The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-04-07
HOUSE STANDS BY
BOARD OF CONTROL
BILL REQUIRING PUBLICITY FOR
~ BIDS IS KILLED.
House Takes View that the State Saves
Money by secrecy-Report Of sala-
ries Committee Recommends One
Raise and Two Cuts. ,


Friends Of the state board of con-
troll in the house today sustained the
report Of the general legislation com
mittee in recommending for indefinite
postponement the Flower bill requiring
publicity II Rsd III gRs eontra't Author
the bill, attempted to turn down the
committees report, but the house sus-
tanned the committee by. 80 to 20.
The debate was brief but pungent.
General Flower condemned the practice
fusing to make the figures public. He
said he had confidence in the present
board, but there was opportunity for
scandal that would injure the goo1
name Of the state. George p; Perley of
system was not in accord with sound
public. policy. T. T. Ofsthun,. chair
man Of the Commute, declared that the
Flower bill meant newspaper graft
by which $4,000 annually would be
spent. between. two newspapers in ad-
of Wabasha said the. board Of control,
by its secret method. had saved $4,000
on the coal contract last yea>.
Report Of Salaries.
The only state officers whose salaries
are to be adversely disturbed, if the re-
port Of the house special committee on
private secretary and the public exam
liner. General G. G. Andrews, chief FIRE
warden, is recommended to have his sal
ary increased from $1,000 to $500
year. Discussing the salary Of the gov
ernor g private secretary, the report
says that in the last two years the nota-
rial fees of the office have annually
~
than is paid the governor. The recon-
mendation is that the salary of the pri-
vate secretary be increased from $1,000
to $500 and that all notarial fees be
converted into the state treasury.
The salary Of the public examiner is
with net fees to 60 to the state treas,
TRY. The committee points out that
there are fees for making examinations
Of building and loan associations and
municipalities that swell the compensa'
ton Of the office to considerably more
than the amount contemplated by stat
ute. It Is pointed out that the bill to
ined will net the public examiner about
500 annually unless the law is changed.
But in this statement the committee
was ill advised, for the bill provides
that the fees for the examination shall
be paid into the state treasury. The
animation Of st. Paul's city affairs
were paid to the examiner, while the
work was done by his deputies at state
expense. The report of the committee
was adopted without division:
John 6. Lennon succeeded in putting
thru under suspension of the rules his
bill giving the commission appointed to
consider sites for a state home for in
digent crippled children the right to
consider sites offered in Hennepin
county The general legislation com.
mittee had reported in the bill without
accommodation.
No Change In Printing System.
There will be no change in tho pres
ent system Of awarding the state print
ing. Elmer E: Adams bill to abolish
the state printing commission was or
man MAJ Of 'i the Committee sa asked that tn,
bill be. referred to his committee OF
Legislative expenses. R. j. Wells OF
Breckenridge moved that the bill be in
definitely postponed, and the house By
safe margin agreed; 1t proposed ths
the state printing be placed in tn
hands Of the board Of control.
County Option Fails.
Neils jacobson Of Rock tried II
vain to have his county option bill re
lating to the sale Of strong beverages
taken from the committee on temper
ance.
s. D. Peterson, chairman Of the com
mittee, protested that he had been una
bic to get the committee together. r
. l.. Mork, member, asked him point
eddy when and how he called his CON
! mittee meetings. Mr.. Peterson locke
! him in the eye and said he had invite
I him to meeting tho day before. Nor
made no response. The Peterson SUI
stitute, that the jacobson motion Ii
on the table, was carried.
Sherman S. Smith had his members
salary bill noted on tho calendar fc
consideration next Wednesday. Sc,
eral attempts to pass the bill have faile
J. by narrow margins, and the Hennepi
member is sanguine that he will hav
the needful votes when the bill come
y up next week.
S. D. Peterson secured favorable a.
tion on his resolution instructing tt
attorney general to investigate tt
= Central Minnesota Telephone cor
pany's alleged violation Of Its chart'
by engaging In the mercantile busine
at Springfield.
= BILLS PASSED BY THE HOUSE.