The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1907-05-08

bill for taxing freight lines puts them
on the 4 per cent gross earning basis
and it IS estimated VIII bring in Sf5,-
600 a year. Under tie capital stock
assessment plan they had paid about
$1,000
Important Insurance Laws.
No subject received more attention
from the legislature than insurance
ana an immense amount of legislation
was enacted upon that subject Four
teen of the seventeen measures pro-
posed by the national committee of
fifteen on uniform legislation were
adopted. The bills had been carefully
drafted before the legislature met aud
embodied the reforms which were
thought necessary after a considera-
ton of the recent insurance dis
closures. These bills have particular
reference to level premium life insuf-
ance companies and provide, gener-
ally, system which will tend to pro-
duce fair and open competition, the
fullest possible publicity, economical
management, while at the same time
giving each company the fullest OPP
portunity for the exercise of its own
individuality, if that term may be used.
Second in Importance is the bill
regulating fraternal insurance asso-
Citations. This bill clearly defines a
fraternal association and provides for
the fullest supervision of them by the
insurance department Fraternal as
sociations organized in the future are
required to provide for the use of the
national fraternal congress rates, but
those already organized and admitted
to this state are left free to work, out:
their own salvation.
General Increase in Salaries.
The salary question was prominently
before the legislature. The governor
and the supreme court judges were
raised from $1,000 to $1,000 and the
district judges from $1,000 to $4,000.
The members of the legislature will
hereafter receive salary of 81 900 il
place of the per diem which now
amounts to about $500. Salaries of
county and city officers were raised in
a number of instances.
BY the increase in the governors
salary members Of the present legis-
lature are barred from being candi.
dates for that office The constitution
bars members of the legislature from
accepting any Office created by them
or any Office the emoluments of which
have been increased within one year
of the time their term expires. This
would keep the senators from accept
ing any such office until January, 1912,
and the representatives until January.
1910.
Seve~aI measures relating to the
states dependents were passed. The
bill providing a hospital farm for in
eDriates was passed. The care of the
criminally insane and the tuberculosis
sufferers is also provided for in the
omnibus bill
The bill prohibiting discrimination
between towns in the sale of petro-
Standard Oil company and may be
found to be farreaching measure.
important Measures Fail.
Many things were left undone by
the lawmakers. but there were few
things of general interest to the pe0r-
pie that did not meet with settle.
ment, one way or the other. The
greatest surprise was the refusal of
the house to vote for tonnage tax
on iron ore mined.
of tba 1aoicla two
districts was considered, but never
brought to vote because it would
cut short the terms of the present SEN
ators. |
No settlement of the direct primary
question was made. All bills making
material changes in the system were
defeated and no measure solving the
main objections was even submitted.
The house refused to pass bill CIV
ing the railroad commission super
vision CT railroad stock and bond is
sues taken away by the supreme court
decision in the Great Northern case
Both houses voted down county OPP
tion in liquor license and womans
suffrage.
The senate killed the project for
a semi-centennial celebration next
year, the fiftieth anniversary of state
hood. The senate also defeated the
distance tariff principle.
The legislative session just ended
cost the state $191,563. which is over
$4,000 more than the 1905 legislature
cost. The expenses of the session ex-
ceeded the amount of the appropria-
tion and the governor has promised
to pay at least some of the bills out of
his contingent fund
Means an Increased Tax Levy.
An increase in the tax levy of seven
tenths of mill from 1906 to 1907 for
state purposes will be the result of the
work of the legislature. The total tax
levy for state purposes. which was
only 2.735 mills in 1906. will be 3.435
mills this year. The state tax for the
revenue fund was increased from IL
mills to II mills and in addition to
this there will be a tax of two-tenthS