The Saint Paul globe., 1903-01-14
Senate Memorializes Con-
gress for Removal of Coal
Tariff Bucket Shop, Elec-
tion Laws and Corrupt
Practices Act Slated for
Legislative Attention and
Correction.

The coal famine, the corrupt prac-
t1ce act the primary election law and
bucket shops received the considera-
ton of the senate yesterday morning,
and when this heavy material was
properly listed for future discussion
the upper house adjourned to meet
at IL O'Clock this morning.
The shortage of coal was brought be-
fore the senators in a resolution in
troduced by Senator Wilson, of Henne-
pin. The resolution, in which the
house is expected to concur is address,
ed to the Minnesota congressional DEL
egauon. 1t informs the senators and
congressman that the legislature of
Minnesota considers the tariff on coal
needless and unnecessary, and requests
them to use their influence in secur-
ing the immediate repeal of the tax on
the black diamonds. The resolution
was unanimously adopted by the SEN
ate and will be introduced in the
house today.
Amend Primary Election Law.
With Senate File No. 1 Senator Al
ley, Of Wright. hopes to improve the
present primary election law. The
measure provides for several amend
ments, the most important being the
one doing away with the clause COM
pelling voters at the primary elections
to announce, when challenged, their
previous political faith. The amend
ment Of the Wright county senator
simply binds the voter down to dec
laration of the party he intends to at
filiate with at the next regular elec-
ton.
An opportunity for candidates to
withdraw their names from the pr1-
mary election ticket is also provided
for in the new measure. The law, If
amended will permit any candidate to
scratch" himself until thirty days be-
fore the regular election. This, in
other words, means ten days before
the primary election. An unimportant
amendment reduces the voting time
for these preliminary elections in all
towns of less than 5000 inhabitants.
The new time would open the polls
at 9 a. m. instead of a. m. and close
them at 8 p. m. instead of p. m.
Repeal Corrupt Practice Act.
Senator Wilson's measure, Senate
File No. 10, promises to go through
the upper house without opposition.
The bill provides for the repeal of
chapter 277 of the General Laws Of
1895, and in more plain language is
designated to do away with the cor
rupt practice act which compels ali
candidates at an election to file item
lied accounts of the expenses incurred
in the race for Office.
Senator Gjertsen, of Hennepin,
threatens a war against the so-called
bucket shops with bill making it un-
lawful for any corporation, asSocia-
ton, copartnership or person to keep
or cause to be kept within this state
any bucket shop which, according to
the Hennepin senator, is defined TO be
an office, store or other place where
the business of making or offering to
make contracts, agreements, trades or
transactions respecting the sale or
purchase of stocks, grain or any COM
modify where both parties or the keep
er intends that such transactions shah
be closed, settled or adjusted upon the
basis of the public market quotations
of prices made on any board of trade
or exchange and without a bona fide
transaction on such board of trade or
exchange.
The punishment fixed for the viola
ton of this law provides for fine
of not less than $500 or more than ST.
600, or Imprisonment in the county
Jail not to exceed one year upon fail
ure to pay the fine.
Mill City Bond Issue.
Senator Wilson will attempt to
make possible the Minneapolis $780,
600 bond issue with Senate File No. s.
This bill was referred to the Henne-
pin, Ramsey and st. Louis delegations.
Senator Stephens. of Polk, introduc
ed a bill to provide an additional judge
for the Fourteenth judicial district.
The present judge, William Watts, Is
compelled to work overtime in at
tempting to hold the court calendar
down, and little opposition to the bill
is anticipated.
Senator Dunn, of Ramsey, intro
duced a bill arranging for appeals
taken from the probate court. The
regular bill to call a convention to
revise the constitution of the state was
introduced by Senator Peterson.
President Jones corrected his list or
committee appointments by announc-
ing Senator Sundberg as the chairman
Of the forestry committee. A mis-
take of a clerk put Senator Cowan at
the head Of that committee.