The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-01-14
The Legislature
ITS TINE TOO SHORT
The Commission on Revision Of Stat
utes Makes Only Partial
Report.
It Asks to Have the Tax Laws
Included in Its
r"-. Work. -4s.

The commission on revision of the stat
utes reported to the legislature this morn
ing, in a document of some length setting
forth the impossibilty of completing the
report for this session. The revision of
1866, undertaken only seven years after
the state was organized, took three years.
The present commission was charged with
revising the laws of thirty-seven years in
seventeen months, task manifesuy i'm
possible. The work Of the commission IS
not to compile but to revise the statutes.
changing the language and consolidating
acts which overlap In their significance.
The commission does not ask to be con-
tinued, but states the case and leaves it
to the judgment of the legislature. A
careful statement is made as to the pro-
gress Of the work. The statutes have
been divided into four parts or grand
divisons-political. civil judicial and
remedial. penal. The work has been about
half accomplished, including the follow
ing topics: Elections. congressional dis
triots. the legislature, organization and
election Of United States senators, con-
struction and effect Of statutes, state
printing. county boundaries, removal of
county seats, counties and county officers,
towns and town officers, cities and vii
lagos. public Indebtedness. roads end
bridges, probate code In all its branches,
supreme court district courts and judges,
municipal courts. justice courts, venue In
civil actions, eminent domain, homestead
exemption, GA this. acknowledgements, Con-
tenpts and statutory liens.
Much work has also been done on laws
relating to the executive department. Cor
poration statutes are now under careful
treatment. The commissioners, 1t is
stated, will be glad at any time to OK
hibit and explain In detail any part Of the
work.
Wants to Take UP Tax Laws.
In conclusion the report offers four rug
gestions. First. the tax laws having been
excluded from the work Of the commits
sion and revision having failed the law
should be amended to allow the statute
revision commission to include the tax
laws in their report IS we'll as the legis-
lation Of 1902 and Of the present session.
Secondly the terms Of the act the work
should have been completed by Sept. l..
1902, and the commission has worked
since that time without compensation II
thought proper, the supreme court should
be authorized to allow compensation for
this time and for the future, as well as to
all vacancies If any OCCUR.
Third-The law should be amended to
require that the report be fully annotated
when submitted. and the work done by
the same commission.
Fourth--Although the sum Of $4,000
was appropriated, only 100000 was made
available before the filing Of the report,
and the remainder should be made avail
able,
resolution in the house by Mr.. Tighe
. of Ramsey was carried, requesting the
senate to join with the house In appoint
ing joint committee to consider the re-
port. consisting of eleven house members
and seven senators. Speaker Babcock ap-
pointed for the house Messrs. Tighe, Sim
clair Hinton, Dorsey. Hickey, Stevenson,
Bardwell Rider, Ofsthun, Cole and Haw-
ley. In the senate the question was laid
over until tomorrow on notice Of debate
by Senator Thompson.
Light Business To-day.
Sessions of the two houses were un-
eventful day, except for some impor-
tant bills. The Hennepin delegation now
has a sheriffs bill and a 100000 bond
issue for the new courthouse. Senator
Horton introduced the $1,500,000 appro-
priation for the new capitol.