The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1905-03-10
Legislative DO|ECS.
DESIRE SHOWN TO HAVE RAIL
WAY COMMISSION NAMED
BY GOVERNOR.
MEMBERS WORKING HARD.
The Revised Code with a Void OF
Amendments is Finally Re-
ported to the House,

ST. Paul, March 2. 19O5.--one OF the
most remarkable pieces OF PATCHWORK
minnesota code after it shall nave passs;u
the legislature and become law. For SIX
weeks past the judiciary committees OF
the two houses have been struggling WIN
the revision. as it was turned over by
the commission which had been appointed
TO revise the state laws. In those SIN
weeks approximately 1.50O amendments
have been adopted in committee to the
work as reported by the commission.
Hardly chapter has escaped the prun-
ing knife. Some chapters have been
amended as many as 100 times IL can
be judged from this that the present leg
1slature is undeserving. of the cenSure
which has been heaped upon 1t by those
who seem to believe that but little has
been accomplished AS a matter OF TACT
rev legislatures in the same limited tIine
have been known to do as much. But
now that the code is ready for su omission
to the house there is bound to be more
or less difficulty in arranging method
for its disposal there. Some favor max
ing it special order for each afternoon
to be considered chapter by chapter, but
this would necessarily prove slow and
cumbersome. with a chance Of such de-
lay that the entire code could be defeated
by interested parties, and it has been Sug-
gested by those who favor expedition that
the house adopt it as it comes from the
judiciary committee and then arrange
with the senate for the appointment of
conference committee. upon whose judg-
ment the members of both houses could
rely.
Gov. Johnson has sent the following ap-
polntments to the senate for confirmation:
Boiler inspectors John d. Lowe. St
Louis county; H. F. Zimmerman. Norman
county. Member state forestry board. Lee
w. Hall.
Taxes and Tax Laws.
Two very important measures have
been recommended favorably by. the
NTNli tfnn 70 VOC VI
one Is by Representative Thayer and
is known as a tax ferret bill" 1t is
practically a duplicate of the Iowa law
and authorizes county commissioners to
employ tax experts to uncover property
which has escaped the assessor, receiving
therefor 20 per. cent as reward for his
to show that the law in Iowa had re-
suited in placing 100000 additional
property on the tax lists
The second bill was that introduced by
Representative Stone, which provides for
an Inheritance tax on all estates exceed
ing 5000 in value. State Auditor Iver-
sou appeared before the committee to urge
the merits of this measure. Two years
ago similar bill passed the house, only
to meet defeat in the senate.
Senator Sundberg proposes constitu-
tional amendment permitting a state syS-
tenn of hail insurance, and has intro
duced 4 bill in accordance with that idea
The bill authorizes the state auditor to
levy an average tax when proper appli.
cation has been made by the owner of
the crop which it is sought to insure.
An appropriation of $4,000 for the pur-
Lewis and Clark exposition to be held
at Portland. Ore, this year, has been
offered in the house by Mr.. DeLaittre.
No more than $4,000 of the amount is
to be paid out in salaries or wages. A
commission of three to be appointed by
the governor, is to direct the eXpendi-
ture.
Senator Torson has introduced a bill
appropriating $500, 900 for the purpose
of erecting a stock amphitheater at the
state fair grounds. This measure IS
fathered by the state fair officials.
Railway Commission.
Representative Rachie wants to legis-
late the present railway and warehouse
commission out of office and. incidentally,
restore the old system of having a board
appointed by the governor. No more than
two of the three commissioners are to
come from the ranks of any one political
party. In arguing for his bill Mr. Rachie
mission so constituted that the respon-
sibility for its actions can be located
without trouble.
Two bills introduced by Senator Brewer
both relating to local conditions in the
city of st. Cloud. have been enacted into
law under suspension of the rules in both
houses and now await the signature of the
governor. One authorizes cities owning
waterwOrkS to borrow money on the prop
erty for purposes of extensions, and the
other allows cities of 10000 inhabitants
funding present Indebtedness.
The house has passed the Dorsey bill
creating a state embalming board, an,
other by Bennett, regulating the sale and
compromising of cocaine, and several
others of minor Importance.
The ware committee to investigate in
surance rates. has held two meetings thus
far and has heard what the insurance
men have to offer on that subject. The
latter naturally contend that the present
rate in Minnesota is none too high, and a
ms nv in Ia mo nc
that the higher the rate charged the
more chary the companies are of taking
the risks
An interesting contest is under way
between members of the Minnesota Ma
tional Guard and the judiciary committee
of the house. The latter committee by a
the present law relating to the state
guard in preference to the law reported
by the code revision commission. The
military committee of the house sides
preparing to fight the matter every step
of the way. 1t is claimed that the pres
ent Minnesota law is considered model
by other states.
By the adoption of a resolution faith
cred by Representative Joseph Mannix
of Hennepin, the state capitol commits
SiOners have been instructed to keep the
new capitol building open to the general
public on Sunday afternoons.
Senator Cook has introduced a bill
which declares telephone and telegram
companies to be common carriers and
places them under control of the state
railway and warehouse commission I'm
der the bill the commission is author
lied to designate what hours telegraph
offices and telephone exchanges shall be
kept open, and may compel connections
between competing companies if deemed
advisable
The house by nearly unanimous vote
defeated the Wallace bill which is a com
panion to the one introduced in the SEN
ate by Senator E. E. Smith, the pro
visions of which made it possible for
corporations and persons to pay taxes
under protest prior to beginning action
to test validity of the same.
Code Reported.
ST. Paul, March 6.-Thursday last, after
hard work on the part of the judiciary
committee, the amended code was re-
ported in and its 1900 amendments were
Immediately adopted by the house and
the code itself made a special order for
this morning, at 10 o'clock. Such har-
monious action on the part of such a
large body as the house is remarkable
and was only made possible by repre-
MINNESOTA HAPPENINGS.
Dean Liggett says seed wheat
famine NAV be ayerted