The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1901-03-29
MARRIAGE BILL.
Calling For Physicians Certifi'
cate Passes the Senate.
The Cigarette Bill Likely to Become a
Law.---MOve to Make Supt. of Pub
lie Instruction a Four Year
Term.

Chllton yesterday called his
marriage bill from the table, and after
Offering an amendment, asked that
the vote by which it was lost the other
day be reconsidered.
The amendment strikes out the re-
quirement that the physician be well
acquainted with the party who has
applied to him for certificate that
he has examined the applicant and
found him on her to be in sound men
tai condition and not afflicted with
epilepsy, feeble mindedness or insanity.
Senator Sweningson said that If
the bill passed, he did not believe
I there would be a marriage in his
county.
Senator Wilson believed the bill tC
be an excellent measure. 1t imposed
no great hardship upon anyone and
would afford much needed protection
to society. 1t would be much better
for the human family. If such laws
were enforced everywhere. Where
one OF the parents was afflicted with
any of the disabilities it was almost
certain that the children of the union
| would be similarly afflicted. The
| people OF the state were now put to a
| great expense in caring for the child
| rem of such unions, and they were in
creasing rapidly. Somthing should be
done to prevent the propagation OF
idiots and imbeciles
Senator Fitzpatrick denounced the
bill as the worst form of class legisla-
ton. He wanted to know what right
the Legislature had to intefere with the
divine laws of Providence. Surely
marriage was the desirable condition
for all people who had reached matur-
| ity and should be encouraged. The
! people against whom this bill was
| aimed had the same right to life and
happiness that others had.
| Senator McGovern opposed an
amendment making the permission
for feeble minded women to marry
| after DO years Of age apply also to men.
This was adopted. The bill was passed
by vote of "a to II.
Cigarette selling and smoking, too,
are liable to difficulties in this state,
with the strong prospect that the
| HalvorsenA bill will become a
law.
The bill goes back to the senate with
a minor amendment added by the
house. AS that only strikes out the
Imprisonment portion of the penalty
for the sale of cigarettes or cigarette
paper, it looks like small obstacle to
bar the progress of the measure to the
governor.
1t was rather a surprise that the
measure passed the house SO easily
Wednesday afternoon. Without calling
the absentees there were u ayes.
The senate yesterday afternoon passed
the Hickey bill reducing the interest
on state land contracts, but amended
it so that in order to receive the bene-
fit of the reduction in interest the con-
tracts must be held for at least ten
years where payment is made in
less than ten years, the old rate of {
per cent applies. So far as present
contracts are concerned the reduction
will only apply to those on which nc
payment has been made for ten years.
Any highway that has been unused
and unimproved with tax money for
one year may be enclosed by the origi-
nal owner, under bill introduced by
Mr.. johnson, without any further
proceedings except to give thirty days
notice to the town supervisors. Ii the
supervisors refuse to consent the ques-
tion of abandonment must be tried in
court in the usual way.
The term of the state superintendent
of public instruction as heightened to
four years by bill introduced by
Mr. Torson by request. The superin-
tendent's salary is also raised to So, 500
year. He is give an expense fund
of $500 a year, and allowed clerk
at 81, 200.
The board of control bill passed the
senate by a vote of 40 to 16. AS
passed the bill gives the board full
control over the financial transactions
of all the educational institutions of
the state, as we'll as those of a charit-
able and correctional nature.