The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-04-10

maj issue. 1t was a mixed question,
and the question was between the peo-
pie who were enabled by the depart
! ment stores to get goods cheaper and
! the people whose business was being
| crushed out by the huge concerns.
| These stores were an outgrOWth Of
conditions which had been planted by
the merchants as a whole. The mer-
| chant of his city who complained that
he and his family purchased their goods
in the big stores because they could
get them cheaper there, was Offering
from the same condition. The bill
would provide tax on a mans bust
ness, perhaps, twice the cost of his
stocks in a number of lines, but he
was willing to trust to the bill, as
amended, to bring to pass the cures
which were aimed at.
Senator Theden sent in cOmmunica-
lions to indicate that the attitude of
the Minneapolis grocers and laboring
people had been misrepresented by Sen
ator Potter
Senator Potter said the letters did
not refute his contention.
Senator. Ringdal said he was in
| general oposed to any legislation that
was in restriction of the widest lib
erty, but he was not sure that this was
not the first step in a revolution in
mercantile conditions. There had been
time when private parties carried
the mails. That was no longer the
case. He believed the march of hui
man affairs was driving men to the
step which the bill proposed to take.
The senate should face it manfuIly.
Senator Howard said, while there was
reason for the feeling existing against
the department stores on the part of
other business. this bill would be as
useless as to try to stem the raging
flood Of the Mississippi with a dam Of
tOOthpicks. Nations had resorted to this
Ii, % 1s-,-s I'll -
gone down to ruin. Efforts to regulate
commercial conditions artificially by
legislation had ever been failures. He
also held that the bill was uncOnstitu-
tiOnal, in that it was unequal, and that
it was not police power of the state.
1t was dishonest measure in that
its real aim was not its OStensible pur-
pose. Why not bring in a bill against
office buildings, too. They caused de-
clineS of rent, not less so than the de-
partment stores.
Senator Iltis said business was out Of
sorts, and the country was tinkering
around trying to cure it, The depart
ment store fished with a net; little
stores with a hook and line; there was
a law against net fishing; why should
there not be a law against department
stores. Why not take their bait away.
Compel them when they advertised
bargains to sell to the first buyer all
these drives"
The KnatvoId amendments were lost.
Senator Stebbins offered an amend
ment to include sections 20 y and %
as one in cities of less than Is, 900, but it
was lost.
Senator Greer's amendments were
voted down one by one. and Senator
Spencer offered one requiring submits
sion to the people before the tax should
| be adopted by any city. This too was
lost
Senator Greer then said he thought
it was too near the end of the session
for the senate to continue the chasins
of rainbOws. He did not believe this
| bill would have the effect it was de-
signed to. A bill was defeated but
/ the day before because it would leave
gas and like companies at the mercy
| Of the city councils. what Of this bill
which would leave the entire traffic IN
merchandise at the mercy of these
same councils. The tax was unjust uu-
less the cities gave them some addi-
| tlOnal privileges in return for the ex-
cess of taxation
Senator Sperry spoke in behalf Of
/ the bill He said that if the bill pro-
vided unequal taxation it was not more
so than now when one MINNEAPOLIS
store, Donaldson's. had in five years
defrduded the state Of the sum OF
$4,000 due it in taxes, on the figures
! furnished by the head Of the firm him
self. Minnesota had led in other bar
ties for the right and she should nor
hesitate to do battle with this evil.
which was tending to the debasemeny
of human labor.
He had no doubt as to the consti-
tutionality Of the bill. It's own friends
/ had receded from their first ground
/ that 1t could not originate in the sen
ate Now the attorney general advised
the senate that it should be given u
the courts for determination.
The. motion to indefinitely postpone
was lost, y to %, and the bill was
! recommended for passage, % to q.
Senator Howard asked for q, call NJ
! the senate, when the committee rose
! The opponents Of the bill asked thar
further proceedings under the call he
dispensed with, but this was lost. and
| the sergeant at arms was despatehed
after the absentees. On a vote the mo-
! ton to adopt the report Of the com
mittee was defeated, as follows:
Ayes-Barr, Cole, Culkin, Currier. Dunn.
Hodge, Tits, Johnson "a. c.. Larson. Nc
/ Hale Ozmun, Peterson Pottgieser. RingdaI
1 Schaller, Sevatson, Sheehan Sperry, Theden
| Thorpe. Whitney, Wing, Wyman, Young-24
Noes-Collester. Cronkhite. Durham.
! French, Fuller, Greer. Hanna. Hanson Hene-
man, Howard, Johnson CIV. E.), Jones, KEEL
! Ter Knatvold, Lloyd, Masterman, Miller
! Morgan, Potter, Reishus, Roverud Smith
I al
/ Yale-27.
The bill was then indefinitely postpOned-2S
/ TO %, follows:
ayes AyeS-BaFri ColIesster Cronkhite, Durham,
/ French. Fuller, Greer, Hanna Hanson
Howard, Johnson CIV. E) Jones' Keller
knatvold, Lloyd, Masterman, Morgan Potter
! Reishus, Roverud, Smith, Spencer. Stebbins
! Stockton, Sweningsen, Yale Young-2S
Noes-Cole. Culkin, Currier Dunn. Hene-
man, Hodge Tits. Johnson CA ca. Larson
/ McHale. Ozmun, Peterson, Pottgieser. Ring
/ dal, SchaIler, Sevatson, Sheehan. Sperrv
Iheden, Thorpe, Whitney Wing, Wyman2
/ The reapportionment conferrees were
ready to report at o'clock as directed.
| Senator Wyman moved that the report
| be considered in quasi committee, with
| President Gibbs in the chair.
The report concurred with the house
| amendment giving 119 house members
and CO in the senate. Ramsey county
was redistricted as il the senate bill.
and the other changes already indicat-
! ed in the G / o b e.
| Senator Stevens objected to the quasi
| committee idea. He said the report
was unanimous from the joint COM