thoroughly
discuss and dispose Of the Theden bill in
the interim, and anti-department store leg
islation is a thing of the past, at least for
this session.
The adoption of senate files 629 and 525.
home
plished in the senate without much fric-
ton. Senator Sheehan had carefully pre-
pared them, and they were so general in
character that good deal of latitude IS
left to each Of the large cities to frame its
own charter. and this is what was de-
signed by the constitutional amendment.
The charter commission is to be appointed
in all cities by the district Judges on pc
t1tion of a certain proportion of the voters,
indicating that new charter is desired.
The country members seemed determined
to have peddler's license bill. and <were
not at all dismayed by the governor S veto
OF the first measure, second, less dras-
tic in character than the first, was passed
last week, and received the governors
signature.
The labor bureau committee made a
unanimous report early in the week, and
Its findings were along the lines previously
indicated in THE TRIBUNE The Ste
vens bill, S. F. No. 55s, reorganizing the
bureau, was recommended Tor passage,
and the labor unions throughout tie state
are strongly urging it as the one measure
which organized labor asks of this legisla-
ture.
A measure of local interest enacted yes
terday was bill permitting 100000 to be
raised to finish and furnish the Minne-
apolis court house and city hall.
There large number of bills in
committee, and some members think they
should all be reported out by a certain
date. Two efforts have been made TO do
this, but the majority think if some bills
die in committee it will do no harm, be-
cause there are already more in sight than
can possibly receive careful considerations
This reasoning does not, however, apply
to important measures. for the senate is
apparently willing to give any :,m punt of
time to consider any bill which really
affects the interests of the state as a
whole. The majority, however, not
of that character. There are necessarily
many measures which represent only per-
sonal opinion or affect only the welfare
of limited localities. Measures of this sort
which are not already general orders
have not much chance of passage.
Senator Kellers beet sugar bills were
introduced rather late, but their ;.uthor
is an enthusiast, and has already made
many converts to his idea that prob
ably there will not be much opposition
when they come up.
The Sheehan antitrust bill has passed
general orders, and is on the calendar in
the senate. While there was considerable
objection to it in the first place, It I'M
doubtedy stands a better chance of pass
age now than it did earlier in the session
On the whole, it cannot be said that there
are many important measures before the
senate except those mentioned, and a few
evening sessions will probably put it's work
in very fair shape.
There is no indication of an adjourn
ho fcl LOTT }c
reached. D..
IN THE HOUSE.
The remaining days of the session of 1857
which win come to Its final wind-up next
week, will be full of hasty and ill-consid-
cred legislation, unless the older heads and
the natural conservatives of the house use
their best efforts. AS rule it would
generally be better If the legislation of the
last day were all killed. Still, there is
much that yet demands attention. The APP
preparation bills are to come and there has
been no end of cutting in this connection
that every cause needing money will
probably feel sighted when the bills are
finally passed. The appropriations COM
mttee has had to cut the amounts asked
for in about four parts, and throw three of
these parts out. This is an index of what
is to be expected, and 1t may as we'll be
stated, first as last, that the present leg
islature is in no humor to increase the
tax levy. The politicians admit that it
would be suicidal, and the statesmen recog-.
niZe it unwiSe.
One of the features Of the session of the
house during the past week, from local
standpoint, was the large number of po-
Hcemen and ex-policemen from Mime
apolis who are lobbying against the pas
sage of the civil service bill, which adj
mittedly Is dead These men have been
stirred up by some unseen and unknown
influence, and they have the queerest IDEAS
of the provisions of the bill. Some Of them
say that the bill legislates all the present
policemen and firemen out of Office and
others say that they understand that it is
to provide that no one over AZ years of
age shall be permitted to remain upon the
force. Their work has not been confined
to city members, but to the country, and
Democrats, Populists and Republicans have
been importuned to kill the measure.
The only influence, apparently, which,
this lobby has had upon the members Of
the legislature, has been to revive interest
in the bill. If the opposition lobby keeps
on it will probably succeed in passing The
bill, otherwise civil service IN cities, Ter
this session, is probably a dead issue.
r. The Hennepin delegation vii! hold
special hearing at the capitol room 49,