The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-03-07
s-esnzSssr--
BUSY DAY IN SENATE
sOLoNs APPLIED THEIR WISDOM TO
MANY AND DIVERSE
PROBLEMS
BOARD OF CONTROL BILL UP
Senate Passes Bill Providing for
Constitutional Amendments Re-
Iating to TaxatiOn-SenatOr
Ives CUISINES Poetry.

With the Anderson bill, the board of
control the taxation of grain in eleva-
tors and the constitutional amendments,
the senate had a busy time all day yes
terday the net result being that the bl.i
providing for constitutional amendments
relating to taxation was passed after
several attempts had been made to
amend it, all Of which faxed.
Besides considering these measures, the
senate waded through multitude of
small bills of local or little Importance.
At the close of the session yesterday
afternoon a communication was received
by the governor, accompanied by a let
ter from Attorney General Douglas, ask
ing that the legislature pass a resolution
asking the Minnesota representatives in
congress to work for the amenoment OF
the judiciary acts, which prohibit state
from appearing in the United States cir
cult court in a civil suit
The communication is the result of the
supreme court decision in regard to the
so-called merger, but the senate, in pass
ing the resolution yesterday, did so with
the explicit understanding that it was
to have no bearing on any case brought
against the Northern Securities company.
Senator Wilson, who moved for the
passage of the resolution, informed the
senate that it would have nothing to do
with the Northern Securities company,
a condition of affairs whereby a state
could appear in the courts on the same
basis as an individual The resolution
was passed without any opposition.
Senator Potter rushed matters in the
morning session by making motion to
make the Anderson bill, II. f. %, spe-
cial order for the afternoon session. The
motion met with considerable oppos-eAon
from all quarters of the senate, Senator
Lord making himself heard to the extent
of saying that If the bill wasn't in bet
ter shape than the jacobson bill there
should be plenty of time utilized In get
ting it ready for the consideration OF the
senate.
Senator Potter explained that his mo-
ton was made merely in the interest of
saving time, as he knew that all the SEN
atorS were anxious to get nome as soon
as possible. He Vouched for the righteous
ness of the bill by stating that the au-
ditor had said that it was all right.
Senator Schaller did not think it was prop
er for the senate to pass any measure on
the O. X of anybody, no matter what
office he held. He declared positively That
he wouldn't vote for a special order until
it had been referred to the proper COM
mittee.
Seeing that there was general opposi-
ton to the move, Senator Potter with
drew his motion, and the bill was TO
IGTTeu " TIC IdAH SOiilAA1AbNSS1 "A4ASN- ~ ~
report today.
The committee attempted TO hold
meeting yesterday afternoon during the
discussion Of the constitutional amend
menus, but it was too much for the mem
bers, and they had to get back into the
senate to take part in the debate.
The judiciary committees substitute
bill. amending sections 1, 2, 8, and article
of the constitution of the state, was
passed late in the afternoon, after near
ly three hours Of debate. The bill was
passed without any amendments, In spite
of the fact that there was determined
effort to change some of the sections.
The section that met the most opposl-
ton was the one which provides for the
collection of a franchise tax or gross
earnings tax in lieu of the franchise tax.
Senator Horton wanted to have corpora
lions pay a gross earnings tax, and pre-
Sented an amendment to that effect. Sen
atOr Ives wanted to strike out the entire
clause relating to the franchise and gross
earnings tax. Senator Ryder was in ia
vor of this latter proposition, and made
an extended speech in it's favor. Senator
Young took the opposite side of the que5-
ton, the debate being cut off by an
amendment presented by Senator Baldwin
which provi- ed that the tax on PERSONAL
property should be made only to such
extent as the possessor had equity in it.
He contended that it was unfair to tax
man for personal property when he owed
probably more than one-haf of the cost
price.
Several of the senators soon inquired out
where if man owned personal property
worth $4,000 and owed $4,000 he would
under this amendment be entitled to
draw money from the state. Senator
Baldwin said that he wasn't responsible
for the practice of Understanding the
ola 90
not be made with this practice in mind.
All the amendments were lost, and the
bill passed without any opposition, 81
votes being cast.
Senator Mccarthy secured the passage
of his bill providing for the taxation of
logs in the county where they are found
on May l. The bill is intended to stop
the floating of logs down the Little Fork
river into Canada to be sawed into lum-
Der without any tax being paid on them.
Senator Schaller introduced LII pro-
viding for the refunding of the taxes
collected for dogs minus the personal
property tax on each canine. He asked
for a suspension of the rules to have
the bill passed at once His request was
denied.
Ives CUISINES Poetry.
Senator Ives saw a great opportunity
in this bill and he made humorous
plea for the rights of the dog that kept
the senate in a roar CT laughter until he
sat down. His arguments were based en-
tirely upon the poetry that had been
written concerning dogs and sheep. Aft
er quoting a stanZa about the honest
watchdog's cheerful bark, he would take
up the sheep verse, and discourse of
the pretty little lambs gambling on the
green. He even went into rag time mel
ody for support, quoting from the saffron
hued poet who sang a lay of Lamb,
Lamb Lamb In closing Senator Ives
said that he had discovered the dog laws
of the state were in chaotic condition,
and he made motion that the governor
be instructed to appoint commission to
codify them.
The board of control discussion occu-
pied a considerable length of time, the
object of Senator Brewer being to get
the bill past the reception committee. He
explained the bill, saying that he con-
sidered that the rule of the board of con-
troll was reflection on the students of
the different educational institutions,
which he desired to relieve. he did not
think the board of control was justified
in continuing its management of the
state university and the normal schools
when it placed the students attending
them under the classification of charity.
AS a member of the reception commit
tee he said that he would have to vote
for a report recommending the indefinite
pcstponement of the bill, as there was no
option in the matter. He considered the
report merely matter of form, that
served only for delay.
Senator Underleak was much opposed
to the bill, maintaining that the board
Of control had been created for the pur-
pose of looking after the financial welfare
of the institutions of the state, and that
there was none whose extravaganza