The Worthington advance., 1901-01-25
LEGISLATIVE GOSSIP
Our Special Correspondent Tells Of
the Solous' Doings.

Our Special Correspondent Tells Of
the Solons' Doings.
But Little Work 10 Done---Everything
Seems to Walt Upou tho Pending
Senatorial Struggle.
st. Paul, Jan. 15-After a recess
since last Thursday both houses met
last night. It was q mere matter Of
form to adjourn until Monday even
Ing. because nothing was expected to
be done, but it gives the appearance
In the journal of a legislative day.
The senate, true to its traditions,
simply met, called the roll and ad.
journed.
The house made little more Of
showing, seven bills being introduced.
One bill was devoted to regulating
elections. Another provides for mix
ing up the names on the official ballot,
alternating the candidates in print ac-
cording to politics. II 1T ever should
become law, it would mix the politi-
cal children up to q degree that an in
telligent man would require ten min
utes to mark his ballot, and the unin-
telligent would not get through before
the polls closed.
A third bill provides for the burial
OF honorably discharged soldiers at
the expense of the state.
No one expects that there will be
any very serious attempt at legisla-
tion until the short term senatorship
contest is settled, and no one knows
when that will be. OF course there
will be numerous bills introduced and
sent to committees, but the commit
tees will not have time to consider
them.
Since Mr.. Lowry and Mr.. Bixbv
have come into the senatorial race
things begin to warm up, and the great
topic is when to hold a caucus. No
one expects a caucus will have any re-
suit, but some are anxious to have q
showdown of strength. It looks very
much as though the fight would have
to be settled in the open legislature,
and at this writing it is anybody's
prize.
St. Paul Jan. 16.-The legislative
session yesterday was brief, as it is
likely to be until the senatorial ques-
tion is over. Lieut.. Gov. Smith an
nounced his committees in the senate
and Speaker Bowling in the house.
The senate committees are very much
the same as two years ago, as it is the
same body of men. At that time the
lieutenant governor took the position
that men of experience like ex-Gover-
nor McGill and ex-Attorney-G General
Wilson had already been honored by
the state and consequently should not
be given much prominence in the leg
islatnre. His committees this year
are made up on much the same basis.
Speaker Bowling had, of course, en-
tirely new material to work upon and,
as usual some could not get just the
position they wanted. Mr.. jacobson,
however, is we'll satisfied with the
craftsmanship of the committee on ap-
preparations.
The appointment of James Martin
who was clerk of the judiciary COM
mittee to the position of executive
clerk to the governor has brought
forth host of applicants for the COM
mittee clerkship. Among them is ex-
Lieut.. Gov. Yale formerly of Winona
but now a resident of st. Paul. The
position pays $40 dollars day.
Among the bills introduced in the
senate was one extending the primary
election law of Hennepin county over
the whole state. There were six other
bills offered, but none of general i'm
portance except one which stops the
pay of judge who does not decide a
case in ninety days after it is submit
ted, unless the parties in interest stip-
ulate taat he can have more time.
It was appointment day in the house
and the speaker named committee
clerk, janitor, seven door and cloak
room keepers, two file clerks and seven
pages Representative Berg wants
more pages and offered resolution
providing for their increase. Proba-
bly, Speaker Dowling's appointments
did not include Mr.. Berg's favorites.
There were fifteen bills introduced
in the house, nearly all of them amend
ing the statutes and none of startling
Importance. No one is in frame of
mind to legislate on anything import
ant when each one feels that the des-
tiny of the United States rests on his
vote for the senator.
It has been agreed to hold repub-
lican caucus Friday night, and if by
any accident there should be nomi-
nation (which is hardly likely the
legislature would then go to work.
st. Paul. Jan. 1.-THE sessions of
both senate and house yesterday were
short, as they will undoubtedly con-
tinue to be, until the weighty question
of the senatorship is disposed of.
Ten bills were introduced in the SEN
ate and sixteen in the house, all Of
which went to appropriate committees
where they will remain for some time
before being heard from.
One of the senate bills authorizes
county commissioners to employ ex-
perts, or perhaps detectives, to hunt
up tax dodgers. It has grown to be a
regular business for class of men, ex-
perienced in that line of work, to go
to county commissioners and offer to
collect taxes on shares, the general
charge being one half of oil they col
lect. In some cases this arrangement
has been carried out and in others
some indignant tax payer has brought
suit to prevent the commissioners
from making the division and the
courts haye decided that it was IN IL
legal act on their part. The bill Of
fered in the senate authorizes the
IN s,,oh