The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1905-04-19
MANY BILLS OFFERED
AFFECTING ST.PAUL
Corporation Attorney Says Ben.
eficiai Measures Are Offset
by Bad Ones

Legislation affecting St Paul and
Ramsey county occupied quite a prom
inent place in the session of the legis-
lature that came to a close yesterday.
According to Corporation Attorney
]. c. Michael. who was frequently con-
suited by the Ramsey delegation as to
bills affecting the city, the account
between the good bills and the meas
ures undesirable, from the standpoint
of the city's legal department is about
evenly balanced.
number of measures intended to
legalize bond issues, curative acts and
other bills contemplating departures
In policies in local affairs, are credited
to the credit side of the ledger.
Mr.. Michael believes that much of
the good is offset by the Lemon bill
which reduces the interest rate on GER
tificates for local assessments from IL
TO per cent. Originally the bill put
the interest rate at 6 per cent, but the
senate amended il to make ii s per
cent. In this form the bill passed and
went TO the governor for his veto. Mr..
Michael had no idea that the bill would
be passed, but when il was before the
6ONCAiOA 2it SNiOh6l1 Sc0 wv
son to veto it. The governor declined
to commit himself TO this position
without consulting the Ramsey dele
cation. A meeting of the senators
from Ramsey was thereupon held in
the governors room, but the senator's
declared after consideration that they
would not ask the governor to attach
his veto to the Lemon bill.
New Bridge at Smelling
Perhaps the most important bill af-
fecting the city passed by the legisla-
ture is the bill to authorize a bond is
sue of $4,000 to aid in building a
new combination road and railway
bridge across the Mississippi river at
Fort Smelling. There was compare
lively little opposition to the bill be-
cause of the Importance of Fort SMELL
ing as a business adjunct TO the city.
Among the other purely city bills
passed We're: The Dunn bills, curing
laws of two years ago, giving the park
board the right of condemnation and
authority to issue 100000 in park
bonds; the McNamee bill, permitting
the charter commission to submit as
one amendment at one time all amend
ments proposed to the charter, and
providing for a reduction in the num-
Der of times which the proposed
amendments must be published from
80 10 8; the municipal court bill. Civ
ing the st. Paul municipal court addi-
tional clerk hire and more bailiffs; the
Hickey police pension bill: the bill
making tax certificates for local i'm
provements coordinate with general
tax certificates; the bill to issue $10,-
600 bonds for the improvement of West
Seventh street, and the water boards
bill to permit the board to condemn
for its own purposes lands to guaranty
the purity of the water supply.
Water Board Bill Dies
The water boards bill to authorize
a bond issue of 100000 for the gen.
eral improvement of the st. Paul wa
ter works system failed to pass. Aft
er being approved by the Ramsey and
Hennepin delegations the bill went to
the st. Louis delegation. 1t stayed in
Chairman Hugo'S pocket until after
adjournment. The Duluth leader could
not be induced to report out the bill.
declaring that his city was not ready
to be affected by the terms of meas
ure general enough in its scope to per-
NIT Duluth to issue an equal amount of
bonds for water works purposes.
The bill to permit the issuance of
$100 900 bonds for the matchmaking
make the Ramsey county assessor cleo
tive were numbered among the lost.
Measures affecting the county were
fewer, but possibly fully as important
in a general way. A bill which passed
both houses and was approved by the
governor excerpts the operation of the
1905 state census from Ramsey county
in determining the compensation of the
clerk of the district court, the register
of deeds and the sheriff. A bill gave
County Auditor E. G.. Krahmer a
slightly increased salary and his office
additional clerk hire. Another bill pro-
vided for the transcribing of the sher-
IFS certificates of sale prior to 1862 in
the office of the register of deeds.
Important as affecting the future of
country roads in Ramsey county was
the Fulton bill, which became law.
1t provided a means for a general plan
of county road building, under which
it is expected that the county commits
sion viii embark in a comprehensive
system of roads for the country. A
number of bills affecting the duties
and compensation of the county sur
veyor were also passed by the legisla-
ture.
Bills affecting St. Paul, but not
strictly local matters, were those Civ
ing control of the new state capitol to
the capitol commission; relating to the
uses of the old state capitol for patri-
otto societies. and appropriations for
the state agricultural college. the state
fair and the st. Paul state fish hatch
cry