The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1899-05-12
MATTERS OF INTEREST.
Regarding Politics and Affairs
State.

ST. Paul, May 2.-The newspapers
are continuing to discuss the work OF
the recent legislature with much inter
est, and the law makers are receiving
due credit for what they did. Taken
as a whole, says the Litchfeld Review,
1.-The work of this legislature will COM
pare ia vorably with that done at pre-
vious sessions" And this is the view
taken by scores of conservative Journals
throughout the state that observe the
work from a business standpoint To
be sure, there were not so many grand
stand plays for political effect as some
had expected, but it was business ses-
sion, and thesinterests of the people
were conscientiously guarded and pro-
NOTED. 1t is natural that the fusion
press should try and howl with hopes of
making votes for John Lind, and some
Democratic candidate for United States
senator two years hence, but they will
find precious little in the last legisla-
ture on which to build their hopes The
Republican party is glad to stand upon
its!record in the session of this year and
to go before the people on the wise leg
islation enacted and the dangerous leg
islation which was killed.
~
Gov. Lind in his inaugural message,
in speaking of the Railroad and Ware
house Commission, stated that there
We're no new laws necessary for the
government of this department and
he had nothing whatever to say re.
garding the charges of Irregular
titles in the grading of grain.
The Republicans of the legislature,
however, realized that the party
which created this department should
investigate every charge fully and if
wrongs were found remedy them. The
investigating committee found some
cases of carelessness and incompetence
and some political treachery, if the evil
dence that Gov. Clough had ordered
low grading to make votes for Lind be
trne Of the five findings by the COM
mittee the principal ones were that
farmers lost largely by shipping un'
cleaned wheat and that there was prac-
tically no appeal from the Inspector
decision. To remedy this last defect
the Republicans of the legislature de-
cided upon board of appeals and law
establishing this was passed. Had the
legislature followed Gov. Lind's advice
there would have been no investigation
and no board of appeals. Another law
of great Importance which was passed
for the railroad and warehouse COM
mission, Notwithstanding the assertion
of Gov. Lind that no legislation was
necessary, was the law comforting up
on the commission judicial powers and
making the testimony taken before the
commissioners admissible in the higher
courts, but this very important meas
ure for which the people of the state
have clamored was vetoed by Gov.
Lind.
~
The Populist legislature of 1891 with
a total membership of 169 cost the state
Sl65, 953. 81. The Republican legislature
of 1899 with a total membership of 1873
cost the state $147, $3.50 The legisla-
ture of 1899 with a membership of IA
more than the Populist legislature of
1891 cost the state S15, 074.02 less. With
the same number of senators and repre-
senta tiYes as in 1891 the recent legisla-
ture would have cost the state 500, 395
less than the sessionwhichthe Populists
controlled. When it comes to question
of economy the Republican party of
Minnesota stands secure against any
attack that might be made upon it..
The last legislature is only one of the
convincing chapters on this subject in
history of Minnesota Republicanism.