The Sauk Centre herald., 1909-03-04

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passage of the bill.
There was public hearing on the
subject at the house the other day.
The St. Paul contingent cOntended
that the odor from the plant would oc-
casion all kinds of discomfort to it's
citizens, destroy it's public baths and
permeate the classic precincts of the
states educational institutions. The
Minneapolis crowd contended that it
would do nothing of the sort. The
representative of Minneapolis read a
string of letters from Chicago, Kansas
City, Omaha, Fort Worth, Sioux City
and elsewhere which in effect stated
that there was no odor from packing
plant which would prove annoying to
persons located within mile and a
half of it. He read a letter from the
president of the University of Chicago,
in which it was stated that the stock
yards odor rarely reached the uniyer-
sity, which is less than three miles
away. The St. Paul representative
read letters from the cities mentioned,
which indicated that the stock yards
odor was all pervaSive. and one from
the dean of the Chicago university, in
which it was stated that it was the
cause of great annoyance and discom-
fort at that institution. One party
contended that the sewerage would
defile the river and destroy the baths;
the other that it would have no effect
on them. The Minneapolis people
rather thought the effect of the es-
tablishment of the Armour plant
would be to make a more lucrative
market for cattle, sheep and hogs.
The St. Paul crowd were equally con-
fdent that all the packers were in a
combine, and it wouldn't make par
ticle of difference to the raiser of stock
whether Armour came to the twin
cities or not. Each party was equal
ly emphatic in it's statements and pro-
duced about the same amount of evil
dence, to support the opposing conten-
tions. Possibly the committee may
have considered that the oratorical
fireworks threw light on the subject.
Apparently each side went away more
confirmed in the Righteousness of its
cause and the force of its arguments.
What the legislature will do l don't
know, but as in other things it has ex-
hibited remarkable capacity for do
ing nothing and as that is the easiest
thing to do, hardly expect to see it
in this matter establish a new prece-
dent.
Some facts with regard to the state
fair still hunt investigation have leak
ed out, and alleged evidence secured is
being recited. If what is told is true
there is a somewhat surprising salary
list considering that the fair only lasts
one week in the year. The secretary,
so it is said, is paid $1,000 year and
he has his house rent, light and fuel
free, and the fair pays man to take
care of his horse and his COWS. A man
is employed to take charge of the
amusements and he is paid salary Of
50 800 a year and is only expected to
give part of his time to the fair. He
is also paid $500 year rent for scene
ry, and the board buys it's fireworks
and other things from company in
which he is interested. An adyertis-
ing man is paid $50 week. The pres
ident gets 81 900 year: the treasurer
$500: and six directors 5000 a year each,
and when they come to town they eat
at the restaurants at the fairs ex-
pense. There are frequent junkets of
the secretary accompanied by two or
three members of the board to Chica-
go where they live on the fat of the
land and give dinners for the enter
tainment of their friends, which every
thing down to the tips to the walters
and the porters is charged to the fair S
expense account. From what is told
their jobs are quite a snap, and their
duties not too exacting.
| If the state wants to lay out a bridge
or build a road or buy site or erect
a building there is all kinds of red
tape. A bill must be prepared; it
must be approved by both houses; it
must be sanctioned by the governor
and printed i'm the laws and i'm the pa.
tperS. Bids must be asked for, con-
tracts considered and let, bonds given,
vouchers prepared and submitted to
the approval of the state auditor and
many other things done before the
treasurer will unlock the states strong
box and hand over the cash. When
the board of state fair managers want.
n ed to buy land they went ahead and
bought it and paid for it without ask
ing the legislatures consent, the gov.