The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1905-03-03
legislative DOINGS.
THE BOARD OF CONTROL BILL
NOT HAVING EASY TIME
BY ANY MEANS.
RAILWAY MEN INTERESTED.
Advocates of Good Roads are Getting
Together and Favorable Re-
suits may be Attained.

st. Paul, Feb 2O.--After weeks Of con-
passed what is known - the Horton bill.
which provides for the maintenance of
the new state capitol building cno AS me me
! appropriation was fixed at 900 annual
| ly, and provision was made for the APP
pointment of one of the members OF the
| capitol commission as resident director
at salary of $4,000 yearly. 1t gave
control of the building absolutely to, the
capitol commission and said -, nothing hin,
| should have in which to complete the
building. The result of the fight in the
house was to materially change the meas,
| ure. The appropriation was trimmed
| down to 900 annually, no salaried resi-
dent director is provided for and 1T is oil,
rected that the capitol commission shah
go out OF existence August 1st, 1906: At
| the bottom of this contract was the feel
| ing on the part of those who We're OPP
posed to the Horton bill that 1t was
ronage involved in other hands than
those. of the governor. This sentiment
was freely expressed by them and the IN.
| situation was vigorously denied by the
supporters of the measure. The oppo-
nents wanted to adopt plan which
would give the governor the appoint
| quired. The bill, as finally adopted, di-
reefs that the board of control shall pur-
| chase all coal and supplies. The bill Will
| be returned to the senate to concur in
| the amendments.
The senate has gone on record as fav-
oring the repeal of the Nelson bankruptcy
| act, though quite a respectable minority
opposed favorable consideration of the
| Collier resolution memorializing congress
| upon the subject.
Interesting the Railways.
Railway officials are greatly interested
IN several of the measures now penang
In the legislature as was evident from
the large attendance of railway lawyers
at the hearing given Thursday last on
the Peterson bill, which provides for the
abolition Of free passes and the reduc-
ton of passenger rates to cents mile.
Senator Peterson, author of the bill, was
the only spokesman in its favor, and his
contention was that the adoption OF a
ways little, If anything. and that the loss
of income occasioned by the reduced rate
would be more than made good by the
travelling free. His argument was strong
ly contested by the attorneys A. E.
Clarke, general solicitor for the Minne-
Gpolis & st. Louis, declared that the rail-
ways could not earn enough to grease
their wheels at the 2-cent rate. He gave
figures to show that the average cost Of
2.99 cents per mile and said that the
average rate now being received was
only 2O2 per mile, exclusive of earnings
senger trains. All the attorneys declared
that very little free transportation was is
sued and that its abolition would have
but little erect. 1t was the general OplH-
ion of the attorneys that the issuance
of passes was a matter of little import
ance, though all of them were apparently
willing to have that feature OF the bill
enacted into law. The hearing occurred
before the senate committee on railways
and was productive of no decisive result.
A petition sent to both houses of the
legislature by the Minnesota Municipal
and Commercial League asks for a ma
terial reduction of local distance freight
rates: and suggests that the railway and
Uy0r "a n11Cn 1ro1ic eli WI q
al power be given them or not, should
cause an investigation of the subject and
make an order which would give Mime
sofa business and shippers rates which
are fair and reasonable and at least as
favorable as those now enjoyed in neigh
boring states. Specifically the petition
railway and warehouse commission power
to establish rates which shall be prima
facie just and reasonable, and be in force
until set aside by the courts: placing tele-
graph, telephone and electric lines under
control of the railway and warehouse
commission; that it be made the duty of
the commission to prosecute before the
interstate commerce commission COM
plants on claims of citizens of this state
Of violations of the interstate commerce
laws, when such claims seem proper and
just to the commission; legislation. WHIP
ing out bucket shops" the exemption of
county, township, village. school district
taxation; that the railway and warehouse
commission have their attention called to
the sections of existing laws which direct
them to visit each station in the state
each year. and to institute proceedings
of their own without waiting for COM
plant; that broad and general amend
mitted permitting the legislature to re-
wise the whole field of taxation; the pas
sage Of reciprocal demurrage law.
A bill has been introduced by Repre-
board Of control shall make public the
terms of all contracts accepted by it for
the construction of public buildings: This
is directly antagonistic to- the wishes of
the board, which contends that by keep
ing such prices secret it secures better
terms.
Accounts and Expenditures.
The house committee on public ac,
possible to go to the bottom of the
charges so freely made in relation to
timber trespass and laxity in the admin
istration Of the laws relating to the grant
ing OF mineral leases and has decided to
summon former Gov. Van SAINT and State
Auditor S. G. Iverson tc.-give testimony.
a thorough examination of several de-
partments of the state government, in
Guiding the office of public examiner and
the state fish and game commission.
The house committee on elections has
expressed itself as opposed to any extern
sion of the primary election system which
would do away with party conventions
and a subcommittee has been appointed
to draft a measure which will provide
for the election of delegates at the regu-
lar primaries. There is much division of
sentiment evident among the members
generally regarding. this problem, how
ever, and it would be impossible to pre-
diet what manner of bill will be the out
come.
The resumption of the fight to take edu-
cational institutions from under the jul
risdiction of the state board of control
which was scheduled for the afternoon of
Feb. &c. was postponed on account of
the light attendance caused by. the alb
sence of many senators on junketing
trips. 1t is to be considered again Tues
Jay next
Educational Institutions
ST. Paul, Feb. 23.-Those members Of
the legislature who are working hard to
secure the passage of the senate bill di-
vesting the state board of control of jur-
iSdiction over the educational institu-
tions of the state are having hard time
of it, 1t will be remembered that when
the measure was before the upper house
MINNESOTA HAPPENINGS
Plans are discussed for the sanator-
ium at Walker.