The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-02-21
MANY BILLS PASSED
SENATE SUSPENDED RULES LONG
ENOUGH FOR SEVERAL TO
SLIP THROUGH
ATTORNEY GEN. GETS $25, 900
Senator Schaner Wins Out on His
Bill Exempting Smaller Cities
From Primary EIec-
ton Law.

Yesterday was local and curative act
cay in the senate, and that body held 9
meeting of two long hours of drawn-out
routine work without any debate. A
large number of bills were passed under
the suspension of rules. When once the
rules were suspended, it was a matter OF
senatorial courtesy to repeat the sus-
pension as often as any senator desired
to get a pet measure through. Occa-
sionally some senator would feel like OBJ
jecting to the proceedings, but his OBJ
jections would end where they began,
and the bill would be passed unani-
mously.
The tax bill came back from the COM
mittee yesterday morning with the rec
ommendation that it be placed on gen
eral orders. Senator Knatvold offered
an amendment providing that the bill
should be changed substituting county
assessors for township assessors, and, as
amended, be referred to the judiciary
committee. The amendment was easily
lost. The bill will come up for considera-
ton i'll the senate this morning.
The bill by Senator Knatvold appro-
priating $4,000 for the use of the attor-
ney general in fighting the so-called mer-
ger was passed unanimously, Senator
Ives and Wilson being paired. Senator
Ives declared himself on the bill, saying
ton taken by somebody he did not want
to have anything to do with it. He want
ed an amendment providing that the at
torney general should make a report to
the next session CT the legislature as to
how and where the money was expended
Senator Knatvold thought that this
would be a reflection upon the integrity
of the attorney general, out Senator
Ives contended that the clause in the
LII
form his duties was much more in the
nature of a reflection The bill had gone
too far to be amended and was passed as
it stood.
The only bill passed under the suspen-
sion of rules, which caused any debate,
was that Of Senator Schaller, which ex-
empts cities of a population of 10000 or
less from the primary election law in
municipal elections. Senator Stockwell
opposed the bill, and made call for an
aye and nay vote, and Senator Schaller
demanded call of the house.
Senator Stockwell said that he was not
opposed to the bill as presented by Sena-
tor Schaller, which made the population
qualification 5000 or less, and he wanted
to know why this was raised. Senator
Schaller informed him that it was to
comply with the constitutional provision.
The senators representing counties in
which there were cities of the size pro-
posed to be exempted all spoke in favor
of Senator Schaller's measure. Senator
Schaller said he did not see why the sen.
ators from the large cities should object
to the small ones holding their municipal
elections as they preferred. Those who
favored the amendment all told of tn.
unnecessary expense it put the smaller
communities to to hold an election. Sen
ator StockweH finally withdrew his call
for an aye and nay vote, and then the
bill was passed.
The amendments to rules 6S and &c. pro
posed by Senator Schaller, were sent
to the committee on Judiciary The
amendment provides that the reception
committee instead of reporting to the
senate in favor of the indefinite post
ponement of a bill, shall. instead, report