The Minneapolis journal., 1903-03-16
MEN AND MEASURES

The Haugland franchise tax bill refuses
to be doWned. The vote in the house
Saturday was emphatic in it's reversal of
the committee. and out Of 70 members
present 63 voted Ito give the bill consid-
Grafton on the floor. The peculiar feat
ure of the situation was that Mr.. Arm
strong, who ledyHhe fight against the bill.
was one Of the Strongest supporters Of tax
reform lastzMinter.a He~aIad several 9TH
ers who voted to kill the bill are believers
in franchise taxation. but they do not be-
lfeve the time is opportune. They believe
with the governor that the legislature
should not attempt tinkering with the tax
laws this winter. but should submit a good
constitutional amendment as the ground
work on which other legislatures can
build. They also believe that 1t Is bad
politics to bring the bill up for a fight and
what seems certain defeat in the senate If
not in the house. They stand for a tax
commission but for no further attempt to
alter the present system. Some of these
members may vote for the bill when it
comes up for passage. On the other hand
a good many who voted with Mr.. Haugland
to give his bill chance will be opposed
to it when the issue is presented on Its
merits. They voted with him either out
of personal consideration or because they
believed so important bill was entitled
to consideration by the whole house.
Mr.. Haugland made the only real speech
he has indulged in at this session, and his
criticism Of the committee for its scanty
consideration Of the bill was extremely
caustic.
The house will not agree with the senate
| to repeating the corrupt practices act.
The Wilson bill will go back to the SEN
| ate in such a shape that its author will
| hardly know it, Instead Of repeating
the whole act, the house has adopted Mr..
| Bardwells plan and repeals only the sec
tions placing a limit on expenditure.
| Section 10 is amended to provide that at
any time in the successful candidates
| term of office his opponent may apply
| to have the office declared vacant because
of corrupt practices in using money or
promises to get votes. There Is no limit
fixed on the amount Of money that may be
| expended legitima tely.
The executive committee of the state
editorial association stands between the
senate and the editors of the state on the
Jepson bill, which provides that news
paper arrearages cannot be collected after
the years subscription has expired, unless
ordered renewed. The judiciary commit
| tee reported the bill out to pass, but 1t
was recommitted at the request Of Sena-
tor Sonferville, to give the editorial repre-
sentatives a, hearing. The newspapers OF
the state generally feel that the present
custom. by which a subscriber orders his
paper stopped or else pays for it, is the
right one.
| The sheriffs of the state have not been
heard from either for or against the r. T.
Lewis electrocution bill, which has passed
| the house. While a legal execution is a
slight source of revenue for the official
who presides over it. there is probably not
a sheriff in the state who would not be
glad to turn his charge over to Warden
Wolfer before the fatal day.
| To-day was the first Monday of the ses-
| sion when both houses convened in the
morning for work AS no adjournment
was taken Saturday until afternoon very
few Of the country members took the
trouble to go home over Sunday. The
occasion for this extraordinary activity
was that the iron range junket will compel
both houses to adjourn from Thursday OF
this week over till Monday.
I p. G. Sjoblorn, who is official demon
strator for the voting machine now on
exhibition at the state capitol, is prepar-
ing to hold an election in which the legis-
lators and state capitol employees will elect
| a state ticket. congressman, legislative
ticket and corps of constables. Excite
ment is already running high among the
newspaper men who are contesting for
the last-narned office.
Charles r Ctl3enav