The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-03-25

JACOBSON BILL IS DOOMED
Prospect of the Lac Qui Parle
Statesman's Measure Passing
Present Legislature Seems
Very Remote.

That the house, with the senate viii
close it's doors on April II; that the
Jacobson gross earnings bill shall be re-
ferred to the state tax commission for
consideration; that the charges of brib-
cry made in connection with this bill
shall be carefully investigated by a COM
mittee from the house; that the original
reapportionment plan, with one slight
exception, shall obtain in redistricting
the state; that no firm, corporation or
individual shall sell, buy or give away
cigarette or cigarette paper; that no tel
egraph company shall be held legally re-
sponsible for the mental anguish of its
patrons; that all doors, curtains and such
other distractions that may shield from
view the interior of wine rooms shall be
removed, the house of, representatives
last week determined.
The fiercest fight of the session was
that made upon the Jacobson gross earn
ings bill, which contemplates an increase
in the gross earnings railroad tax from
g to 4 per cent. This having become a
regular biennial measure, proposed each
session by the same gentleman, brought
on repetition Of the fights that have
ensued in the past. The debate on the
bill was of the most passionate character,
and this session of the legislature would
be memorable by reason of the bitter
fight and the diSreputable charges grow
ing out of the Introduction of this meas
ure, If for no other cause. The fact that
the bill has been temporarily Shelved,
by referring it's subject matter to the
tax commission, and the measure itself
having been tabled. renders a statement
of it's ultimate outcome impossible now.
Mr.. Jacobson may exercise his parlia-
mentary right at any time and have the
measure taken from the table to renew
the fight upon it. But it is highly i'm
L L.
present legislature.
One serious obstacle to further progress
ON this measure comes in the form of an
other bill referring in way to the gross
earnings tax, which was placed before
the house Saturday by Mr.. Laybourn,
the leader of the opposition to the Jacob
son bill. The fact that Mr.. Jacobson
finally succeeded in getting his bill print
ed and laid on the table will scarcely be
sufficient to warrant it's success now,
for the Laybourn bill will no doubt be
given precedence over that of jacobson.
and naturally enlisting the support of the
anti-Jaeobson people, will be made to
crowd out if possible the other bill.
Mr.. Laybourn's bill provides for a d.
vision OF the state gross earnings tax by
apportioning 80 per cent of it to the vari-
GUS counties and allowing the state to
retain but 10 per cent for it's use.
Z
Charges of unfairness by Messrs
Jacobson and Washburn. friends of the
gross earnings bill, made in the house
against the enemies of the bill. led to
series OF dramatic proceedings which
have not found counterpart in the
legislature this session. Not ending there
the serious accusations of these two rep
resentatives had led to the appointment
by the speaker, of committee OF five
AZ
port fully of their work to the house.
In order that the matter may receive
the fairest treatment the house has en-
powered it's committee to summon wit
nesses and administer oaths. There is a
live determination to go to the bottom
Of the charges, which do not seem quite
as large now as when they were made
by the excited representatives. In the
event of their failure to substantiate
the grave accusations made against some
OF their colleagues, the accusers may suf-
fer serious consequences. The house de-
sres to have the stigma cleared and the
expulsion of the members making the
charges, will be likely to follow If the
proof of their accusations is not forth
coming.
A rather drastic measure is the Hal
vorson bill passed by the house early in
the week, which prevents the sale, pur-
chase or giving away of cigarettes or
anything pertaining thereto in the state.
The wine room bill, which provided that
all these resorts should be abolished
failed to pass the house, but a similar
measure. which only removes the doors
or enclosures of whatever description
they may be, was adopted.
After weeks of Scrambling the house
and senate too, passed the Daugherty
reapportionment plan with but one ex-
ception that being a concession granted
to the friends of the amendment of Rep
resentative Larson, which provides that
Waseca shall be placed in the First dis
trict instead of the Second as the
original bill had it.
It was deemed a piece of radical legiS-
latien to attempt ito force telegraph
companies to pay for the mental suffer-
ing of persons to whom they had trans
mitted kilograms and the bill of S. ID.
Peterson, which sought to bring about
such law, was defeated in the house
by an overwhelming majority. The de-
cision of the house was that the degree
of mental anguish was impossible OF esti-
nation or decentralization
Much to the surprise of a number of
the legislators the early adjournment
proposition prevailed In the house as
well as the senate, but the original date,
April 5, was not adopted. The session
will terminate April IL. Accompanying
this decision the house decided to re-
quest the governor to call an extra seS>
sion in February, 1902 at which time
the report of the state tax commission
will be received and acted upon. The
present session being shortened ten days,
ypaans that the extra session will con-