The Saint Paul globe., 1899-03-22

| e.
and the Time Was Put In In n
Tedious Consideration of General
Orders-New Bills Introduced
Advance Some New Ideas in Leg
| islatiOn.
The house passed three bills under
| suspension of the rules yesterday and
then took up the calendar. The bill of
| Mr.. Foss (Rep.), Of Grant, relating to a
resurvey of county roads, was defeated
| by vote of so to q and them owing
to the slim attendance, the remainder of
! the day was put In on general orders
| Thirteen bills were advanced to the cal
endar as result of the days work.
The bills of Senator Horton Rep), of
Ramsey, amending the present laws re-
lating to the construction and erection
! OF the new capitol, were on general or
| ders IN the house yesterday. Mr.. Jack
| son (Rep), of Ramsey, explained the
! changes sought to be accomplished by
| the bills, but the motion to recommend
! them for passage was voted down by a
close rising vote of "a to Sc. Mr.. Jacob
son (Rep.), Of Lac qui Parle, was the
| only member to openly oppose the bills,
but there were a sufficient number of
| members to vote with him without say
| ing anything to make the outlook
| dubious.
The first bill, S. F. Ill, allowed the
| commission to hold back from the con-
| tractors such percentage of the contracts
| as in their judgment was deemed proper
| The present law makes the amount to be
retained 10 per cent, and this, it is claim
| ed, is an injustice to the contractors who
| now are required to give a surety bond
| of $500 900. There was little If any oppo-
sition to this bill.
The second bill, S. F. 125, amends the
| existing law so to provide that the
| levy of two-tenths of a mill annually be
| extended until such period as the ST.
| 100000 appropriated be raised. Provision
| was also made allowing the commission
| to anticipate the amount to be raised by
| the issuance of certificates of indebted
ness, the interest on these certificates to
be paid from the general fund by the
| state and not to come from the amount
| appropriated for the construction of the
| capitol.
Mr.. Jacobson (Rep), of Lac qui Parle,
| opposed the bill, claiming that it would
| take away the penalty clause in the orig
| inal bill, which required the building to
| cost but $2,000000, and let down the bars
| so that the state would not know how
| much the capitol would cost. An attempt
had been made, he said every session to
| increase the amount to be allowed for
| the construction of the building. At the
| last session certificates of Indebtedness
| to the amount of $50000 were authorized,
! the interest to be paid out of the fund
Of s2,000,00O The commission explained
| at the time that sufficient money could
| be saved by letting contracts then to pay
| the interest on the certificates The pres
ent bill asked the state to pay interest
not only on the certificates issued, but
on those to be issued, and this would
| allow the commission to eXpend more
than the s2,OO0,0OO originally appropriated.
| If the bars were once let down there
was no telling how much the building
would cost. He was willing to vote for
| the extension Of the tax levy beyond a
period Of ten years, but he would Insist
that the building be finished for the $2,-
| o0OoOO originally appropriated.
! Mr.. Jackson Rep), OF Ramsey, said
| the fears of Mr.. jacobson were not well
| founded The Legislature of 1893 guessed
| wrong, In that 1t thought the levy for
| ten years would be sufficient to construct
| the building. The assessed valuation had
| fallen off, and the commission now asked
| the state to pay interest on the certifi
| Gates which would allow the building to
| be completed without waiting six years.
| 1t was business proposition, and 1t
would be much better for the state to
| pay the interest on the certificates than
to have the building delayed in construc
| ton.
Mr. Riley Rep), of Jackson, favored
! the bills on the ground that 1t would be
| better for the state to pay the interest
on the money rather than delay the
building.
Mr.. Foss Rep), of Grant, took the
same position as did Mr.. jacobson, that
the building should be finished within the
| $2,060,000 appropriation. The people Of
the state were opposed to more than that
| amount being expended and the bill
| would let down the bars for an unlimited
| amount.
The motion to recommend the bills to
| pass was defeated by a rising vote Of
| "a to So. Then progress was reported, Mr..
| Jacobson explaining that he did not de-
sire to cripple the work, but simply have
| the bills amended SO as to keep the
| amount to be expended including the in
terest on any certificates which might be
issued within the 81, ,OO0 600 originally ap-
propriated
SUMMER SCHOOLS SHORT.
Gov. Lind transmitted to the house yes
terday a communication from, Superin-
tendent Of Public instruction Lewis, re-
lating to the deficiency in the fund for
carrying on the work of summer schools.
The governor in his letter Informed the
house that the Importance of the work
was such that an adequate provision
should be made to enable the superin-
tendent to carry out the provisions Of the
existing law.
The matter was referred to the commit
tee on appropriations.
WOULD CLOSE MORE SALOONS.
Mr.. Sloan Rep). in II. F. 540 amends
the present law relating to the desecra-
ton of Decoration day. so as to close all
saloons in the state between the hours
of 10 o. clock In the forenoon and 3 o'clock
in the afternoon. AS the law reads now
it applies only to the closing of saloons
within half a mile Of where such memo
rial exercises are held.
| APPLIES TO ALL ALIKE.
| The house yesterday amended the in
| surance tax bill of Mr.. Guttersen and then
recommended 1t to pass. AS amended the
bill provides for the payment of 21a per
cent gross premium tax by all insurance
companies doing business in the state,
excepting fraternal and mutual fire in
| surance companies.
NO POLL TAX FOR DOGS.
The bill of Senator Shell providing hor
| a poll tax on dogs was killed yesterday
by the house in the committee of the
| whole.