The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1901-04-19
A GOOD RECORD.
Session Just Closed Compares
FavOrably With the Past.
Many Important Laws Enacted and Less
Time Consumed in the
Work.
Minneapolis Journal:

Il
legislature which adjourned today is
| the best in the history of the state.
A high mark has been set for succeed
ng legi slatures to emulate.
| Never were so many important meas
ures presented to Minnesota legisla-
ture, and never were measures given
more thorough consideration. The
record of bills passed is splendid one:
To one unfamiliar with the work OF
the session, it is only necessary to
, glance at the following statement OF
work accomplished. The Legislature
which adjourned today.
| Elected two United States senators.
| Reapportioned the state into nine
congressional districts.
Provided for commission to revise
and codify the tax laws of the state.
Provided for a commission to revise
and codify the statutes.
Passed primary election law, by
which party nominees will be chosen
directly by the people.
Created state board of control to
supplant separate boards in the man
agement of the charitable, penal and
correctional institutions of the state
Passed bill raising the gross earn
ings tax on railway properties to 4 per
cent, to be approved by the people at
the next general election.
Placed the office of state oil inspec-
tor on salary basis commencing Jan.
1, 1908
Raised the gross earnings tax on ex-
press companies from to per cent
Gave the Torrens system of land
title registration a start by applying
it to the three largest counties
Passed an inheritance tax act
And did all this in short session
of seventy nine working days, which
will permit an extra session without
extra expense This session will next
year enact the work Of the tax COM
mission into law.
Had the legislature done these things,
and no more, the members would have
earned their hire The state can well
afford every cent the session cost.
Many other measures of more or less
importance and necessity were ground
through the legislative mill, but the
solons of 1901 may we'll rest their
claims to fame on the foregoing list
In spite of the early adjournm ent,
the work was cleaned up in better
shape than at any session in recent
history. A total of 73S bills were in
PRODUCED in the house, and SOB in the,
senate. Yet so smoothly did the
wheels move that night sessions were
not necessary until the last night of
the session.
The presiding officers, desk forces
and leading members displayed bust
ness ability and industry. Nothing
was allowed to drag Only six legis-
lative days were wasted by recesses.
The session lasted through seventy
nine legislative days. which does not
include Sundays and holidays. The
two houses were in session seventy
three days. Compare this with the
session of 1899, when the full ninety
days were used. The Legislature was
then in actual session seventy nine
days having lost eleven by recesses.
This session lasted just ninety-fve
calendar days. and it is on that basis
that the per diem of members and en-
ployes is computed.
Junketing was very little INDUCED
in, except by committees in search of
information.
The early days of the session did
not promise much. The senatorial
fight obscured everything else, and
delayed attention to matters of legisla-
ton. When it was settled, members
were tired, and moved listlessly for a
while The early adjournment pro-
position stirred things up. Those who
had bills to get through began to ex-
pediate business, and the latter part of
the session both houses worked under
a full mead of steam, clearing the
decks in magnificent shape. The meas
ure of most Importance to all were out
of the way before the last week, which
was devoted to the dispatch of bust
ness more routine in character.
State campaigns in off years are
necessarily fought on state issues. 1t
is for the dominant party to make the
issues, and to the legislature of 1901
was entrusted the task of creating
campaign arguments for the party to
put forward in 1909. Both branches
were Republican by an overwhelming
vote. The Democrats had only nine
teen out of sixty three senators, and
twenty three out of 119 members of
the lower house. The Republican
majority succeeded beyond all expec-
tations. The list of measures cited
above will be campaign thunder
enough to spare. The gross earnings
bill and the primary election bill were
passed in response to popular demand,
and the people will be inclined to feel
gratitude to the party which put their
pet measures through. There was also
considerable popular demand for the
Hurd bill, and the action of the senate