Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1901-02-21
LEGISLATIVE GOSSIP.
Gathered Here and There About Hotel
Lobbies BY Tribune
Va Scribes.

! IIoTo WAS d hearty rOunQ o applause
yesterday when Representative Leech
assumed the chair as acting speaker.
Finn filled the chair and the bill in good
shape. .- I
1t took the house two hours yester-
day to get through with the routine COM
mittee reports, Had there been less rag
chewing and close attention to business
all the work of the house could have
been cleaned up.
The members made a big kick over the
fee bill for the land department. yester-
day and defeated the bill. Fees have
been charged in the department for sew
eral years and never a kick has been
registered by lessees or contract holders.
The bill is a m%eritorious measure and
should pass.
The munifcent sum of $500 has been
granted for the repair of the executive
mansion, during the next two years.
There are many badly needed repairs
both inside and outside and it is doubted
if the sum will cover the really necessary
work. There should be something else
done at the executive mansion to make
it equal to the homes OF many of the peo-
pie in elegance and refinement. There
should be some handsome paintings or
engravings purchased by the state to
cover the bare walls of the house. The
state does not own a picture in the
building and the governor must furnish
these embellishments Of let the walls go
bare and be criticised for his bad taste.
Every public building of the kind has
these articles of adornment and art, and
just because we are a little prairie state
is scant reason why, many think, we
should fall behind others in good taste.
It was singular and at the same time
amusing to note the vicious attack on
the bill to raise county commissioners
pay from So to SIS per day. The fight was
not confined to either house, as the pro-
position failed in the senate except where
it applied to Cass and Grand Forks coun-
ties. The house committee amended
the bill to make the application general,
and when the matter came up in the
house committee of tho whole there was
a lot of valuable time and wind lost.
The bill finally was recommended for
passage. In many instances the commits
sioners do not get enough out of their
pay to meet expenses unless they put up
at the cheapest houses and scrimp at ev-
cry point. They are taken from their
own work at times when it is of the
greatest Inconvenience and loss, they are
subject to the roasts of the entire COM
munity if they happen to tread on some
body's toes and have the most thankless
task of any official in the county. The
increased pay is but a trife compared to
the expense bills that are passed by the
same objectors without a wink of the
eye.
Cass county has every reason to be
proud of her delegation in the legislature.
Senator Lewis has made q splendid
record in the upper house as his habit of
reducing financial propositions to a
commonsense business basis has done
much to solve the debt problem of the
state, and it is conceded on all sides that
his plan for carrying on the state educa-
tional institutions is the simplest and
easiest on the taxpayer of any proposition
yet made. He stands we'll with his
brother members and ready at all times
to help through measures he is convinced
are of merit. 1t was a good proposition
to send such a successful business man
to the senate and the district has more
than maintained all its old prestige in
that body. Senator Wolbert is also one
of the most indefatigable workers of the
senate and has a large number Of worthy
measures to his credit. He is popular
with everybody and is a good illustration
that the wide-awake travelling man is a
good thing wherever you place him.
Frank Talcott is making a splendid
record also, for his district. He is the
worthy successor of one of the best men
Cass county ave sent to the legislature
and in his hands the trust has been well
guarded. There is no more popular man
in THE senate and his vote is counted on
the side of m%eritorious measures every
time. His business sagacity is of value
to such a body and his experience as a
practical farmer assures his constituents
that no adverse legislation will. escape
his notice. In the house the members
from Cass county are worthily maintain
ing the trust reposed in them by their
home people. Pollock is making an
enyiable record as a speaker and as
such has fine control of the body under
him. His evident desire to be fair to
all interests has made him popular
and as q presiding officer he dispatches
the business Of the house in good shape
Finn Leech is a worker Of the first
water and his record for the Siintroduc.