The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1911-02-25
After Afternoon Of Debate, Senate
Kills Measure By Vote Of 80 to
29-No Session Today.
REFERENDUM UP IN HOUSE
Made Special Order for March -:
University Gets First Batch Of
Cash.

49,. (By z. a. Wi1son)
senidjt Pioneer Legislative Bureau
St. Paul, Feb. 25.-By a vote of 80
to 20 the eastman distance tariff bill
was put down and with noisy, if not
entirely imposing, ceremonies by the
senate shortly after S O'clock yester-
day afternoon. T..
This is the railroad rate measure
which has stirred business circles
from one end of the state to the other
the larger cities waging strenuous
fight against it. Senator eastman
of Owatonna claimed for his bill that
it would bring about more equit-
able distribution of freight rates to
the country towns. Opponents of
the measure were vigorous in their
warning that the passage of the bill
would mean decentralization in the
commercial circles of Minnesota.
Senator eastman spoke at length
in behalf of his measure while
Senator w. S. Dwinnell of Min
neapolis and Frank Claque Of
Redwood Fails opposed it.,
making the convincing points that
to pass the eastman bill would mean
to kill the present litigation before
the United States supreme court over
rates authorized by
the 1907 legislature, this litigation
extending over a period of three
years and at a cost of more than
100000 to the state.
''The defeat of the bill today" said
Senator eastman, els not the end.
The people demand such a bill and
sooner or later they will get it,
Xxx X
The house was also in session yes
terday afternoon. The initiative and
referendum bill was up and after
sharp debate it was made a special
order for II o'clock on the morning
of March 9, this decision being made
by a vote of 81 to SO and indicates
that there is some hope of the bill
ultimately passing the house. An
effort by Nelson Herman, representa-
tive from Ottertail to kill the Lun-
deem bill raising the value of human
life by increasing the amount pos
sible to collect as the result of death
of employees from $4,000 to $4,000
failed, the bill finally passing by a
vote of 81 to "a. The house also
passed the bill permitting street car
companies to contract to furnish
United States special mail messen-
gers cheaper transportation than al
lowed other persons.
Although neither house worked
on Wednesday (Washington's birth
day. nor Thursday Con account of
Justice Jaggard's funeraD adjourn
ment was taken by both houses yes
terday afternoon until II a. m. Moi
day. All of which goes to indicate
that the present session will be as
long as the law allows.
xxx
Newspapers will be prohibited
from conducting voting, guessing,
riddle or subscription contests, if a
bill introduced by Representative
Peters becomes law.
r. XXX
Secretary of State Julius Schmahl
is the recipient of a high honor, the
senate having passed resolution,
introduced by Senator Works of
Mankato, complimenting him upon
the manner in which he has issued
the 1911 blue book and Legislative
manual
x x
An effort is being made to have
the legislature make July %, the
birth anniversary of the late Cover
nor John A. Johnson, a legal holi-
day.
4 x
Under a suspension of the rules,