Willmar tribune., 1909-03-31

provements in Minnesota. such a. the
connection Of the Lake Of the Woods
and Lake Traverse; that therefore
the legislature make a thorough in.
vestigation Of the subject. The reso-
luton, however, does not provide for
anJ investigating committee.
G. J. Carlson Of Plainview intro
duced bill in the house today, pro-
viding that mining companies which
do business in Minnesota, and sell
their stocks and bonds, must be in
corporated.
After lengthy debate, the house
this afternoon in committee of the
whole voted to recommend for pass.
age the Thayer bill making q state
tax Of one cent per 500 on all sales
or agreements to sell, at any ex.
change, board of trade, or similar
place. Burdette Thayer of Spring
Valley spoke at length on the bill, ar.
guing for its passage. w. D. Wash
burn, Jr., Of Minneapolis declared it
to be IAN unusual and unjust form
Of taxation The Thayer bill for
10 cent tax on every 500 face value
of mortgages was recommended to
pass by vote of "a to sc.
Important bills of general applica-
tioa passed by the senate this after
noon include the following: by
Clague, for constitutional amend
ment to permit the state to pay one
half instead of one-third the cost of
improving county roads and bridges.
BY Stephens, granting an additional
$3.50 of state aid to such high schools
as have course in commercial train
ing. The senate judiciary committee
bill, regulating trading stamp busi-
ness, and providing that firms issuing
them must agree to redeem them. BY
Thorpe establishing uniform bills of
lading forms as suggested by the in
terstate commerce commission.
Several new bills put in an appear
ance. Senator Seward had a bill to
give the 18th legislative district an
additional representative-that is, one
representative each for Lincoln, Lyon,
and Yellow Medicine counties Sen
ator Works had bill which requires
that city councils must call special
elections to consider proposed new
city charters within six months after
charter commissions complete their
charter drafts. The senate also re-
considered the semi-monthly payday
bill, relating to public service corpo
ratfOns, which it killed a few days
ago. The measure was replaced on
general orders
st. Paul, Minn., March 24.-But one
OF the three tax commission bills con-
sidered as a special order in the
house this afternoon survived the or
deal, the bill providing that all prop.
erty shall be listed at it's full valua.
tion and then assessed uniformly at
40 per cent for taxation purposes.
There were many attempts to amend
it, but all failed.
The tax commission bill for 5000
personal property exemption was
then discussed, but on roll call only
secured Sc ayes to SO nays, GO be-
ing necessary for passage. Next came
the commission bill for county asses
sors, but on roll call the measure only
drew 81 yeas to SIS nays.
The board of control, especially S.
w. Leavitt, it's chairman, was exoner-
ated from all criticism by the house
today, when it voted, 80 to 21, to
adopt the report of the majority of
the public accounts committee, which
made an exhaustive investigation of
the board and it's relation to the pub
lie examiner.
l.. c. Spooner introduced bill in
the house today providing for crea-
tion of commission consisting of
the governor, auditor, and attorney
general, to make two years inves-
tigation of drainage and waterways
and water power improvements in the
Minnesota river valley, and tributary
stream valleys, and of canal connec-
tiOns between the important lakes of
northern Minnesota, leading into the
Mississippi
On motion of c. A. Johnson of st.
Peter, the senate today advanced the
legislative salary bill from general or
ders to the calendar, where it will
doubtless pass. This bill permits leg
islators to draw $1,000 salary legisla-
tive year, instead of $500 each year of
their two year terms. Bills passed in
the senate this afternoon included the
following: BY Rines, for reservation
of state water powers and mineral
rights; by Wilson, making marriage
a civil contract and refusing future
legal recognition of common law mar
riages; by Vail, to exempt bequests
for benevolent or charitable purposes
from the state inheritance tax.
The senate tax committee today
took up the Bjorge iron ore tonnage
tax bill for preliminary consideration.
H. D. Bjorge stated he would like an
hour and half or two hours to speak
for the bill. 1t was decided that the
tax committee will give the bill it's
first hearing in the senate chamber
one week from tonight, at which time
Mr.. Bjorge will be allowed the entire
evening if he desires it. Senator
George r. Laybourn of Duluth re-
minded the committee that represen-
tatives of the Duluth commercial
club, iron range town residents, and
others, desired to be heard, and Sc