The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1901-02-01
LIMIT MARRIAGE.
That is the Object of Bill In
PRODUCED by Senator Chiffon.
A Normal School Fund to be Created.--'
Digest of Numerous Other Measures
Which Confront the SolOns.

yesterday received several important
measures a brief outline of which lis
given below. The number of bills be-
fore the senate were increased from 70
to 81, and in the house from lis to
1873.
Society must be physically regener-
ated, in the opinion of DR.. E. G.
Chiffon of Howard Lake, and being
a state senator in active service he
proposes to work a regeneration by
legislation. Only people of sound
mind with a good pedigree as to men
tai soundness are to be eligible to as
sumo the responsibilities of marriage,
according to bill introduced to pro-
hibit persons who are epileptic, feeble
minded, imbeciles or chemically in
sane from marrying. The penalty is
a fine not to exceed 81, 900 or imprison-
ment not to exceed five years.
All candidates for marriage must
present themselves before licensed
physician, who is to make such ex-
animation as may be necessary and is
sue certificate which must accom-
pany the application for a marriage
license. No license may be issued un-
less the requisite certificate of sound
mind is produced and clergyman or
magistrate may not perform the marri-
age ceremony unless the license is regu-
lar For violations of this part of the
law fine of 81, 900 with the alterna-
tive of not more than three years i'm
prisonment may be imposed.
DR.. Chiffon says his bill is not
nearly so radical as the proposed Wis
consin and Colorado measures In
fact, while admitting that his PROPOSE
ton is an innovation, DR.. Chiffon
| thinks it is very conservative meas
ure To prohibit the intermarriage of
persons of unsound or weak minds is
to protect the community and the re-
suit will tend eventually to reduce
greatly the rapidly increasing popula-
tion in the many insane hospitals and
similar institutions, he says. The plan
proposed by DR.. Chiffon is recon-
mended by Superintendent A. G.
Rogers of the state school for feeble
minded at Faribault, who has made a
life long study of the subject.
Friends of the normal schools are
! seeking the same recognition for nor
NAL schools that the university enjoys
an annual tax levy. Under the pre-
sent law mill is set apart each year
for the..general school fund and 23-100
of mill for the university. The nor
NAL schools now established, it is esti-
mated, could be very handily supported
by annual appropriation upon basis
of 3O-1OO of mill for their exclusive
| use.
Mr.. Laybourn of Duluth has, there
fore, introduced bill creating state
normal school fund for the support and
maintenance of normal schools. Mr..
Laybourn said that those who repre-
sent normal school interests are obliged
to engage in a hand-to-hand struggle,
| almost, to secure an allowance in the
genera appropriation bill for main
tenance and necessary repairs. The
appropriations committee does not al
| ways have unlimited sums at it's COM
mand. Under the departure proposed
in the Laybourn bill the Legislature need
be appealed only to when new build
ings are desired
The amount available for normal
school fund under a thirty one-hun-
dredths of mill levy would approx
mate $175, 900, an average OF $50, 900
for each of the five state normal
schools The omnibus bill of last ses-
sion carried grand total of $133. 900
| for the maintenance of four of the nor
NAL schools, the work upon the build
ing at Duluth not having progressed
to point where the structure was
ready for occupancy. There will be
pupils in attendance before the next
session, however. and it will be in
cumbent upon this legislature to appro-
pirate money for running expenses if
there is no provision made by way o
tax levy.
The Laybourn bill repeats number
of special laws passed from time to
time in the interest of indivi dual in
situations.
Much difficulty has been experienced
by city and other local assessors in
listing grain in public warehouses for
taxation on account of the uncertainty
of ownership Ownership is shown by
warehouse receipts or certificates which
change hands sometimes several times
day. This fact, with the disinclin-
alton of elevator officials to furnish
information to. assessors, has permitted
much grain to escape taxation. Sena-
tor DAILY of Perham, has drafted bill
which provides that all grain in eleva-
tors and warehouses is to be assessed
against the owners of the buildings.
Statements as to their contents must
be furnished to the proper officials on
the first of each May. The law further
provides that the owners of elevators
and warehouses are to have lien on
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