The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-01-26

settlers would make improvements on
the land and pay taxes and all the PEG.
pie Of the state would be benefited.
What was wanted was to force the
railroad companies to sell their lands
cheaper and by so doing settle the
lands and increase the volume of taxes
and enhance the prosperity Of the
state. ~
Mr.. Lynds Rep) Of Carlton. op-
posed the bill and contended the farm
erS were not interested In 1t. The
amount lost to the school fund would
have to be made up by the farmers in
taxes.
Mr.. DwinnelI. who had been alluded
to by Mr.. Jacobson as the farmer from
Hennepin, took the ground that the
bill, even If 1t passed. should apply
only to future sales and not to those
made in the past. II Mr.. jacobson
had sold farm machinery to a constit-
uent and took notes at per cent, no
matter how good business was. it
would not be business for Mr.. Jacobson
to go around and tell the purchaser no
interest would be charged. This was
just what the bill proposed to do to
the purchasers of land on which certif-
icates were outstanding. He asked to
have the bill amended so as to apply
only to future sales.
the bill as business proposition Forty
years ago the rate of interest had been
per cent per month. Now it could
be secured for 6 and per rent and
some corporations borrowed it for 8
per cent. The reduction in the rate
would bring about increased sales In
the less favored portions of the state.
The bill would not only relieve the
farmers from the / per cent, but would
increase the taxes. and if 1 per cent
was lost to one fund it would more
than be made up in another. Mime
sofa today could sell its lands for less
than was charged the farmers. What
was needed for the Benefit of the entire
state was to settle every county in the
state. This was the wise course, and
it would be advanced by the passage
of the bill.
Mr.. West Rep.), Of Mower, wanted
an amendment to apply only to future
sales. and if this was not made he
would vote against it.
Mr.. Dwinnell wanted the special or
der extended for twenty-four hours,
but this was opposed and voted down
by a rising vote of 65 to As.
Mr. finland (Dem), of Ramsey, had
a minor amendment incorporated, and
then Mr.. Roberts offered an amend
ment providing that the reduction
should apply to future sales only.
Mr. Grondahl (Repo, of Goodhue, OPP
posed the amendment as being aimed
at the life of the bill. Money was
cheaper than formerly. and the rate
should be lower 1t would be better to
let the farmer keep the money at per
cent than to have it invested in Ten
nessee or Alabama bonds at per cent.
In 1885, when the rate of interest was
per cent, 81 600 acres of land were
sold. In 1856, when the rate was re-
duced to per cent, the sales amount
ed to 81, 600 acres, and in 1887 to $4,000
acres Settlers were worth more than
land to the state School lands were
the only ones that could come in COM
petition with railroad lands, and the
bill would force the railroads to reduce
the price of lands held by them. The
policy of the state was to uDbuild it's
interests and enterprises. Two years
ago a one-cent per pound bounty had
been given to sugar manufacturers and
today the gentleman from Hennepin
had in his own county an enterprise
which would soon receive $4,000 in roy
aties from the state. If the legisla-
ture was to legislate in the interests of
the farmer, why not do something for
those who farm the farms? The re-
ports showed that 95 per cent of the
land was in the hands of actual set
tiers. The state was loaning money on
Alabama and Tennessee bonds at 3 per
cent ard exacting from the farmers 5
per cent. There. was no justice in
squeezing the farmers at per cent and
leaning to those who were not helpless
at per cent
Mr. Dwinnell eontended that per
cent was not taking the farmers by the
throat. He had heard it said that the
passage of the bill would be good pol
tiles, but the Republican party would
never succeed at the expense of the
school fund of the state. He urged the
members to pause before taking leap
in the dark.
Mr. Roberts urged a continuance of
the bill for day. 1t would reduce the
school fund $4,000 per year in interest
and that meant something to every
county in the state. AS the bill read
now it should be entitled AN act for
the relief of those who had purchased
school lands.' He insisted that his
amendment be adopted
Mr.. Marin Pop.), of Polk, started to
speak, but was interrupted with cries
Of Question! Question:
He insisted, however, that as others
had been granted the privilege to
speak, that he be heard. He was OPP
posed to the amendment Those hold
ing lands should be given the same op-
portunity and right as those who would
purchase in the future The amend
ment of Mr.. Roberts was voted down
and that gentleman said he had anoth-
er one to offer, but Immediately re-
canted and said he guessed he
wouldn't.
On the roll call Mr.. Elwell (Rep.). of
Anoka, asked to be excused from vot-
ing on the ground that he was biased.
having in his possession certain of the
certificates which would be affected.
The bill was passed by y to 43, the fol-
lowing being the. detailed vote:
Nays-Allen, Barteau, Bush, Corey. Dem
ing, Dunn, Dwinnell, Emerson. Ferris, Full
ton. Goodspeed Hagstrom, Henderson, Hen
messy, Hill, Hillary. Hymes, Jeub, johnson,
s. C.; Kelly, Krayenbuhl, Laybourn, Lydiard,
Lynds, Miller, Moran, Munger Nelson, w:
Seribner, Schurman, selby, Sin1onson. Sloan
Wallace, West, Wheaton, Wilkinson, winston.
Mr. Speaker-43.
IeasaAbbott- Ahlstroln Argetsinger, Bah
letten, Cummings Daggett, Davis, Dealy,
Donohue, Dyer, Estby, Fosnes Gait. Grass
Grondahl, Guttersen, Haugen, Hemerdinger,
Holm Jackson jacobson johnson T F.:
Jehnsrud, Kinne, Lampe Larson, Lommen.
MeCollom, McGrath, Mcneil, MalIette, NAL
Tory, Marin, Mausten, Medicraft Morris, Nell
son, N. G.; Nelson, n o. Neqbauer, oien.
ton, G.; Plowman, Pugh. Riley, Sander.
Schain, Schultz, Staples. Sites, Stivers. Swan
son. TORY, Torson, Thauwald, Truwe, UNI
land. Won Lehe, Won der Weyer, weston,
Wethern Wood Yale-72.
Excuses1-ElweH.
Absent-Feeney, Hazard and O'Connor.
The bill reads as follows:
Section l. The unpaid principal on all state
lands, sold as provided by law, shall bear
interest at the rate Of four a. per cent per
annum, payable annually in advance on the
first day Of June or within six days there
after. The interest shall in all cases be paid