The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-04-21

of probate threatened to go home after
he had moved to adjourn, without sue
cess, several times. Mr.. Jacobson
forced him down in his seat by main
strength and begged the fun makers to
let up so the business could proceed.
Mr. Donnelly, in his gOod-natured way,
asked that a fence nine feet high be
erected between his seat and that of
Mr. FOss, just behind him, and Mr..
Feig moved to amend by extending
the fence down the side to similarly
protect Mr.. Feig from the missils in
tended for the Grant county states
man.
That old fraud of every legislative
flnale-setting the clock back-had
been attended to early in the evening
by the officers of the house, and there
was a margin of three hours between
the house time and mean central time
as shown by the Mortified observa-
tory chrOnOmeter.
About midnight Mr. Staples inter
rupted the noise long enough to an
nounce that luncheon had been pro-
V1ded in one Of the committee rooms.
and the house was urged to take a
recess for fifteen minutes. The urging
was not needed. but when the mem
bers reached the spread" they found
about everything swept UP by a hum
cry horde that had pi'eveded them.
one of the prettiest debates of the
session came up in a discussion upon
the bill which provided that any
measure might be referred to the s1r-
preme court of the state for an Opin-
ion as to its constitutionality. The
bill was not passed, but it gave an
opportunity for Mr.. Donnelly to give
the house a vision of affairs as seen
through a pair of dark spectacles He
insisted that the courts had invaded
the rights of the people, beginning
with the decisions of Chief Justice
John Marshall, of the United States
supreme court. until today the people
are forced to bow the knee to the men
who sit on the supreme bench. He
urged the passage Of the bill so that
the people might know how a law
would be construed before it was pass
ed.
Judge Hicks defended the courts, but
joined with Mr.. DOnnelly in urging the
passage of the bill. He said it had
worked we'll in Massa chusetts. Mr..
Johns gave the house a five-minute
talk on the three branches Of the gov
eminent and their co-ordinated indie
pendence, which would have done
credit to a much more sober and
serious occasion. This oasis in the
desert relieved the proceedings from
utter badness, and while the bill failed.
ii showed that the house was still
capable for serious business if need
be.
When the house met in the morning
KILLED CONSOLIDATION BILL.
The Scott measure met with scant
courtesy when it was called up on the
calendar. The bill provides for the
adjustment of the offices of CITY comm
troller city treasurer and city attorney
and the assumption of the duties per
formed by them by the corresponding
county officials. This measure was
urged as being more in the direction
of economy. but the house evidently did
not look with much favor upon if
When the bill was read Mr.. Laybourn
of Duluth, rose to explain that the CITY
of Duluth did not want the bill, the
city council having adopted vigorous
resolutions protesting against the pass
age of the bill He said he understood
that the Ramsey delegation was di-
V1ded on the proposition, and he was
not sure that Hennepin wanted II
The bill would work a hardship on st.
Louis county, and he would vote
against it 1t turned out there were
others who voted against it; in fact
few alternatives were recorded. Mr.
Grondahl called for the absentees
which led Judge Hicks to remark tina !
this action was punishment after death.
Mr. Scott also called for the absentees
Mr.. BigelOw facetiously changed his
vote to no in order to make the matter
unanimous. The bill was killed-ayes
| II, nays 81.
Upon the motion of Representative
Martin, the house formally adopted the
memorial to the United States house
and senate, introduced some time ago
| by Mr.. DOnnelly and laid upon the ia
BILE The memorial asks the Minnesota.
members Of congress to use their best
efforts in the direction of the passage
of the bill for the government owner
ship of telegraph lines.
GENERAL TAX LEVY.
Representative Underleak, chairman
| of the house committee on WAYS and
means. in the afternoon introduced the
regular general tax levy BILL being H.
| +. 1888. The bill provides for a levy
| of one and five-tenths mills, which in
| the year 1898 is expected to produce
$S5O,0O0, and in 1899, $S600O0 The bill
was passed under suspension of the
rules.
When S. F. $50, by Mr.. Young. a bill
| relating to limited divorce, was called
up on the calendar Mr. UnderleaI<
| entered motion for indefinite post
ponement Mr. Douglas, speaking TO
| the motion, on behalf of Senator Young.
said the author regretted the inadyer-
| lance which had arisen over the matter
! and had requested that the bill be in.
definitely postponed.
The Hennepin delegation fought over
| the courthouse half-mill tax until Mr..
| Feig protested that the house had seen
more than enough of the dirty linen
washing of the Minnean0lis manh here