Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1907-05-01
WEDNESDAY, MAY 1, 1907.
LEGISLATIVE LETTER.

Inc laSL DAYS OF lnc legislature
were combination of the grand
American hippodrome, opera bout
fe and a geological garden with
the cage doors open. One who has
never witnessed the scenes usually
enacted on occasions of that kind
gets no conception out Of cold type.
Tuesday was the last day on which
business could be transacted and
| the two houses came to a close by
constitutional limitation on the tick
Of twelve, midnight.
The noise inside the chamber was
heard not only in the retiring rooms
but in the corridoral outside. The
first thought that came to ones
mind was the board of trade in Chi
cago or the stock exchange in New
York. The clerk, Invested of col
lar, necktie and other useless wear
ing apparel, was shouting the roll
call at the top Of his voice and an
occasional member was answering
with AYE or may The air was
throbbing with loud and boisterous
talking, the chamber was crowded
with visitors and members wander
ing hither and yon and the air was
full of torn paper, flying books,
Spitballs and other handy bric-a-
brac. At times the bedlam rose to
such tide that even the intent
listener could not hear the names
called, still bills were being passed,
the content and import of
which was evidently foreign to the
thought if not entirely outside the
knowledge Of the men who voted
for them. Once in a while on an
important bill the house would
swing into such attention as was
possible under the circumstances
and bills would be defeated, even
debate was sometimes attempted,
but often the only man to hear the
argument was he who made it. In
this confusion even the most care
full, painstaking and honest presid-
ing officer could not possibly keep
the routine Of business straight.
On curative act that might have
meant much injury, the usual mo-
ton for suspension Of rules was
made, some argument ensued, pan
demonium reigned and the presid-
ing officer, evidently forgetting the
fact that the question on the sus-
pension Of rule had not been voted
on, pushed the bill thru with bare
majority.
The house adjourned at ten min
utcs to twelve, but in the senate the
lawmakers violated the law, doing
themselves the detestablc disgrace
OF turning back the clock as tho
that in any way would turn back
the constitution, remained in ses-
sion until after two. How much
bad legislation was saved up for
this occasion and gotten thru by
bad men, | am unable to say.
know one bill prohibiting meet
lngs on the streets, aimed evidently
at the prohibition party, which has
made speciality of street meet
lngs, was killed after hard work in
the house but had been introduced
also in the senate, where it passed
and bobbed up the very last thing
on the calendar of the house on the
last night Of the session. Our fell
lows got busy and after hard work
killed it.
Both houses met again on Wednes-
day morning to approve the journal
and transact some routine business,
altho no bills could be considered.
The session was consumed quite
largely in voting additional pay to
pages and stenographers and clerks,
and altho by the rules of the house
it would take four-fifths to add to
the pay Of anyone who had been en-
ployed on fixed salary, yet under
one subterfuge or another the pets
were voted the peoples money for
no consideration.
The legislature was extremely
stingy of any legislation on any
question except those problems
which have to do with money, taxa
ton, railroad rates and pertaining
| to the transaction Of nnhlic hnsi-
ness. In other words, the protec-
ton Of childhood, which came up in
mum Der of phases, was almost in
variably frowned upon. The abate-
ment of institutions and practices
which foster Incidence, vice and
crime was clearly in disfavor.
These questions will be- treated,
however, in the resume of the work
Of the legislature next week.
w. C. c..