The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1909-03-29
MAY CONTROL
STOCK ISSUES
Bill Requires Railroads to Get.
Permission From State.
HOUSE PASSES THE MEASURE.
Its Provisions Are Similar to Those Of
the Famous Rockne Bill, Which
Was Killed Two Years Ago-House
Also Passes the Commodity Rate
Bill With the Penalty Clause
Omitted.

ALSO FaSSeS tne Son.Houity nate
Bill With the Penalty Clause
Omitted.
st. Paul. March 27.-Two railroad
measures, the J. N. Johnson bill for
the regulation of stock and bond is
sues by railroads and the redrafted
commodity rate bill, were passed by
the house.
The Johnson bill is practically the
same bill as the famous Rockne bill
which the house killed two years ago.
When Attorney General E. T. Young
tried to compel the Great Northern to
get the permission of the railroad COM
mission before making its proposed
stock issue, he found the old law de-
fective and drew the bill which A. j.
Rockne, now speaker, introduced. The
bill caused one Of the liyeliest fights
of the session. ]. J. Hill and others
representing the Great Northern and
the 500 road fought the bill before the
committee, and the attorney general
and his friends fought just as hard
for it.
This year the bill was introduced
quietly by the member from Candy
and caused little stir in the commit
tee, although General Solicitor w. r.
Begg of the Great Northern and some
others appeared at one hearing in op-
position to the bill. The bill was a
special order in the morning, was de-
layed until the afternoon and after
short discussion sixty-three members
cast their votes for the bill and forty
four against it.
Lemons Resolution Passed.
7. G. Lennon Of Minneapolis called
! up his resolution providing for a COM
mittee of five representatives ana
three senators to confer with the rail-
roads to see if some settlement of the
freight rate suits could not be arrived
at. Mr.. lemons resolution called at
tention to the fact that S. F. ~, the
commodity rate law of two years ago
with the penalty clause stricken OUT
had passed the senate and was before
| the house. and said that the bill would
accomplish nothing except to keep up
the litigation.
| Some of the house members feared
that if this committee were appointed
the only result would be to delay and
possibly prevent the passage OF 5. =.
80. The present law with its drastic
penalties is held unconstitutional by
- off for the
state had advised it's re-enactment
without the penalties, and L. =.
snooner told the house that it was alb
solutely necessary to pass the amend
| ed law if the rate suits are to be sue
cessful. So the house struck all REFER
ence to S. F. 80 out of the Lennon
resolution and passed the bill under
suspension of the rules. Then tney
passed the Lennon resolution.
The 6 per cent gross earnings Dill,
introduced by Mr. Spooner, was re-
ported to the house for indefinite post
ponement and the report was adopted.
The county assessor bill, which was
voted down in the house last Wednes-
day. was resurrected on motion OF =.
K. Melby of Minnesota. Immediately
following this action Henry Rines OF
Moro secured a reconsideration OF
the bill exempting 5000 Of the personal
property of each family from taxation,
which had been killed the same day.
This latter bill was placed on the
calendar.
Opposed to Reappcrtionnent.
Only seventeen state senators voted
| in favor of reapportionment OF the
senatorial and legislative districts OF
the state, when the matter came up
for consideration in the senate on the
majority and minority reports from
the REINFORCEMENT committee.
This probably means that there will
be no reapportionment for another
four years. as at the next session all
of the senators will just have entered
upon four-year term, and probably
will not vote themselves out OF office
at that time.
A large majority Of the senator's did
not want to discuss any reapportion-
ment bill and the report of postpone
ment of the bill carried with SO af-
firmative and IL negative votes.
There will be no change in the pres
ent system of handling state lands.
This was decided when the senate
killed three different proposals to
| make more extended provision for the
lands, forests and minerals of the
state. The bills introduced by Sena-
! tors Nelson, Works and Garfield were
killed after full debate. There were
! twenty-seven votes for the Garfield
bill, the nearest any one of them came
to passing.
The house adopted a resolution in
troduced by G. M. Bendixen of Morgan
protesting against the reduction of
the tariff on barley from 80 to Is
cents, as proposed in the Payne tariff
bill now under consideration in con-
gress.
The abolition of passes to the grand
stand at the state fair is recommend
ed by the special house committee,
headed by ]. T. johnson Of Fergus
Falls, which has been Investigating
the state fair boards doings.
I'M EMBARRASSING POSITION
Wealthy Man in Pullman Car Loses
Cash and Clothing.
Columbus, o.. March 29.-J. ]. Tier
ney, coal operator Of Elkins, w. Va,
who left Cleveland over the Big -Four