The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1911-05-04

whelmingly defeated in the house the
railroad officials ignored their
promises. Mr.. Dunn was justly in
censed. In the meantime the Cash
man distance tariff bill had been de-
feated in the senate and Judge San
born had rendered his decision
against the state on the railroad rate
cases. At the instigation of Mr..
Dunn, Representative Crane of Mower
county re-introduced the eastman bill
in the house, and Mr.. Dunn left the
chair and made an impassioned and
telling speech in behalf of the bill.
Through his efforts the bill passed
the house by close vote. All of the
city members and every member from
the eighth congressional district, save
Mr.. G. H. Warner of Aitkin, had
strenuously opposed the bill. Natur-
ally enough when the six-senators bill
the bill was amended in the house to
limit any county to seven senator's.
came in from the senate Mr.. Dunn
favored it and much i'll feeling was
engendered. Many of those who had
been the speakers staunch supporters
turned against him. I did not favor
either the eastman bill or the seven
senators bill, for the eastman bill,
had it become law, would have in
juriously affected local interests, and
the seven senators bill is unjust to the
large cities and wrong in principle.
But I do not blame Mr.. Dunn for the
course he pursued. The people of his
section of the state have just griev-
ances against the railroads, griev-
ances that eventually must and will
be remedied,
While better state of feeling pre-
vailed in the senate there was con-
siderable friction in that body also,
especially over reapportionment.
never for moment believed that the
senators would pass an apportion-
ment bill based on population and
legislate themselves out of Office at the
expiration of half the term for which
they we're elected. It is useless to
discuss the question. The southern
part of the state, more especially the
first and third districts, is grossly
over-represented in the law-making
bodies. There is no excuse or justiti-
cation for failure to reapportion the
state on the basis of population as
the constitution clearly provides.
| The seven-senators bill is a mere
subterfuge, and I believe the fair
minded voters of the state will reject
it by an overwhelming majority at the
polls. Two years hence an aroused
public sentiment will force the enact
ment of an equitable reapportionment
law.
| But despite all it's shortcomings,
repeat, the last legislature will
| average up we'll with it's predecessors.
Much good legislation was enacted.
How many of the carping critics of
the legislature have taken the trouble
to examine, even glance over, the %
| pages of laws enacted? Let me call
attention to few of the laws placed
upon the statute books at the recent
session.: Chap. 8, which provides for
the purchase of timothy, clover and
redtop to reseed settlers lands burned
over by the forest fires in northern
Minnesota last fall; chap. 9, which
provides for the suppression of forest
and prairie fires and makes it the
duty of railroad companies to exer-
else due precautions to prevent the
spread of fires along their tracks;
chap. IL, which provides money to
loan school districts, towns and
counties at a low rate of interest;
chap. 49, which prevents drunkenness
on railroad trains; chap. 20, which
provides for the licensing of transient
merchants; chap. 43, which provides
for the regulation of the price of
school text books; chap. So, which
authorizes the state board of invest
ment to cancel outstanding indebted
nose IF tho ctoto op1 o,ov;1o x,1,o