The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1899-02-16
!. I]!.1.Elt.G!.l..IlS!LA TIVE GOSSIP
Our Special Correspondent Tells Of
the Solons' Doings.


the Solons' Dolngs.
The Work Of Introducing Bills, Both Pub-
lie and Private Goes Nerrily On. As
Yet but Few Measures Have
Received Final Action.
st. Paul, Feb. Tin order to make It
certain that the house. did not put in
the most days the senate adjourned over
from Saturday to Tuesday, so that the
house was the only branch in session
yesterday as an offset to the senate be-
ing the only body in session on Saturday.
Three bills were passed and eight in
troduced. One of them passed, appro-
prtating $19,878 to pay the sugar beet
bounty Of one cent per pound Only three
OF the bills introduced were of general
character. One, appropriates $4,000 for
the Soldiers Home and another provides
Tor forest preserves by setting apart
tracts OF land from state school lands.
Another bill was introduced for board
OF osteopathic examiners. Tho osteo-
paths are much in evidence this winter
The usual resolution to cut of two or
three weeks from the length Of the
session was offered and will meet. with
the usual fate OF being defeated The
day was In reality dull and uninteresting.
st. Paul, Feb. 8.-Yesterday was solid
working legislative day. with morning
and afternoon sessions for both branch
es. Senator Grtndeland returned his
amended commission bill. He first de-
vised his bill to apply to commission men
who deal inowheat, and then he tried to
include the produce commission men un-
der the same head
The produce commission men rose up in
force and smote the bill hip and thigh.
In order to save something out of the
wreck the Senator changed the bill so
that 1t applied. as originally intended. to
the grain commission men and is much
more mild towards the produce men.
Between the two stools, however, the
passage of the bill is doubtful.
.. So many Senate bills are still in the
hands of committees that there was
little opportunity to complete any legis-
lation today. Only two bills were intro
duced. The afternoon session was spent
In committee of the whole and every bill,
which had reached that stage, was acted
upon.
The House was the storm center and
the chief topic was Mr.. Jacobson's bill
increasing the tax on railroads from
three to four per. cent. on their gross
earnings. Mr.. jacobson was loaded and
led the debate with statistics showing
what Is done In other states. and among
other things said that unless the bill
passed.: the rate of taxation would have
to be increased in order to carry on the
state government. Representative whea.
ton declared 1t was party measure and
should be supported by every Republic
can. The Democrats and Populists OBJ
5ected to this. saying it was a business
and not a partisan proposition.
The forenoon session was not lone
enough to conclude the debate and it was
continued at the afternoon session, final.
ly resulting in being recommended tc
pass with only four dissenting votes
thus disproving Mr.. Wheaton's argu-
ment. This ensures its passage in the
house. and it is altogether probable il
will prove nearly equally strong in the
senate.
After this was out of the way, twenty
new bills were introduced. Numerous
committees held meetings last night at
the hotels and the capitol, and legisla-
ton is being rapidly shaped.
The senate bin providing for the cleo
ton of the railroad and warehouse com.
mission, by the people has been made the
special order in the senate for next Tues
day.
st. Paul, Feb. 9-The senate had live
ly debate yesterday over the bill offered
by Senator Greer, providing for a com
mission to prepare a new tax law which
Will be supposed to cover all the defects
which have been developed by actual ex.
perience with the present tax laws
Every senator seemed to agree that the
present laws are defective. the only point
Of controversy being whether new tai
law should not be passed this winter ant
| not delay for the report of a tax com
commission two years hence. It seem:
| probable that the tax commission bill
and delay will win. though no decisive
action was taken today beyond the
PRONUNCIATION of mind.
The bill granting telephone companie!
| right of way privileges along railroad:
| was passed. as was also the bill taxins
foreign corporations the same fees as arr
| required of home corporations. The bill
is retroactive and compels all insuranc,
| companies who have come into the STATE
| since 1889 to pay the fees. It will net
very handsome revenue to the state ant
cause many groans from the corpora
| tons.
The osteopathists are getting to b.
chronic, and another bill in their behal
was introduced in the senate yesterday
While the senate has been turning dow1
a bill making three years desertion tn,
time required to secure a divorce, tn,
house has been splitting the differenc,
| and passed, by decisive vote, bill
making the period two years instead O.
one. as at present. The temper of tn.
senate as far as shown. is in favor o.
adhering to the present law but it may
accept the house compromise measure.
The bill for the taxing of express com
panies 6 per cent on their gross earn
ings was recommended to pass. The
senate has similar bill pending but no
SO radical. Between the two houses thu
express companies will undoubtedly be
hit fairly heavily.
If legislation can. prevent it, the bind
ing Irvine trust will not have an oppor
suAhIy ~ Uuy any VI the Stdle pI1SoH out
put this year. Another bill has been in
troduced. making two now pending tt
prevent such result.
st. Paul, Feb. 10.-"Now will you b.
good" This was. in effect. what a bill
introduced by Secretary Barker yester
day says to Anoka and Hastings. L
provides for two insane asylums, one II
each town and as a guarantee of goot
faith adds an appropriation of $4,000 t
buy the site at Hastings. AS the Anoks
site has already been purchased, thi!
will put the towns on par and love