The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1907-03-25
ALTER CONSTITUTION
HOUSE BILL PROVIDES FOR A
STATE CONVENTION FOR
THAT PURPOSE.
CHANGE IN ELECTION OF STATE
SENATORS PROPOSED IN
ANOTHER BILL.

st. Paul, March ga constitution
al convention to formulate new state
constitution or amendments to the
present constitution is provided for
In a bill introduced in the house by w.
L. Case of Cloquet. The bill provides
that at the general election in 1908
there shall be elected a number of
delegates equal to the number of SEN
ators and representatives and these
shall constitute the convention. They
stitution and the next legislature shall
provide for the submission of these
propositions to the people in 1910.
A bill extending the operations Of
the fellow servant law, now enforced
only against the railroads of the state,
applicable to electric railways, public
works and a large number Of private
operations, was introduced in the
house by w. l. Nolan of Minneapolis.
The bill to appropriate $225,000 for
the state farm at st. Anthony Park, in
troduced in the house by Alvin Rowe
of St. Paul, was reported for passage
by the committee on university.
Among the provisions of the bill is,
one for $4,000 for the purchase Of adj
ditional land for the farm.
Two constitutional amendments at
fecting the apportionment of repre-,
sentation in the legislature were pro-
posed in bills introduced in the house
by F. T. White of Elk River, chairman
of the house reapportionment commit.
tee -
To Change Election of Senators.
The first amendment would do away
with the present system of electing all
the senators in one year. Under the
amendment they would all be elected
in 1910, as the present constitution
provides, but those in the even. num-
bered districts would be elected for
four years and those in the odd num-.
bered districts for six years, and after
the expiration of those terms they
would be elected for four-year terms.
The other amendment provides that
after each state census the legislature
may, and after each federal census the
legislature shall, reapportion the con-
gressional, judicial and legislative dis
tricts. At present the legislature has
power to make reapportionment af-
ter each census, but is not compelled
to do so.
In spite Of protests against what
the opponents called a policy Of ped
ding out appropriations to this and
that town as premiums, and the
charge of trading votes for its passage,
the county agricultural school bill, pro-
viding special appropriations, was
marked for passage in the house and
will probably be passed. The whole
question was threshed out under a
motion to refer the bill to the COM
,mittee on agriculture and the motion
was lost by a vote Of AZ to 65.
The bill provides for appropriations
| of $4,000 each for schools at the fol-
lowing places: Marshall, Lyon coun-
ty: Slayton, Murray county; Madison,
Lac qui Parle county; Morris, Ste
vens county; Willmar, Kandiyohi
county; Breckenridge, Wilkin county;
Austin, Mower county, and Wadena,
Wadena county.
Agricultural High Schools.
A bill providing for establishing six.
| district agricultural high schools was.
introduced by Senator A. D. Stephens
| of Crookston. The bill divides the
state into nine districts and provides
for the establishment Of an agricul-
tural high school of secondary grade
and branch experiment station in
six Of the districts. The institutions
are to be managed by the regents Of
the state university as part Of the
| state agricultural college and expert
ment station, together with the branch
station at Grand Rapids, and the agri-
cultural school and station at Crooks
ton. An agricultural school is also
established at the Grand Rapids
| branch station.
| The report of the senate railroad
committee recommending for passage
Senator Johnston's bill, S. f. 5S5, re
lating to the duties of railroads trans
porting live stock, was withheld by the
committee on the information that the
South ST.. Paul live stock interests
wished to be heard on the question.
The matter was taken up again and
after hearing the committee decided
to report the bill for passage with a
slight amendment. The bill as draft
ed requires railroads to designate one
day each week as stock shipping
day, and the amendment will provide
that they shall designate. at least one
day week for that purpose.