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

Der Of the same family.
Gross Earnings Tax Retained.
Provided further, that nothing in this act
contained shall be construed to affect, modify
or repeal any law providing for the taxation
of the gross earnings Of railroads.
MISCELLANEOUS BILLS
St. Louis Expo Measure Passed at
the Eleventh Hour.
In its closing hours the legislature
provided for a display of Minnesota.s
wealth and resources at the Louisiana
Purchase exposition. The house turned
down a bill by Mr.. Noyes early In the
session, which set aside $150,OOO. Later
on l.. H. Johnson, at the governors re-
quest, introduced a bill carrying $4,000,
and this was raised in committee to
$4,000. The governor is given the ap-
pointnent Of three commissions, limited
to $1,000 each for expenses, and the limit
on salaries is placed at $4,000. One half
the money is available during the fiscal
year ending July 81, 1908, and the other
half in the year ending July 81, 1904.
Expense of the Session.
The extra session will not cost the
state over $62, 500. There was left from
last years appropriation 5000, and at
the first of the session $40, 1000 additional
was set aside. The session lasted far
longer than expected, and it was neces-
sary to pass another bill for 1000 yester-
day. An appropriation of $500 was
made for printing the session laws.
Members and employees received pay for
thirty-six days, the time from Feb. 4,
which the session convened, to the adj
journment March II. The house spent
Twenty-Five days in actual session, and
the senate twenty-seven. e.
More Work for johnson.
A measure that may have important
consequences was introduced in the house
by L. H. Johnson of Hennepin. It gives
additional authority and duties to the
public examiner. He is required to ex-
anime into the gross earnings Of corpora
lions which pay a tax to the state on
that basis in order to verify their re-
ports. It Is intfmated that in some cases
such reports have been doctored. Public
Examiner Johnson desired the passage Of
the bill and will employ special man to
check, up the railroads, express compa-
MES, telegraph and telephone, and other
companies paying a gross earnings tax.
Memorials to Congress.
At the request of Attorney General
| Douglas, congress was requested to
| amend the judiciary act SO as to permit
| the supreme court to- take jurisdiction in
| suits brought by state against citizens
Of another state, where citizens of the
plaintiff state are necessary parties This
point was brought UP by the decision OF
| the court in the Mort hern Securities case
which under the courts ruling barred the
state from redress in the federal courts
and as the corporation does not exist in
| Minnesota, it cannot be reached directly
Congress was also petitioned to pass
bills by the following resolutions:
BY Mr.. Dunn-To pass the bill raising tn
! salaries Of postal clerks. y
| BY Senator Miller-To pass the bill author
izing the payment of the war claims dut
! Minnesota.
| By Senator Young-To pass the bill increas
! ing the powers of the interstate commerce
commission. -. ,s&
By Senator Ives-To pass the bill reclassify
ing the mail clerks.
Lower Passenger Fares(D
The session made some work for thu
RAILROAD and warehouse commission. 4
resolution by Senator Daily, populist
tpassed both houses, directing the com
mission to investigate the advisability o
! lowering passenger fares in Minnesota t.
2 or 2A cents, with lower rate for a sec
ond-class passage. No fight was made Of
this resolution.
| sHa#'. DOG TAX Hepea1e0. - =
Much of the comedy Of the session wa
furnished by the Nyquist bill repeaEn
the famous dog bill of last winter.
was a serious matter, however, for tn
friends of the sheep men who insisted O
the enactment Of the bill a year ago. STh
law provided tax of 81 on male dogs an
SO on females, in all but the three larg
counties. This tax was to be turned int
a county fund for reimbursing the owner
of sheep killed by dogs. The tax was a
unpopular among dog owners as poll ia
ever was. The sheep men tried to STAY
matters off by an amendment, permittin
county commissioners to except thei
county from provisions Of the law. Thi
had temporary victory In stfe hous
over the Nyquist bill, but Senator Sivr1gt
put the repeal bill through the senate, an
; when it came to the house Mr.. Nyqui:
secured its passage, and Fido was tr
, umphant. ~, so s%
Release Of, Cel..sBobleter.
Attorney General Douglas fought tt
:, case against the bondsmen OF formt
State Treasurer Bobleter through the S,
preme court, and WON'T. They were he
liable for the shortage which resulte
from losses in insolvent banks in 1893 ar
1894, which loss amounted to about $40
| 900. The bondsmen appealed for con
the governor agreed to settle with the
!, for S22 900, and to release. Colonel Bol
: Letter as principal for $4,000.
:, S. D. Peterson, the colonel's townsrna
:. put a bill through the house without Of
:. position, releasing him, and .refundi1
! $500 which he had already paid. II
!, attorney general and public examiner Of
? tected, but their position was not know
: till the bill had passed the senate.
was then reconstdered, and the bill r
called from the house. "A commit teeew
appointed to Investigate the questio
Il while the bill lay on the table. This cor
/ mite decided that owing to Colonel Bo
: letters financial condition it would be ju
q as we'll to release him. The bill final
j. | passed the senate. The principal opp
j sition was due to the fact that this b
d presaged similar bill releasing Il
). bondsmen. It is likely to appear ne
e 4 winter.
Drainage Lay Amended.
81 Senator Grindeland had a bill apass
i correcting number of defects in Il
e drainage law, which made 1t necessary
e5 re- enact the entire measure. There w
Il j no provision in the law for 5buildil
6. lditches, which were In more than OF
e county, or being built in one county, a
n fected another The amendments pr
) vide that in such cases the district cau