The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1905-01-26
Minnesota Legislature

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There was little progress made in
either senate or house last week, be-
You'd the Introduction of batch of
bills of more or less Importance in
both houses. An adjournment was
taken on Friday until Tuesday of this
week.
Statute code discussion was the all
absorbing topic, and as members be-
gan to examine the code there was no
end of comment and criticism. The
code gives promise Of being an ele-
plant on the hands of the legislature,
but some order was brought out of
apparent chaos when the Judiciary
committees of the senate and house
conferred with the statute revision
commission as to best methods of
procedure. The code was finally cut
up into ''takes'' and assigned to vari-
Gus members of the judiciary commit
tee who will report on the work of
revision this week. Progress will be
reported on the work, but no one can
tell how long it will take to complete
the task of enacting the boiled-down
mass of legislation into law.
Many serious defects are reported
in the revised code, affecting many
Important interests, and it is said
by some that the commission has ex-
ceeded it's authority in its work of re-
vision and assumed the power of leg
islation in many instances.
1t was not to be expected that the
commission could accomplish it's great
task without making errors in har-
monizing many of the provisions of
the statutes, and after a thorough
analysis of the code has been under
taken it is thought that the work will
proceed with reasonably good prog
ress.
1t is a matter of conjecture when
the new code will take effect, and
some are suggesting that it ought not
to be put into effect until shortly after
the converting of the legislature in
1907, so that the legislature can at
that time make such amendments as
may seem necessary after thorough
inspection of the code. Some members
are suggesting an extra session later
on. At present the code is lin the
air.
Railroad legislation which seeks to
establish reasonable freight and ex-
press charges has been we'll initiated
by the joint committee appointed for
the purpose of making inquiries, and
the committee has publicly notified all
parties interested to file any CON-
plants or charges in such form that
they may be acted on in proper form.
Two additional members of the COM
mittee have been appointed. Senator
A. r. McGill of Ramsey, was named
IRON the senate, and ". D. Washburn
Jr., of Hennepin, from the house.
Senator A. O. Eberhart,. father of the
resolution under which the Joint CON-
mittee was named, was chosen chair
man of the committee, and Mr.. WASH
burn was selected as it's secretary.
W. B. Patton, clerk of the house COM
mittee on appropriations, will be
clerk of the committee, and stenog-
rapher will be supplied when testimony
is taken.
Senator Eberhart outlines his posi-
ton, saying that complaints of dis
elimination in southern Minnesota
were frequent, and he had conceived
the idea Of legislative investigation
upon which the legislature might pro-
coed in correcting abuses, if they were
found to exist.
Senator II. w. Stone reports that
the State railway and warehouse COM
mission had compiled statistics show
ing some Inconsistencies and discrim-
ination, and had offered the services
OF its expert statistician, Thomas
Yapp, to the committee. Senator
Stone says that the State board of
control, too. was ready to submit a
statement alleging discrimination in
the transportation of certain articles
used at State institutions.
Private car charges on fruit brought
from the Pacific coast we're presented
by r. T. Lewis of Duluth. While this
is Interstate business, it has been de-
cided to take testimony for submission
to the interstate commerce commission
on the alleged private car evils.
Complaints of the Duluth Board of
Trade as to certain switching charges
at the head of the lakes were reported
by Capt. Lewis and will be investi-
gated.
The committee will have a. lot of
witnesses and testimony and ought to
be able to go to the bottom of the in
vestigation.
Representative Rider of Morrison