The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-03-11
THE. MINNEAPOLIS JOURNAI.

= II
shall settle the advisability of building
the ditch, instead of the county commits
sioners, and directors may demand
a jury trial. A change Is made In the
matter Of appeals, SO that they will no
longer hinder the construction OF q ditch.
No appeal Is permitted from an order lay
Ing out the ditch, only from the award
of damages or benefits. 1t Is also provid-
ed that where an application is denied,
the petitioners may appeal. The ap-H
pellant Is required to give bond for costs.
The civil engineer employed is required
to give $4,000 bond. Assessments against
towns are hereafter to be paid In annual
installments. the same as payment by in
d1viduals. The law formerly required
towns to pay within sixty days, which
would bankrupt some. Drainage work to
the amount of 100000 in Polk county
alone waited for the passage of these
amendments.
stan Are Real Soldiers.
When the military code passed last win
ter. it contained no reference to the star
of the governor. Therefore these gentle-
men, attaches Of the communicating chief
had no standing as members Of the ma
ttonal guard, and their uniforms were so
much empty show. Mr.. Hurd introduced
bill corr setting this, which passed both
houses.
Money to Fight the Merger.
Governor Van SAINT requested the legis-
lature, in his opening message, to make
an appropriation for the attorney general
to defray the expenses of the states suit
against the railway merger. Early in the
session Senator \Knatvold introduced a
bill carrying a $4,000 appropriation for
this purpose. and 1t passed both houses
with practically no opposition. No ono
cared to openly antagonize the governors
position.
One Reapport1onment Bill.
The delegation from the sixtieth legis-
lative DISTRICT, comprising the counties of
Becker, Clay and Wilkin, agreed on bill
giving each county one representative,
instead OF electing all at large. This was
done to prevent the larger counties de-
priving Wilkin Of representation. It was
introduced by Senator j. H. Smith and
passed. .s
Primary Law Amended.
Small cities, towns and villages of the
state complained bitterly this winter Of
the inconvenience imposed by the primary
law. There is seldom contest for nomi-
nations at these elections, and candidates
could with difficulty be persuaded to file
aff1davits. Enemies Of the primary sys-
tenn used these complaints as arguments
against the law, and its friends heartily
supported a bill by Senator Schaller, ex-
empting municipalities of less than 49,
COO. bill by Mr.. Afford was also passed,
designed to except Duluth school, library
and park boards from the law.
Money for Public Examiner.
When S. T. Johnson took hold of the
! office of public examiner in January, he
| found the funds for running the depart
| ment practically exhausted, not through
any fault of his predecessor, but because
| the fees of the office had been under
estimated in making the appropriation.
| Without relief from the legislature he
! could not run later than April i. Governor
Van SAINT requested deficiency appropri-
alton, and a bill was introduced by Sen
| ator Brewer, giving the department a
contingent fund of $11500. 1t passed both
! houses.
| A bill by Mr.. Berg gives the secretary
Of state recording clerk at a salary OF
$1,000. The sum OF 5000 Is appropriated IN
a bill introduced at the governors request
by J. A. Peterson, giving the state treas
urer stenographer.
Curative Acts Galore.
The usual mistakes of the last session
were rectified by the extra session. Sew
| eral of the game and fish laws passed IN
corrected. There was also a fatal error
I in the law regulating the adulteration OF
lard and lard compounds, which was cor
ERECTED in a bill by Mr.. Bush. There was
the usual routine of bills legalizing bono
issues, mortgage foreclosures, village IN.
corporations, and other acts performed
t without proper regard to the details o.
the law. Several bills corrected mis-
lHakes in the appropriation for roads ant
bridges which passed last winter.
Torrens Law Amended.
Senator Snyder, author of the Torren
law in Minnesota, secured very I'm
portant amendment to that act. TIL
fees exacted for registering titles are re
duced to one-tenth of the amount frs
named The original bill gave the regis
trar $40 for each 81 600 Of assessed value
including buildings and improvements
and $3.50 for each additional thousand
The amendment makes the fees 81 pc
81 900 on the value of the land alone
and rs cents for each additional 81, 900
In Hennepin and st. Louis county tn
register of deeds is a salaried officer, an
the fees go to the county. In Ramse
the fees go to the register, but his com
, plant was too late. The bill had gon
through. 1t is generally agreed that tn
reduction leaves the fees ample, and wi
greatly stimulate work under the ne7
: system.
e. County Auditors Paid.
Seven county auditors who worked TO
the state in 1900, drawing up a unifor1
{ system of bookkeeping for county audi
tors, were paid for their time in bi
introduced by Mr.. ,Haugen. They receive
| the following amounts: ]. T. Brooks, Ren
vile county. $119.Ss; Charles E. Welt
Murray county, $3.50; Steve Butler. Otte
: Tail county $117.50; Joseph l.. Meye
Morrison county, s101SO; P. J. CRUDE
, stearns county, $3.50; D. T.. Quealy, De
: kota county, $11S.S0; o. Halden. st. LOU
: county, 500.
: Draw Salaries Monthly.
q A bill introduced by Senator Ives give
district judges the right to draw the
salaries in monthly installments.
q FELL BY THE WAYSIDE
q legislation of More or Less In