The Minneapolis journal., 1903-03-27
MEN AND. MEASURES

It is a safe proposition that the Haug-
land bill will not have as easy sailing in
the senate as it had in the lower house,
IF the same elements should stand by 1t
in the upper branch that voted for 1t in
the lower house, it would pass; but there
is very little danger of that.
In the house the democrats voted for
the Haugand bill solidly. They held a
caucus before the vote and agreed to stand
together for the bill. This, they argued,
would place them In a position to arraign
the republican majority if the bill met de-
feat. For another reason. both repub-
lcans and democrats in the Ramsey coun-
ty delegation stood unanimously for the
bill. The capitol appropriation bill IS still
on general orders, and the delegation from
the capitol city is not doing anything to
injure their standing with the country
members. 1t is generally understood that
they voted for the bill for that reason
rather than on the merits of the bill, trust
ing the senate to kill it. ~.s + -'.f 'ss !.
Nearly every one expects the senate to
treat the bill the same as the Jacobson
bill Of last winter. 1t will probably be
held up in the tax committee till after
the capitol matter is put through the
house next Tuesday: and then the sena-
tors from Ramsey county will lead in the
war dance about the poor Haugland bill.
Several democratic senators will assist in
the obsequies, or else change front in
marked fashion from their action of last
winter.
The primary election law is not going
to be very extensively amended at this
session. The house elections committee
has turned a. deaf ear to, nearly all prOpO
sitions. Its members seem to favor Chair
man Coles proposition for non -partizan
nominations Of railroad and warehouse
commissioners by popular vote.
The committee is against non -partizan
judicial nominations, and also opposes
changing the time for holding the pri-
maries; but the house has giver a hear
ing on both these bills and may pass them.
Most Of the propositions to amend the
primary law come from it's, friends. Its
enemies, and it has a good many in the
Legislature. are not trying to knock it
out this year. A member Of the house
committee said frankly: Il do not believe
in the primary law, but if we have one,
let it apply to congressman and Judges.
What is sauce for the goose should be
|sauce for the gander. Just because 1t
works a hardship on candidates, do not
limit it to poor county officers. but stick
everybody until they are tired of it. I
don't believe the law will last more than
a mother two years. Then we will repeal
the whole business"
The attorney for the "horse breeders,'
who want the pool-selling bill passed, had
not posted himself on this winters legis-
lation when he threatened to c,join the
state fair managers from receiving state
money. on the ground that the State
Agricultural society is not d state institu
ton. A bill by Mr.. Clague has passed
both branches of the legisla ture revising
and codifying the laws relating to the
State Agricultural society, making it a
branch of the state government The bill
passed the senate Wednesday, and, on re-
ceiving the governors signature, to-day
or tomorrow, becomes a law. 1t will then
be impossible to the Agricultural So
ciety, and as a department of the state
government, there will be no shadow Of