The Saint Paul globe., 1902-02-02
is A GAME OF GUESS
ALL is UNCERTAINTY ON THE
EVE OF THE EXTRA
SESSION
NO ONE MAKING PREDICTIONS
Powerful Lobby Active Against Tax
Law-L6ts of Things Likely
to Happen Not ON
Schedule.

Everything is in readiness for the ex-
ira session. The governor has practically
finished his message, and is res !yned to
the future The legislative AdlIs are all
prepared for the assembling of the soions
and the statesmen from all parts of Min
nesota are rolling into st. Paul TO te
on hand bright and early for the con-
vening of the session.
Never has a session of the legislature
assembled l., such Il state Of uncertain
ty as to what should se dcne md Nh at
will be done. Uncertainty is III the ?ir,
The governor is pu.~lCn at The clfi. Gk
and none of the agis, Ii rs VII vcrtu: G
a prophecy as to Just what VIII happen
when the members set rap al the hcau-
tful document presented by the tax COM
mission.
The only thing Absolutely certain and
evident is that there viii oke fierce c?-
position to the iiIl, b1th as a Whole aEd
as in part. The opposition mas increased
in strength system anf purpose evajy
day for the last tyo weeks, a}rt approach
the session with eX!r3me confidence.
One noticeable thing Is 3ntc tne mem
bers who so airily pcedlcte17a twenty day
session three weeks agO have no pre-
dictions to make now rs to how lcnS
the session viii last. That it viii be
much longer than was expected is gen
orally conceded The uncertainty Of
session.
The only thing that c"n cut the scs-
sion short Is a IL e2isi0n on Ehe Fart nr
the majority 10 postpone action on the
bill until the naXt regular session, ana
this Is very rer1o-2
Those members Who are m0St desirous
Of limiting the deo7ta on the bill are
willing to admit that tne debate once
begun cannot we'll he lfmlta1. No con-
cession can be made in one direction
without many more being male in ether
directions Once the hill IS attacked IN
one quarter it Wi! be attacked in ether
quarters One amend mont will pave the
way for numerous amendments Gfere
are so many various attitudes t0wal the
bill on the part of members, so many dl-
verse opinions ~ 10 what should be done,
that the outlook cor any kind of harmony
is at this date deci lly foggy
There seems TO Re iittlc likelihood Cf
a caucus As the governor 5 message
will not be submitted until the legislature
meets on Tuesday, it Will be impossible
to hold q caucus on Monday night, as
planned. Once tke message is submitted
and the bill properly before the leg!Sia-
ture, the caucus proposition is apt to be
pretty bitterly fought
The lobby against the tax law viii be
one of the most powerful ever seen at 4
legislative session 1t is actively at work
now.
Many Hammers Swinging.
Every member of the legislature has
been flooded with circulars and petitions
in opposition to the law. The grain men
have sent out letters; the Twin City job
bers have been busy mailing circulars
to the members; the 1unltermcn are work
ing hard: bankers are busy giving their
representatives parting advice; local op-
position in every small city of the state
is stifrening the backbone Of the legis-
lators; resolutions of citizens committees
are being shot hot AZ the members, ard
the labor unions are sending out oppo-
sitiun literature all OvLr the state.
Organized labor IS especially bitter To-
ward the proposed exemption clause.
Workingmen generally deem this as a
direct blow at the poor man
1t has also been pointed Out that There
is menace to the worlinsnnan in one OF
the constitutional amendments proposed
by the tax conmission-tha- the lcalsla-
4ure may authorize municipal corporations
to levy assessments for lncal ltnpreVe~
ments upon the property benefited. with
out regard to the cash valuation. 1t Is