The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1907-02-06
HOLDS BRIEF SESSION
HOUSE MEETS IN THE EVENING
FOR THE TRANSACTION OF
BUSINESS.
COMMITTEE ON RAILROADS REC.
oMMENDs DEMURRAGE BILL
FOR PASSAGE.

mp
st. Paul, Feb. 5.-The house held a
short session in the evening. The
senate was not in session.
The house committee on railroads
decided to recommend the reciprocal
demurrage bill for passage. There
were eleven votes for the bill, one
against, one not voting and six alb
sent. The bill was reported to the
house and made a special order for
Thursday next week.
A 6 per cent tax upon the gross
earnings Of railroads in this state is
proposed in bill introduced in the
house by L. G. Spooner of Norris This
would mean an increase of so per cent
in the taxation of the. railroad COM
panies upon the same amount of bust
ness and would be double the tax they
were paying up to a year ago, when
the constitutional amendment was
passed raising the gross earnings tax
from 8 to 4 per cent The bill is in
the 1903 legislature and provides for
the submission of the act to the voters
at the next general election.
The extension of the Minneopa
State park al the expense of the state
is provided in bill introduced in the
house by E. w, Gates of Garden CITY,
Owns Land Around the Falls.
The state now owns the land around
the falls, having paid about $4,000 for
It,, Gates. bill provides an additional
$4,000 for the purchase Of fourteen
acres adjoining the park. The last
legislature provided funds and direct
ed the acquisition of land around the
falls for a park. Attorney General
Young had considerable difficulty in
getting the land at reasonable price,
and at one time he intended to lay
the matter over until the legislature
the act, on the ground that it was a
local proposition, and ought to be paid
by local funds. But the Mankato peo-
pie pointed out that the law required
him to purchase the land and, after
some further negotiations, he secured
a tract of land within the appropria-
ton. "
A bill apparently intended to allow
any township to prohibit persons from
riding over it's roads in automobiles
| was introduced in the house by Henry
w. Libby of Winona The wording
Of the bill is to the effect that when a
majority of the voters at the annual
town meeting, or a special meeting
called for that purpose, shall so di.
rect, the town board shall post a
"prohibitory notice in plain letters at
each end of the road or portion of road
declaring it dangerous over which to
have any automobile, morton vehicle
or motor cycle pass" Violation of the
law is made misdemeanor.
For Public Improvements.
Two bills for the payment Of special
assessments for public improvements
were introduced in the house by F. E.
Nimocks Of Minneapolis. One relates
to railroads and the other to express,
telegraph, telephone and other public
service corporations.
The bill relating to the railroads
comes in the form of an amendment
to the gross earnings law. The pres
ent law provides that gross earnings
taxes shall be in lieu of all other
taxes, but the Nimocks bill inserts a
provision that railroad lands may be
taxed for their share of public i'm
provements.
Thee other bill provides that ex-
press, telegraph and telephone COM
| panies may be assessed upon their
real estate for their proportion of the
cost Of sidewalks, pavements, etc.
At present none of these companies
psYs any assessments for improve
ments of property abutting on its
property.
The house in committee of the
whole, with w. H. Putnam of Red
Wing presiding, took favorable action
on the Adams bill to abolish private
banks. Favorable action was also
taken on F. T. Whites bill authorizing
SOulCy .COluAl1oolOuSlo w CuduSc tu0
name Of towns within the county.
Summer Sessions Of Normal Schools.
Summer sessions at the state nor
NAL schools are provided in a bill In
>troduced in the house by G. L. Saw
yer Of Minneapolis. It provides that
at each normal school there shall be
maintained a twelve weeks summer
school, similar to the regular sessions
now provided by law The provisions
for attendance shall be the same as
those now in force and the arrange
ments of courses shall be such as will
best conserve the interests of the
rural schools. An annual appropria-
ton Of 100000 is provided in the bill.
The payment of wages twice a
month Is to be required by law If a
bill introduced In the house by ]. b.
Murphy Of Minneapolis is adopted. It
provides that all corporations, except
religious, literary or charitable, shall
pay It's employees twice a month the
wages they have coming up to within
five days, unless payment Is prevented
by inevitable casualty.
The senate committee appointed to
investigate the cost of construction
and maintenance of the railroads In
the state and the earnings Of divisions