The Worthington advance., 1901-01-25

appoint three men as = state board Of
control who shall have charge of all
the state. This board Is to appoint
wardens, superintendants and all ex-
ecutive officers of the institutions
thereby taking much patronage away
from the governor. The secretary is
to have a salary of $4,000, and the
Office of state architect is created,
with salary of $3, 900 attached.
st. Paul, MINI. Jan. 18.-Thcre
seems to be disposition to put the
state institutions under the charge of
board of control. A bill to that
effect was offered in the house Wednes-
day and yesterday one came into
the senate.
The senate bill provides for a salary
Of S., 500 for each of the three MEM
bers of the board. They are to be ap-
pointed by the governor at first, as the
railroad commissioners were, but prob
ably in the end will be made direct
political issue by being elected by the
people.
Senator Miller has never been salts
fed over the fact that the express COM
panies have escaped the payment Of
tax on their gross earnings, and he
moved for the appointment of COM
mittee to find out the reason why.
The bill as passed two years ago levied
q tax of ~ per cent on their gross
earnings, but it was enrol led per
cent, and was so signed by the Cover
nor. This enables the express COM
panies to escape the tax. The investi-
eating committee appointed yesterday
has the power to send for persons,
books or papers.
In the house Rukard Hurd of st.
! Paul introduced the usual bill to pay
the oil inspector salary and turn the
fees in to the state. Such measure
has bobbed up serenely every session of
the legislature for the past twenty
years and is one of those spasms of re-
form that die a-bornin,. Mr.. Hurd was
elected from the Seventh ward in St.
Paul. Eli Warner lives in the Seventh
ward and opposed Hurd's nomination.
It is reported that Eli Warner is to be
the oil inspector. Hence these mi-
crobes.
The entire legislative session in both
| branches was dull and the members
were thinking great deal more about
the caucus than they were about legis-
lation.
St. Paul, Jan. 19.-Yesterday came
/ a ~ hoSr ~
day since the legislature met. The
senatorial caucus last night engrossed
the thoughts and attention of every
one, SO that no one cared to engage in
any serious business.
But few bills were introduced, and
those not of general character.
lc the senate the most prominent
thing was a proposed increase of the
senate committee on reapportionment
from seven to eleven. 1t is considered
settled that Minnesota will gain two
congressman under the new census,
and the bone of contention is whether
the state shall he redistricted, making
nine districts, or whether the two ad-
! ditional men shall be elected at large.
| The appointments of Ex-Governor
Lind, made since the last legislature
adjourned, still remain unconfirmed
and the senate postponed considera-
| tion another week.
The only sensational matter in the
house was the prayer of the chaplain,
appealing to the deity for an honest
caucus.
Fourteen ballots were taken at the
caucus last night, but without definite
result, and an adjournment was taken
until this afternoon. The vote stood:
Evans SO, Clapp As, Tawney 20, Bixby
z, Lowry 8, McCleary 2.