Willmar tribune., 1909-01-27
minnesota SOLONS

lvlIlIIv l0UIh 0uLuu0
SEN. ELWELL WANTS APPRoPRi.
ALTON OF A MILLION FOR
STATE UNIVERSITY.
Freak Legislation Turns Up in Bills
to Punish Robbers Of Hen
Roosts and Melon
Patches.
st. Paul, Jan. 14.-Politics was
played to a finish in the senate to.
day, with the Republicans coming OF
victors as result of their over
whelming majority. The political bali
opened with Senator Works of Man
kato requesting the adoption of his
resolution to appoint a joint commit
tee of six, three from each house, to,
draft a bill for state department of
lands, as was suggested in the govern
or's report. Works is an active demo.
crat, and the republicans resented his
attempt to boost the governors plans.
Such bill will be considered little
later. but when it is, the republicans
intend it shall originate with some re-
publican, and not with a democrat.
Accordingly a resolution was adopted
referring the Works resolution, with
all recommendations Of the governors
message, to the proper committees on
the various subjects. Ole Sageng, the
populistic member from Otter Tail,
wanted to know what the resolution
meant. Senator Thorpe Of Kandiyohi,
said such a resolution was customary
In congress relative to the presidents
message. John Moonan of Waseca,
raised laugh by explaining that the
rules of congress have evidently been
changed, as it seems to be now GUS
tomary to lay the presidents mes
sage upon the table.
The senate was in session lust IS
minutes in all today, including three
minutes devoted to the opening prayer
by the chaplain. Another supply of
| new bills came in. These included the
following: by Pauly, for non-partisan
primary nomination Of district and
probate judges; by Nelson, creating
ten per cent income tax on owners
OF iron mine properties; by Peterson,
to increase pay of petit jurors from
81 to So. Two bills to pension those
who fought in Minnesota Indian mas
sacres of 1862 were offered, one by
Wright, one by Works; both calling
for 912 per month pensions.
St. Paul, Minn., Jan. 15.-The house
and senate were both in session q lit
tie over an hour today. The senate
then adjourned till Tuesday morning,
the house till Monday afternoon.
In the senate today, Senator Works
of Mankato introduced the pet meas
ure of the democrats, bill to create
state board of lands of three men,
bers. Each member is to be appoint
| ed by the governor and have a salary
of $4,000 a year, and to absorb the
work now accomplished by the state
immigration bureau, state forestry
board, state land commissioner. The
board is to be assigned quarters "at
the seat of government" and does not
have to meet more frequently than
once In two weeks. 1t would abolish
| lot of republican offices, and place
the control of the states resources en-
tirely in the hands of the present dem
| ocratic administration. For this rea-
son it will doubtless be assailed by the
republican legislative majority. DR..
H. H. Witherstine introduced a novel
bill. It provides that every voter in
the state must vote at primaries and
elections under penalty of 81 fine,
which. if not paid, is to be charged
against property as tax; and if it
still remains unpaid, said voter cannot
vote at another election until the fine
is satisfied. Senator Oar Hall offered
bill to repeal the present corrupt
practices act on the ground that the
existing law is but farce in it's en-
forcement.
In the house number of new bills
appeared. Representative Frank
White has one to place the office of
labor commissioner in the elective list
with $4,000 salary, appointments in
the department to be controlled by a
civil service board consisting of the
auditor, secretary of state and attor-
ney general. Elmer E. Adams, of Fer
gus Falls, stirred up the prohibition
liquor interests fight by introducing
bill to extend local option from town
ships and incorporated villages, to
which it is now limited, to all cities Of
10000 Inhabitants or under. Repre-
sentative Davies, chairman of the for
estry committee, introduced q bill to
appropriate $12,500 to pay northern
Minnesota citizens who devoted much
of their time to forest fire fighting last
summer and fall E. E. Lobeck. came
to the rescue of "Newlyweds" with a
bill making 1t a crime to serenade
"a la charivari." Representative Fer
guson offered bill for constitu.
tional amendment to permit the legis-
lature to enact a law for an educa.
tional qualification requirement for
county superintendent of schools.
st. Paul, Minn., Jan. 18.-The house
met for a brief session at 2:30 this
afternoon, considered several resolu-
tions, introduced a handful of bills,
and then adjourned till II a. m. tomor-