The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1905-04-13
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.
Minnesota Legislature

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The present session of the Minnesota
legislature will adjourn on Tuesday,
April 18th. Both houses are working
under high pressure at present and the
final scramble for the passage of pet
bills, good bills, bad bills and all
kinds of bills will soon be at white
heat.
The most important piece of legis-
lation of the whole session, the code,
or revised statutes, passed the senate
last week and all that remains is for
house and senate to agree on amend
ments, after which the bill will be en-
crossed and enrolled and 60 to the
governor for his signature.
The passage of the code alone is
worth the cost of the present session,
and what errors there may appear in
the code as enacted into law, can be
corrected by the next legislature.
Primary election bills have fallen
by the wayside at this session, pend
ing legislation receiving it's quietus
last week. There were some good
primary propositions that we're
turned down, but in the defeat of this
Legislation there will be no interests
suffer Or hardships wrought.
In the house last Friday the major
ity report of the committee on public
accounts and expenditures, exonerat-
ing former State Auditor, r. C. Dunn,
and State Auditor Iverson of the
charges contained in the foul-smelling
reports of the ex-State bank ex-
aminer. were adopted with but two
dissenting votes, Representatives Carl
of Clara City and Jefferson of Bing-
ham Lake, who signed minority re-
port, voting against the adoption of
the report. twill be remembered that
Gov. johnson sent special message
to the legislature some time since,
transmitting with said report the re-
ports of the late State bank examiner
and political plugger. The practically
unanimous action of the house in
clearing r. G. Dunn and the present
State auditor: does not go far in fam
ming the flame of political frenzie
started by a recent governor of Min
nesota, and his hired pluggers.
The joint committee of the house
and senate appointed to consider rail-
road transportation rates prevailing
within the State, handed in a majority
and minority report. The difference
between the two was that the minority
report, while following the lines of the
majority, goes much more into detail
as to the extent and effect of existing
rate evils. The recommendations con-
tanned in the two reports are practi-
cally Identical.
The State is described as having
three kinds of freight taritfs-dis-
tributing, distance and commodity.
The first applies to all points rec
ognized as distributing points; the
second to all stations not terminals
or distributing points and the third
carries much lower rate than the
other two and is made for the purpose
of aiding certain Industries.
In the northern part of the State the
difference between the distributing and
distance tariffs is described as small
while in the southern part they vary
as much as twenty-five per cent and it
is stated that the State railroad CON-
mission should make the two tariffs
operate in the southern as they do in
the northern portions of the State.
The application of strict distance
tariff in Minnesota is believed to be
impracticable in this State, and it is
considered better to confer power on
the State railroad commission to con-
troll and adjust rates so as to make
reductions where justice demands. and
prevent determinations.
Both reports agree that classical
tions should be placed in the hands of
the State railroad commission. In
der the western classification now
prevailing in this State large num-
Der Of changes have been made. ma
jority of which have resulted in rails
ing the rates.
The majority report states that an
investigation of demurrage charge
shows the necessity of State control.
It is stated that the obligation to pay
demurrage and furnish cars should be
mutual and that it is unfair that ship
pers should be compelled to load and
unload cars without delay unless there
is a corresponding obligation on the
part of the railroad companies to
furnish and move cars. The minority
report goes further and states that
abuses of far-reaching Importance
have resulted from the system at pres
ent in vogue, and that railroad CON-