The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1901-01-25
BILL WAS CHANGED
AS a Result the Governor Sign.
ed One That Had Not Passed.
Investigation Asked for in the Express
Companies, Taxation Matters.-.-
Other Legislative Gossip.

ST. Paul, Jan. 1S-The senate
passed a couple of bills yesterday
morning, but outside of that nothing
particular was done except the intro
duction of bills The senate bills were
increased from % to 33, and the house
bills from 40 to 81.
Express companies have escaped a
gross earnings tax during the past two
years, and there is desire in many
quarters to ascertain the identity of
the person or persons who came to
the rescue of the express companies
and tempered with the Legislative bills.
In the SO session after a sharp con-
test, it was decreed by both houses
that express companies lie other in
terstate public service concerns should
pay gross earnings tax of Az per
cent. This was compromise, as it
was originally proposed that the tax
should be per cent.
When the bill reached Governor
Lind the figures "41s" had by some
occult and still inexplicable means been
transformed into "5. - The bill was
signed by the governor under the i'm
preston. THAT everything was regular.
But inasmuch as it was an entirely
different bill from the one passed by
the legislature it was wholly invalid
ated and the express companies escaped
the gross earnings tax AS the ''mis
take was of great benefit to the COM
panies it was generally agreed that it
was not wholly unintentional.
Senate yesterday started investi
eating express bill' juggling.
Senator Miller of Luverne, introduced
a resolution asking for the appoint
ment of joint investigating commit
tee consisting of two members of the
senate and three members of the house
The committee is to have access to all
the books, papers and records and will
have the authority to compel the at
tendance of any one desired as wit
ness
1t is believed that the house will'ap-
prove of the plan and will name three
members of the committee in very
few days.
BY passing two bills yesterday the
senate settled down to it's regular
business. The first one aside from
the usual expense appropriation, was
that of Senator johnson providing the
public library boards shall elect secre-
taries who shall also look after their
moneys. The bill was given it's second
and third readings and passed under
suspension. An act to help out law
yers was passed at the request of Sena-
tor Wilson. 1t compels the publishers
of the Minnesota reports to give credit
and references in the Northwestern
Reporter when quoting from it's pages.
Senator Grue of Kandiyohi intro
duced two insurance bills. One
amended section relating to town
insurance companies, permitting them
to insure creameries as well as farm
property. The other provided that
members of mutual companies were
deprived of their rights an failure to
pay premiums or assessments. The
contract is to lapse without notice and
the company may recover the earned
premium.
Senator Wilson's bill relating to log
marks in the second district provides
for the transfer and re-entry of the log
marks in this district from the old
records into new books. Log marks
are made public records.
The fact that Minnesota capitol
was at one time proposed ITO be erected
in the wilds of Kandiyohi county was
again brought to public attention by
Senator Grue. He wants the Iegisla-
ture to provide for the drainage of the
state capitol lands in Kandiyohi, and
to lease them to the best advantage. A
four mile ditch in length, and extend
ing from Lake Lillian, is provided for
in his bill.
Senator Snyder introduced bill
calling for the creation of state board
of control to manage all the penal re-
formatories and charitable institutions
of the state. 1t is a duplicate of the
Torson bill in the house.
Senator Thompson wants to deprive
telephone and telegraph companies of
their exclusive privilege of using public
highways for telephone and telegraph
lines. 1t frequently becomes desirable
for private individuals or concerns, in
establishing private telephone lines to
make use of the public roads, but
under the present laws they are pre-
vented from doing SO. By his bill pri-
vate individuals will be granted the
same rights and privileges as telephone
companies incorporated for the pur-
pose.
Included in the bills introduced in
session are to be found many in the in
terests of which the statesmen of two
years ago fought, bled and died Mr..
Hurd of st. Paul undaunted by the
successful opposition in 1899 to the bill
of that year placing the Office of the
state oil inspector on salary basis,
brought in the measure this morning.