The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-01-17
SENATORS START
REFORM + POLICY
Important Legislation Is Agreed
On by a Group in the Up
per House.
They Want the Senate to Reverse
It's Old Record Of Conserva-
tism and Obstruction.

Republican state senators are prepar-
ing to take the lead in the program of
progressive legislation recently mapped
out in The Journal. The. bill for
a constitutional convention I and the
anti-pass bill have already been intro
duced by Senator +. H.:Peterson. The
two-cent fare bill will shortly make it's
appearance in the senate. That body
will also have bill granting increased
powers to the railroad and warehouse
commission to pass on at an early date.
The senators back Of these measures
have a common understanding, and they
are going to campaign in earnest to get
the adherence Of majority Of the SEN
make record in legislation for the use
OF the republican party in the next state
campaign, and they want the senate to
get good share Of that credit.
At the 1903 session the senate dis
tinguished itself as an executioner Of re-
form measures passed by the house. It
killed the constitutional convention
proposition, the Stone railroad rate: bill.
the Haugland tax bill, the Inheritance
tax measure, and blocked the antimer-
ger bills. This series of achievements
branded the senate as Conservative
body. and if repeated at this session it
would mean hard shedding for senators
who, come Ie up for reelection. The sen Sc;
previous senate killed the gross earnings
bill in 1899, andthe jacobson tax bill at
the, extra session of 1902. Under, the
constitution all taxation bills must orig
mate in the house, and the successive
| gross earnings bills were three times
passed in the house and sent on to the
senate. The senate has come to be
known as the place where good bills 90
to when they die. "a /, 81
The senate leaders who are getting to.
gether on these measures are anxious to
wipe out the old stigma. They also
think that the legislation considered
will have better chance to pass the
senftf The If c 1T 2fgHaae dd dh9 net prevent
some taxation bills would be introduced
in the senate at an early date. They
must originates in the house, but they
will 20 in with the full knowledge of s
number Of senators, who will be ready
to take them m up ifssgassed by the loWs1
e eFanGh; likely, b BIZ BY
another imposing franchise tax OF
public service corp ttiions, Is Some new
ideas for, taxation amendments to TIT
constitution may also appear in the sen
ate. At the last session the two houses
deadlocked oyer the amendments. TIL.
house insisted on a. "wide,openn, meas
,ure, while the senate stood out for tn,
restricted form, and asa result NJ
amendment was adopted. This tim'
the subject will be taken up early il
an effort to get together. -. 2:
|, One factor in the situation is tina
the terms Of all the senators expire mex
4 year. It is "now or neverO if tn,
1present senate wants to 60 before tn,
people with a record that will help tn
members to denomination and .re-elec
tion. The. friends of the reform pro
gram believe that there is an excellen
chance now to get their bills passed
Once thru the senate, they figure tina
there will be no difficulty in getting tn
house to agree. The present house i
believed to be fully as radical in tenn
per as others in recent years. =