The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-02-21

BUSY TIMES AHEAD
Primary Election, Railway Taxation
and Freight Rate Bills Yet to -
Be Acted Upon.
Confident of Amending:
the Administrations Pet in the
Upper House.
Special to The Journal. =

special to The Journal. ~ %2rnzss-s ri. rs.eas =
Madison, Wis, Feb. 21.The railway
taxation bill, providing for taxing rail
road property on the ad valorenl or prop
erty valuation system, is still in the hands
of the committees on assessment and col
lection Of taxes of the two houses, and
while there Is some disagreement between
the two committees as to the halldlinS
of the measure. there is no probability
that it will be reported back until after
March /, The railway people are to have
a hearing on Thursday, and the assembly
committee at least will insist on report
ing the bill very shortly after that. There
is no probability that any important
change will be made In the bill as 1t came
from the tax commission. !
The freight rate bill, providing for the
appointment Of a commission with author
jty to fix rates, is practically drawn and
NAV come in next week, though there is
some talk of delaying it until after the
tax bill is reported. The bill, in its main
features, will follow the Iowa law very
closely, and will give the commission
power to fix maximum rates Tor poth
freight and passenger traffic. S.,
What Of Primary Election 7III7
What will the senate do with the pri-
mary election bill? This is the leading
m,estion lust now. and a question on
which there is much divergence Of op1n-
l. ion. The "stalwarts'' say they will nave
nineteen votes in the upper house ZOE
am ending the bill as it was passed by "the
assembly, at least to the extent" OF al,
| tacai1ig a. referendum clause "hlch WI.
require that it be submitted to vote OF
the people before becoming a law. Among
these nineteen, however, they count TWO
democratic sena tors North and Randolph
and the administration men assert they
have ASSURANCES that both VIII VotG VIII w
Senator Merton for the assembly DIN. Inc
adm fnistra ton men say: they have at least
seventeen Of the thirty three votes IN
the c,nper house for the bill--just enough
to mass it, with a good chance lot Two Oh o..
three more "A public hearing on the OIL,
will he held next Thursday afternoon ahu
Eevening.
AS to attaching the referendum clause
to the BILL the administra ton men So ts
! neorle have already spoken pretty loutliy
on the subject. If. however the, VOC
could be taken this spring. they would not
object SO strongly, but the proposition is
to have it voted on at the next genera
election. which would mean delay ana t1ie
officers and legislature who would pe
against the bill. There is Difficulty IN the
wav of having it submitted this spring
In the fact that bill is pending be1ore
the legislature providing for b1ennlal yer M:
in cities and the continuance OF the pres
ent aldermen for another veal, w w. 49,
would mean, if passed. that many OF tnf
oitiss of the state would hold no cleo
lions this spring.
Even If the bill is amended in the sen
ate. administration men claim safe ma
iority-65 of the 100 votes at least-m TN
assembly, against any change anu say ND
, if the senate does not concur 1t Will nav
To take the responsibility again OF. defeat
ing the measure.
. ! & = n >4ck-. .