The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1909-03-11
GRIND OF THE SOLONS
Tonnage Tax Bill Will Be Considered
Tuesday and Its Early Death is
Foregone Conclusion.
Everything Looks Favorable for Pas
sage of Opsahl Bill Providing
for Dynamite at Cost.

Special St. Paul Correspondence
St. Paul, March 10, 1909.-The ap-
preparations committee of the house,
together with the senate committee on
finance, has begun it's bi-annual grind
and the interest being manifested by
those who have designs on the state
treasury is growing with the days.
The demands range from $500 for
picture of some Minnesota war hero
to 81, 000,0 900 and better asked for by
the state board of control. In the case
of the latter the money is wanted for
the maintenance and Improvement of
the various state institutions. Tues
day the list made w. 81. Putnam
totaled SIS, 100000 and the finish had
by no means been reached. That
many will fall by the wayside goes
without saying.
do not like to anticipate trouble,
but I have a bunch that there are
rocks ahead for the appropriation
committee, and it will make itself
manifest about the time the omnibus
bill is reported. The opposition to
the subcommittee which is headed by
Mr.. Putnam, Carl Wallace and Elmer
Adams is already being marshaled
and one can figure out what that
means. Some one is going to get hurt
and the last three sessions it has been
the appropriations committee which
has suffered. The demands for money
are so many that it is impossible to
please all, SO that it will have to be
an unusually vigorous committee to
get away with it.
George A. Mackenzie of Gaylord,
the chairman of the house temperance
committee, has one hobby and that is
capital punishment. He is opposed to
it and his one speech of the session
will shortly be made in defense of the
bill he has introduced prohibiting it
as far as Minnesota is concerned.
Four years ago the Gaylord man put
up heroic fight for similar bill and
was all but successful. His speech
was numbered among the good, things
Of flat session.
If everything works out as planned
next Tuesday will be given over to the
consideration of the tonnage tax bill.
The bill is now on general orders and,
as soon as the special committee which
is now at Duluth looking over the site
of the proposed steel plant has re-
turned, arrangements for the big talk
fest will be made. No one appreciates
the near approach of the finish in the
tonnage tax fight better than the men,
bers Of the St. Louis county delegation
in the house. Hara ssed on all sides
and threatened by everyone with an
AK to grind, the position of the dele
cation has been anything but an en-
viable one. In many instances they
have been compelled to neglect their
own bills while, as to taking any
prominent part in the proceedings
cove, ing the most important bills, the
best the delegation has been able to do
has been to vote. Look out though
when the delegation is free from the
present tangle. I predict there will be
something doing.
The Bemidji-Cass Lake Normal
school site controversy still drags,
but the house hopes to lose it and
those interested within week at the
most. Pat. McGarry of Walker still
continues to boost for Cass Lake
while j. j. Opsahl is on the job for
Bemidji at all hours. I have a bunch
that nothing will be done in this mat
ter this session. So many towns have
broken into the game that actual show
ing of favoritism has become unpop-
ular and the members generally are
holding aloof.
One thing to be said of the demo.
cratic minority in the senate is it's
broad-gauged features. It is along
broad lines and partisanship seldom
interferes with it's vote on the ques-
tlons at issue. John Moonan of
Waseca can break lance with the
best of them, T. E. eastman of Steele
is courageous fighter, Julius Collier
of Shakopee is liked by all his repub-
lican brethren, while Albert Schaller
of Hastings is the wit of the upper.
body. Then there is Ray harrington
of Big Stone, the scrapper of the
bunch, Henry McColl of st. Paul, so
smooth that he keeps the opposition
busy, and John Hardy of St. Paul,
whom everybody likes. Other members
of the minority in the heavy weight