Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1907-03-16

t. Paul Correspondent
House which again has the opportun-
ity to break the deadlock. AS the
public generally knows, the Senate
passed plain, straightforward two
cent fare bill and the House gave its
approval to a different two. cent
measure in which it afterward devel-
oped that there was provision
which appeared to destroy the pur-
pose and intent of the law. The House
/ bill was sent to the Senate and the
Senate bill to the House. After few
days deadlock, which the railroads
hoped might continue indefinitely, the
upper body took up the House bill
and amended it into the form of the
bill they had previously passed. The
next move of the House may deter
mine whether or not the railroads
have strength enough there to make
respectable showing in fight for
| nOulUSu uIcaSuEOs
Certain pessimists are even now
predicting tha5 the end of the session
may see no change in this novel two
cent fare situation. They assert that
the House members could go home
any say to their constituents that they
voted for such law according to
pre- election promises and that Sena-
tors would truthfully say the same,
yet we would have no two cent fare.
1t is not unlikely that the railroads
are laboring diligently to bring about
such an incongruous condition, but it
must be remembered that the legis
lature contains majority of con.
scientious men who are not seeking a
f1imsy excuse for neglect of duty. The
corporation game in this connection
is transparent, strikingly so to men
who are both honest and intelligent.
The railroads are employing their
celebrated ''block" system to side
track other reform measures. The
anti pass bill passed by the Senate is
Ireposing peacefully in the House rail-
road committee and the reciprocal
demurrage bill passed by the House is
likewise seeking slumber in the Sem
ate railroad committee. At times one
might almost be justified in entertain
ing doubt as to whether the abuses
of our committee method of law
manufacture do not outweigh their
uses. At all events ''the committee
of the whole" is the important COM
mittee in both bodies.
Still speaking seriously, we pause TO
inquire why the anti pass contagion
which SO acuteiy attacked the Senate
did not spread to the House? This
body seems afflicted with miider
form of the malady. 1t is even limited
that when they do pass such law
that it will only be made operative
when higher legislative salary goes
into effect. The relation of these two
measures is natural, but hardly legiti
mate at this time. A no-pass law
should be enacted and become effec-
tive at once. Then the salary of leg
islators should be raised to $1,000
year-and only elect members who
are worth that amount of compensa-
ton.
If the salary of a representative Or
senator were two thousand dollars for
term of two years, good successful
men could afford to serve the state. !
And they could also afford to pay
their own campaign expenses. The
corporations usually claim an extor-
tionate usury in service from the few
whom they financially befriend before
election.
The question of campaign contribu
tions calls to mind several interesting |
gentlemen who are now laboring for
the corporations of the common
wealth. The subject is not alone of
current consequence. An investiga-
tion might dig deeper than decade
before striking stratum of history
which would reveal no stmiddle draw
er" in politics. But recent campaigns
would prove the most interesting to
the public. The little deals and trades
and sales of craftsmanship, if truth
fully revealed, would tear the mask