The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1901-03-01
LEGISLATIVE GOSSIP
Our Special Correspondent Tells Of
the Solons' Doings.
Bills are Being Rapidly Introduced and
Sent on Their Way by the Commit
tee of the Whole But Few
Have Become Laws.

L.. L L d
attempt to introduce politics into leg
islation Saturday, but it came to
naught. Senator Stockwell introduced
resolutions against the ship subsidy
bin>and against retaining the Philip
pines. Both were promptly laid on
the table, and as motion to table is
not. debatable, there was no oppor-
tunity for flights of oratory.
q Among the bills introduced was the
one creating a board of opteometry,
which is to,regulate opticians. prevent
ing physicians who are general prac-
titioners from treating the eyes. and
requiring parties selling eye glasses
and spectacles to pass an examination
and secure license. The bill is evil
IDENTIFY based on the theory that none
are so blind as those who won't see,
and it proposes to make them see
whether they will or not. 1t is quite
evident that the eye specialist who in
vented the bill can see a hole through
a skinner with the naked eye.
Senator McGill introduced bill Gre
ating a fund to pension school teach
ers in districts having over 5, 900 peo-
pie. 1t sets apart l per cent of the
salaries paid to create the fund. 1t is
sort of enforced savings bank pro-
vided for the teachers by the teachers
themselves, and if the same set of
teachers remain in the same district
40 or so years they will have laid up
quite a bank account for their old age.
1t will make the young lady teachers
independent of marriage to secure a
home.
ST. Paul, Feb. 19.-The senate passed
the anti-cigarette bill, with only five
opposing votes. The only argument
who have come to Minnesota are adj
dicted to cigarettes and it was an in
justice to prevent their using them.
AS the Russian vote is not very large,
this argument did not cut much figure
and the bill went through.
Senator Wilson's bill requiring dis
trict judges to render decisions within
four months after the cases are SUBJ
mitted also passed.
A bill was introduced in the senate
making it misdemeanor for man to
accept transportation from his en-
ployer and then refuse to work it out.
1t has become quite custom for men
seeking employment in the lumber
camps in the woods to accept trans
portation and, when they arrive, go to
work in some adjacent camp and re-
fuse to work out the amount of money
paid by the intended employer for
their railroad ticket.
The civil service bill for school
teachers was indefinitely postponed in
committee of the whole.
A bill was introduced in the senate
making the salary of probate judges
5000 per year, and for each additional
thousand an increase, up to $4,000, a
total of $1,000, and $50 for each addi-
tional thousand until 81, 900 is reached,
which is to be the maximum.
All the road and bridge bills which
have been introduced in the house
were sent to a common grave yester-
day. This was on the ground that the
constitutional amendment of 1898 Gre
ated state highway commission,
which alone has authority to disburse
the road and bridge fund.
The expected happened when Repre-
sentative Jacobson introduced again
the bill which was fought over SO Wig
orously two years ago, increasing the
gross earnings tax on railroads from
3 per cent, to per cent. The bill pro-
vides that it shall be voted upon at the
general election in 1902.
Z The omnibus appropriation bill for
the normal schools at Winona, Man
kato, ST. Cloud, Moorhead and Duluth
was introduced. The amount appro-
priated is $214.O0O, of which $40, 600 is
for new building at Winona, So, 900
for building at st. Cloud, and $50, 600
for new building at Moorhead.
Another bill of Importance offered
in the house transfers SIS, 900 from the
general revenue fund every two years
to the road, and bridge fund.
A joint session of the senate and
house was held to pay tribute to the
late Senator C. K. Davis. Eloquent
eulogies were pronounced by Lieut..
Gov. Smith. Senators Snyder, Meow
ern and Mccarthy. and Representatives
Roberts, Hurd, Riley and Pennington.
st. Paul. Feb. 20.-The bill offered
at the instance of the State Grocers'
association was the leading feature in
the session of the senate yesterday.
The bill allows mans wages above
SO per week to be garnisheed. This
does not really reduce the amount
which was before exempt, but allows
the garnishee to be made weekly.
There was good deal of opposition
to it, on the ground that the working
men should be protected, but the bill
was finally recommended to pass by
80 to 26.
The other bone of contention was
the bill cutting down the fees of coun-
ty clerks. The bill has been having
pretty plain sailing. but the clerks
have seemingly rallied to protect their
interests, and the bill went over with
out any vote indicating it's strength.
The house spent its entire time in
committee of the whole and almost all
of that time was devoted to discussing
Speaker Dowling's bill raising the pay
of county commissioners from S. to 81
per day. The bill itself was not d.
rectly acted upon, but a motion to in
definitely postpone was defeated by SO
nays to "a yeas, which indicates its