The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1897-02-25
THE LEGISLATURE.
Both Bodies Are In Good Working
Order.
cosby Lstters> Giving In Detail tho More
Important Work of tho Senate
s, and House of Repre-
OentRtlVes,

s'PS AessoEs 0lvin8 In Detail tho More
important Work Of the senate
{, and House of Repre-
ST. Paul, Feb. 17.-Yesterday might
be termed financial day in the senate.
"A resolution was introduced and
adopted calling for an investigation
into state printing expenses, with a
view of reducing them. There is de.
ficiency in the printing fund and this
Investigation is proposed prior to pass
ing the deficiency appropriation. There
was in addition an absolute deficiency
bill offered which appropriates $66, 600
for deficiency IN expenses of the SUI
preme and district courts. This bill
also provides for $40, deficiency in
tho printing fund. The courts have
grown to such IN extent that the stand
ing appropriation lacks 1913. 900 per an
mum of paying expenses, and conse-
quently still another bill was offered
appropriat1ng that sum in order to
avoid a deficiency the ensuing year.
Senator Wyman wants the Office Of
coroner abolished and medical exam
liners appointed instead. He intro
duced bill to that effect.
The event IN the house yesterday
was the passage of the bill designed to
secure freedom of trade in food prod
ucts. There was no serious opposition
to the bill, there being but seven mega
tive votes cast, but it was one of those
measures which give the orators an op-
portunity to announce that they stand
by the people, and this was embraced
to such an extent as to occupy large
portion of the forenoon. In spite of
the jibes it has created, Mr.. Foss' bill
forbidding the sending Of flowers to
murderers was passed, after it had
been amended allowing ministers and
nearest relatives to strew floral fra
These two measures created SO much
debate that aside from the introduction
of eight bills, chiefly local, no other
business was transacted at the morn
ing session. The entire afternoon was
occupied in considering bill which
entirely revises the foreclosing of
chattel mortgages, and makes it q
county matter instead of city and town.
st. Paul, Feb. 1s.-Yesterday was a
fairly busy day in the Legislature with
out very much being accomplished af-
ter all. Thirteen bills were introduced
in the senate and thirty-three in the
house, bringing the grand total of bills
introduced up to date of sos.
One of the important measures in the
senate was the normal school appro-
priation bill, which carries SIG, 600
with it. No bill is really important
these times which does not carry a
handsome appropriation. Another SEN
ate bill abolishes the game commits
sion and provides for three commits
sioners with salaries of 81, 800 and ST.
300 respectively. Next to q bill with
an appropriation attached, one with a
salary appended ranks next in import
ance. Senator Yale got his resolution
through forbidding smoking in the sen.
ate chamber and the committee rooms.
As there is a state law forbidding any
thing stronger than tobacco in the cap
itol, the only recreation now left for
the senators is attending to business.
The special event in the house was
consideration of the bill increasing the
appropriation for the state university.
After lengthy debate it was referred
to the appropriation committee to see
If it could be trimmed little. Mr..
Donnelly proposed an amendment to
the constitution exempting homesteads
from taxation to the extent of 81, 600.
He argued that by increasing taxes on
the railroads some of the burdens of
taxation could be lifted from the peo-
pie. Another bill proposes to have an
immigration commissioner appointed
by the governor. A bill is already
pending for an immigration commits
sion composed of one from each con-
gressioDsl district, that body to select
a secretary of immigration. The indi-
cations are that something will be done
during the sessions to revive the immi-
grafton work which the state aban-
doned 20 years ago. Still another bill
creates the Office of county assessor, to
be elected by the people in counties
having over $4,000 population. No
bills were passed in either branch.
st. Paul, Feb. 19.-To investigate or
not to investigate, that's the question.
Leastwise, it seemed as if that was the
question, for the senate spent the larg-
est portion of its session yesterday in
debating whether the committee ap-
pointed to investigate Labor Commits
sioner Powers should continue its work
or throw UP the Job. The investiga-
tion was started by the labor unions
and now the labor people and the COM
mittee have gotten at loggerheads over
the manner of conducting the investi-
cation. In order to cut the Gordian
knot the committee proposes to stop
short and report no case while the la
Dor unions, through their friends,
come into the senate and desire to have
the committee instructed along the
lines they (the labor unions) have laid
down. After debating very consid-
cradle portion of the session the whole
matter, was made the special order for
next Tuesday afternoon.
The house was more barren of re-
suits than the senate. A large por-
kiov ~ tho eaoeior uuoo Hovofo1 ~ die.