The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1901-03-01
REDUCE INTEREST.
Bill for that Purpose on State
Lands Passes the House.
Bill to Place Electric TrOIIy Roads Under
State Supervision. -=-ChiltOn's Mar
riage Bill Meets an Obstacle.

thehouse yesterday when his bill regulat
! ing the rate of interest upon contracts
arising from the sale of state land,
and reducing the rate from per cent
to per cent, was passed, rs ayes to
80 nays.
! Mr.. Hickey had arrayed against
the measure certain money element.
Nearly all of the farming class voted
with Mr.. Hickey for the bill. Under
the present law purchasers of state
lands cannot pay upon the principal
for term of fifteen years, during
which per cent interest must be paid
1t has been Mr.. Hickey's contention
that most of the interest money is
loaned out to Southern states and in
individuals for and "a per cent. He
believes this money should stay rig hit
{ in Minnesota. In his speech before
! the house today, Mr.. Hickey gave his
arguments in a forcible manner, and
was applauded when he sat down.
| Representative Kelly objected to the
/ bill, as it cut off 1858, 900 per annum
from state revenues, or equal to over
million dollars during the life of
! the contracts in existance He be-
lieved that there would be no trouble
/ whatever in loaning the state funds at
5 per cent at any time, and getting
gilt edged securities.
! Mr.. Deming of Hennepin county,
characterized the bill as being gra-
| tuity to that class of men specializing
in school lands.
! Mr.. Riley was much of the same
opinion.
| Mr.. Plownan spoke in favor of the
bill, believing it would assist the far
! mers in saving money and building up
; their homes.
| On roll call the bill was passed 70
! to 80, to the general satisfaction of the
majority.
! William Buffers bill places electric
trolley roads under the jurisdiction of
! the state railroad and warehouse COM
mission. The bill requires every electric
railroad company to file an annual re-
port of its earnings, operation, and
/ its financial matters, etc. A fine of
500 per day is provided for every
days delay in filing this report after
! July of each year. The railroad and
warehouse commission is given. full
authority to fix and regulate rates,
| charges, fares, ETC., in the same man
ner as rates. ETC., of common carrie rs
are supervised and controlled by the
| commission.
| Minnesota's big university which
turns out star football players, practi-
cal farmers and mechanics, clever en-
gineers, as well as able lawyers, train
| ed doctors and fine scholars, was
| singled out as the beneficiary of three
| bills offered in the senate. Senator
McGill put in two and SenatorThomp-
! son one. The first two relate to the
state agricultural college and the last
provides for college of pedagogy.
One of Senator McGill's bills calls
for gift of 1894, 600 to the school for
| farmers. Of this sum 5000, 900 is to be
! used in the erection of general main
building, with class-rooms, and also
: quarters for the divisions of agricul-
! ture and entomology. The remainder
is to be disbursed as follows: $50, 900
for veterinary building, $50, 900 for
chemical laboratory, $12, 1000 for a
girls dormitory, 81, 500 for building
for killing and curing meat, $3, 900 for
! the enlargement of the blacksmith
shop, So, 900 for changes in the dairy
hall, So, 900 for building for instruc-
! ton and experiments in Swine breed
ing, So, 500 for a building for exhibit
! ing farm machinery.
| Senator McGill also put in bill ap-
propriating $31, 200 for experimental
! substations, a northwestern station at
Crookston at 1922, 900, and a north
| eastern station at Grand Rapids at
| So, 300.
A lively dispute was started when
Senator Somerville's bill, providing
| for the appointment of referees to ad
! Just fire losses was reached on general
orders. The bill provides for the ap-
| pointment of referees by the district
court, instead of by the parties inter
ested. Senator Snyder said that he had
found the present system quite salts
factory. He believed the new plan
would prove hardship in the country
where the judicial districts were large
and the judges not accessible except by
travelling great distances. Senator
Greer, and Thompson were not wor-
ried about this but were much exer-
, cised over the matter in which the in
surance companies, they said invari-
ably profit though arbitration.
1t occurred to Senator Stockwell that
adjusters were legitimate, as expert
enced men were better than the mex
perienced. This gave Senator Somer-
vile an opportunity to relate the story
of the suit of Miss Lima Christianson,
the Minneapolis dressmaker, against
| ten insurance companies which re-
| fused to pay losses caused by fire to
| her establishment and demanded ar
| bitration. This seemed to have it's
effect, for when the vote was taken
there was an overwhelming number in
favor of recommending the bill foIr
| passage.
Senator Roverud had Senator Chill
toms marriage bill sent to the judi
ciary committee without losing its
place on the calendar. Senator Nc
Govern said he favored the bill, but
thought the provision requiring GER
tificate from a physician or physicians
| that they know the family history of
the young people, and that they are
not afflicted with mental incompet-
ency, should be stricken out. Many
young people contemplating marriage
have never employed a physician, and
consequently could not obtain such a
certificate.
Representative Armstrong would pre-
vent re petition of the recent lodging
house horror in Minneapolis by re-
curing each lodging house, inn or
hotel-keeper to keep hempen rope
fire escape in each oustide bedroom,
such rope to be not less than half inch
in diameter. Buildings properly pro-
tected with metal fire escapes are not
subject to the above provision.
| A bill to create municipal consta-
bulary was introduced by Representa-
tive Wilder 1t provides for the cleo
| tion of a constable in each ward. at