Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1899-04-26

PRESENTED IN REVIEW OF THE LATE
UNLAMENTED REPUBLICAN
LEGISLATURE,

Sins of Commission and Sins Of Omisaion
The Record Laid Bare-Governor Lfnd's
Prediction Pledges, and His Admin.
istrative Recommendation and How
They Were Specifically Ignored -More
Concerning the Gross Earnings Bill
and the Railroad and Sugar Bouut,
Lobbies-Make-Shif Antitrust Law
Justification OF Farmers' CHARGES
Note and Comment of the Week.
Reform Press Bureau
ST. PAUL. April "a, 1899.
The late and unlamented legislature
having departed, it is fitting to pass in
review and see how the record stands as
to what was pledged by the reform adj
ministration Of the state, and what if
any assistance has been rendered, in the
main, by the Republican majorities in
house and senate.
The pledges of Governor Lind and the
reform forces were thus expressed in
Governor Lind's speech at exposition
building, Minneapolis, Oct. 10, last:
The task that we have set for US in
this state by the platform adopted by our
forces, is to so reform the administration
Of the laws and conduct of the affairs of
the public as to secure to the producers
of the state more just proportion of the
products of their toll; to save to the pub
lie what is left of the public riches of the
state; to see to it that taxation shall be as
just and equal as possible and that every
penny cole ted from the people shall be
honestly expended and devoted to public
and not to personal or partisan purposes;
to give the people an efficient and eco
nomical administration of our state insti-
buttons. and to confer upon the citizens a
direct voice in legislation.'
When Governor Lind, in discharge of
his constitutional duty, laid before the
ssembled legislature the suggestions
necessary to meet these pledges, and to
care for needs of the people ascertained
by painstaking investigation, he formu-
lated them into more than twenty
specific recommendations. The princi-
pal of them, and the result at the hands
be condensed:
Reduction Of the tax levy Of at least
$40 nills-left at former rate of is
mills.
Result on five recommendations for
increase Of state revenues:
To reach, by tax a commission or 9TH
erwise, all the taxable property of the
state-no action.
Taxation of franchises and of foreign
incorporations-no action on former;
latter adopted.
Taxation of Express, Telegraph, Tele-
phone and Sleeping car companies
ton Oh one only.
Increase of gross earnings tax of Rail-
road Companies-killed by Railroad
Lobby in the senate.
Increase Of 2 per cent tax on Great
Western railroad, to equal other COM
panies-defeated.
Detailed reforms in administration of
present. ample Normal Schools-re-
Spouse an additional institution at Du-
luth.
Free Text books, as means for check
'OCuOO1 DUN OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
Increase of Binder Irvine facilities
accepted and law passed.
Specific reforms in management of
insane hospitals, shown to be ample
response creation Of additional hospitals
at Anoka and Hastings. The veto saved
extension of present system. and creates
needed asy]ums instead of hospitals.
Encouragement of Agricultural COL
leges and Experimental station-no &C.
ton.
Liberal treatment of the Dairy and
Food department-not cent appro-
priated for enforcement of the laws, and
the department specially snubbed.
Forestry protection and extension
defeated.
Abolition of fee system-defeated.
Telephone Companies to be placed
under state supervision defeated.
To legalize records of Railway Com
missions hearings, as to the record on
appeals-no action.
Protection of timber and mineral
lands-no effective action.
Action touching state swamp land in
terests-nothing effective.
Abolition of passes for public officials
-derisively defeated.
Suppression Of the Lobby-the lobby
ruled supreme,
Direct Iegislation-ofens and de-
risively defeated.
Expeditions completion of the state
,capitol-adopted.
In the several hundred bills that
passed, the search is vain to discover a
single offset for this shortcoming. The
reduction of the rate of interest; the
constitutional amendment to authorize
loaning of the state funds on county and
municipal bonds; Il board Of grain ap-
peals; travelling libraries: to prevent
railroads from raising rates without
consent of the Railway Commission,
and for the election of the commission
'ers; restoring the Soldiers Home relief
fund appropriation Of $50, 900; providing
for a bird or arbor day, and for the pay
ment of volunteer arrearages, comprise
the chief of the new laws made that are
more than ordinary or local interest.
A...-. lad ILL.,