The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-03-04
LORDS BILL BURIED.
The Senate Kills His Plan for vot-
ing on Constitutional Amend n y
me11ts. L
Gjertsen's Bucket Shop Bill Handi-
capped by Coupling With the
Torson Measure.

Senator Lords bill for constitutional
amendment providing that constitutional
amendments or other questions submitted
to the people shall prevail by simple ma
jority Of the votes cast on the proposition,
was buried deep by the senate this morn
Ing, the vote standing 80 to %. Mime
apol1tans who assisted in killing the bill
were Senators ]. F. Calhoun, E. F. Com
stock Henry J. .Gjertsen and e. e. Smith.
The bill was brought up In committee
OF the whole. Senator Lord moved that it
be recommended for passage and argued
that the results Of the last election showed
conclusively that no further amendments
to the constitution would be possible un
der the present law, which counted all
non-voters against any such proposition.
to return to the old principle which has
prevailed in this state for over forty years,
and under which many meritorious
measures had been adopted.
Senator Peterson was heartily in favor
OF the purposes OF the Lord amendment,
but thought that in view of the Importance
or many measures the majority should
be very decisive. He therefore moved as
an amendment that constitutional amend
ments should prevail by a two-thirds ma
jority Of all the votes cast on the amend
ment. n
Senator Dunn moved that the bill be
indefinitely postponed and made long
argument against return to the 'anti-
quated system" rejected by the people.
Senator Brewer chara eterized the present
law as absurd and predicted that just as
long as 1T remained there would never
be any Increase in the gross earnings tax
on railways and other corporations nor
would 1t be possible to revise the tax laws.
Intelligent Voters Don't Vote.
| Senator Putnam took the unique posi-
ton that it was the intelligent voters who
hair int
also conservative, and, not understand
| ing the proposed constitutional amend
melts, they refrailled from voting, while
the careless voter voted for them simply
because they were on the ballot. .
Senator Thompson explained how GER
tain measures had secured large MAORI.
ties under the old system by calling atten-
ton to the fact that in olden times the
state central committees would send ou
the ballots with the word yes or mo
already printed opposite the amendments
Among those who grew greatly excited
over the suggestion that the people should
be allowed to vote on the Lord PROPOSE
lin 4 loud voice that ANY. amendment
which can't get a majority Of the voter:
Of the state hadn't ought to pass an,
time =. - ~ &: : F.
Senator Lord in closing the debate re-
marked that. there was no occasion 70,
any alarm on the part of, the friends. Of
the present system. His proposed amend
ment would necessarily be voted on un.
der the present system which; they ap.
proved SO highly: The vote. was thel
taken on the Dunn amendment to post
pone Indefinitely. This was carried by 2
to q. :Et.,.~- r. ~
When the report of the committee O.
the. whole was, presented Senator Lore
moved that his bill be Recommended 70,
passage and demanded a roll call. Hi: