Willmar tribune., 1901-04-10
LEGISLATIVE GOSSIP.

Our Special Correspondent Tells Of
the Solons' Doings. "
The Time Having Passed for Introduction
of Bills, without Consent OF the
Governor, Both Houses Have
Settled to Work.
st. Paul, March 30.-The greatest
fight of the session terminated in the
house yesterday by the passage of the
bill increasing the tax on railroad gross
earnings from to 4 per cent by'a vote
of 7s to SO. This bill was supposed to
be irretrievably dead last week, but it's
friends shrewdly resurrected it, and
when it was reached on it's merits the
members did not dare to vote against it.
The house committee on public build
ings reported out the capitol bill giving
a million dollars to the new capitol,
with the recommendation that it pass.
There will be no opposition to it in the
house, and it has already passed the
senate.
Both houses have passed what is
known as the Younger bill. It allows
life prisoners, after serving IS years, to
be paroled. The Youngers are the only
prisoners at Saltwater corresponding
to this description, and they will doubt
less avail themselves of the new law by
applying to the board of pardons for
release.
st. Paul, April Though there are
only eleven more working days of the
legislative session, there was bare
quorum present Saturday in either SEN
ate or house, and by common consent
no attempt was made to pass bills.
Senator Stockton introduced bill
appropriating 1884, 900 for new build
ings for the deaf, dumb and blind, and
their maintenance, at Faribault. He
took large delegation to Faribault
yesterday Sunday to show them what
he wants with the money.
After long discussion the senate
recommended bill to pass forbidding
parties who secure divorce from mar
rying again for six months
In the house bill was introduced re-
pealing the law just passed creating a
tax commission. The bill was not
taken seriously. The house is getting
restive over the delay Of the committee
appointed to investigate the corruption
alleged to have taken place in connec-
tion with the gross earnings tax bill
and ordered a report on Tuesday. The
committee has not held meeting as
yet.
St. Paul, April 2.-The senate did not
meet yesterday until in the afternoon,
and the entire session was occupied by
the introduction and first reading OF
bills. Only 25 bills were introduced,
though it was the last day for the in
PRODUCTION of bills without the request
of the governor. Two years ago 55
bills were introduced in the senate on
the last day.
In the house only 35 new bills were
introduced, which is much below the
usual number on the last day. AS all
of these bills have to be read at length,
a very considerable portion of the ses.
sion was thus occupied.
Strange as it may seem, there was
not bill of great Importance offered
in either house, with the possible ex.
ception of one fixing the maximum
railroad rates for transporting grain OF
any kind, potatoes and coal from any
point in the state to st. Paul, Mime.
apolis or Duluth.
Governor Van SAINT sent in message
vetoing the bill which provides for a
uniform system of accounting at the
various state institutions
All interest now centers in the omni-
bus appropriation bill, which calls fo1
50, ,OO0, 200. The committee meets every
afternoon to consider the bill and avert
if possible the increase of the tax lew.
St. Paul, April 3.-The senate spent
an hour passing two bills and killing
several others. The bills passed were
to amend the general laws of 1889 re-.
lating to state and county tax levy, and
to reimburse Mobiles county in the sum
of $4,000 for expenses incurred in
stamping out infectious disease. One
of the bills killed was for allowing
teachers to be pensioned.
The senate then took up the primary
election law and worked on it until G
p. m. There were a multitude OF
amendments offered, most of which
were voted down. The bill was con.
sidered section by section, and the sen.
ate was working on the fourth section
when it adjourned.
An evening session was held to hear
railroad attorneys argue against the
gross earnings bill raising the tax from
to 4 per cent. It is the popular i'm.
preston that the bill will pass.
The house indulged in a general
slaughter of bills, and in the aggregate
$250,0oo of appropriations were killed.
Among the bills killed was one fixing
the salary of members of the legisla.
ture at $500 per year. Among the few
bills passed was one allowing the sol.
diers at the soldiers home to retain s.
per month out of ther pension money,
instead of 81 as at present.
st. Paul, April 4.-After devoting the
greater part of yesterday the senate
passed the house primary election bill
by vote OF, As to 10. The act goes into
effect Sept. I, 1901.
Jepson's county option bill was killed.
Gov. Van SAINT asked for the intro.
1duction of a beet sugar bounty bill in
the senate, the house having killed q
measure of that sort on Tuesday. Sen,
ator Wilson presented the bill.
Senator. Sweningsen's now famous
opteometry bill has passed the senate.
The committee on taxation recon.
mends the passage of the gross earn.
s-,.. LII