The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1901-03-28
A LEGISLATIVE SCANDAL.

LEGISLATIVE SCANDAL.
The present session of the state
legislature opened with a promise
of clean record. The members
elected two United States senators
without delay, and addressed them
selves to the business in hand,
making excellent progress, so that
a short session was made possible,
and an early adjournment was
agreed upon. So far so good.
A law was introduced 10 reduce
the princely earnings of the state
oil inspector who was receiving
from $4,000 to $3.50 year for
work which would be we'll compen-
stated at 81, 400, the salary fixed in
the bllI-the fees going directly to
the state. Under pressure of public
opinion, butwith evidentreluctance
the bill passed but provided that it
should not take effect until 1908.
This was miserable compromise
with duty which it will be difficult
to explain satisfactorily during the
next campaign. The voter will
naturally ask if it were a good law
why it was not made operative i'm
mediately-if a bad one why en-
acted at all?
Then Representative Jacobson
presents a bill for an increase in
the railroad gross earnings tax from
three to four pet cent. The HER.
AIDS first impression was that this
matter should be referred to the
newly-created tax-commission to
ascertain whether the amount was
equitable, and the best method of
taxing all the roads in the state.
1t developed, however, that this
was impracticable in that the
change involved question of con-
stitutionality, and must 60 to the
people to be voted upon, and that
it would be resisted by the rail
roads in the courts.
During the progress or the dis
cussion it developed that the rail-
roads were not only anxious that
the bill be re ferredto the tax commits
sion, but were willing to pay round
ly for such disposition of it. Rep
resentatiVes Jacobson and WASH
burn made the direct charge that
money was being used, and
charged corruption upon their fel.
low members. A committee of in
vestigation vas ordered and ap.
pointed, and the matter rests at
present, the committee not yet hav-
ing commenced its work.
1t soon transpired that the name
of E. c. Hogan, our representative,
was mentioned in connection with
the matter. This, Mr.. Hogan en-
phatically denies. All the HERALD
knows about the matter is contained
in the following from the Pion.
eer Press of last Friday. 1t says:
Mr.. jacobson declines to discuss
what evidence he will have to present
to the investigating committee. 1t
is said that the principal thing for the
committee to investigate is a CONVEX
sation between Mr.. Washburn and
Representative E. G. Hogan. Stearns
county. Mr.. Washburn, it is under
stood, will tell that Mr.. Hogan, in the
course of conversation touching the
gross earnings tax bill, said that a
vote to commit the bill to the tax COM
mission was worth $500 and that an
other member of the house was dis
pensing the money for the railroads.
Mr.. Hogan's connection with w ash
burns evidence became known
through the latter's confidants. Mr..
Washburn admitted that the founda-
ton for his charges lay in q single
conversation. The details of that
conversation he refused to discuss
contenting himself with the statement
that it would 'devolve upon the COM
mittee to decide between his statements
and those of the other party.
Mr.. Hogan was not so reticent. He
discussed the conversation and it's
motive freely. He said: 81 did not
offer Mr.. Washburn q bride nor do I
believe he will'so state. I have from
the first favored referring the gross
earnings bill to /. the tax commission.
II had heard rumorS of bribery and
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