Warren sheaf., 1911-02-02
WATCHING THE
LEGISLATIVE WHEELS
GO AROUND
By Frank NJ. Eddy.
Getting Down to Work - Not Much
Dissension = Fighting Propositions
Emil-Ahmann contest-Freak Bills.
Getting Down to Work

Getting Down to Work
Like a bunch of western bronchos
that have never felt tug-strain or
bride restraint, when purchased by
the Minnesota liveryman, get gay,
frolic, kick up their heels and buck a
spell before they are broken in, set
tie into the collar and get down to
hard work, so the Minnesota Legis-
lature must have their fling and do
little bucking before settling down
to the hard work of the session.
They have had their frolic, per-
formed their bucking stunt, and are
now beginning to get collar-wise and
are settling themselves to their task
that lies before them.
Not Much Dissension.
There is not much dissension or
discord among the members, nor is
there likely that there will be much
developed during this session.
There are several investigations on
mittees come in there will be some
squabbling over them but in the end
everybody will be endorsed and
everybody will be satisfied or pretend
they are.
The university, normal schools and
all the public institutions of the state
are out asking for unusually large ap-
preparations, the university asking
for over five millions, the state fair
over two and the other sums rang
ing all the way down to few thou
sands, none of them will get all they
ask for, but all Of them will receive
sufficient to enable them to do busi-
Ness until the next legislature meets
and they are provided for again.
A number of state officials will ask
to have their salaries raised, some of
these requests will be granted and
some will be turned down, and the
in all probability, depend so much on
the merits Of the proposition, as upon
the pull of the applicant, but this
has been the case in all legislatures
and will continue to be the case in
all future legislatures and so no one
need be surprised at this condition.
1t is not believed that any state in
stitutiOn will ask for any less apro-
priation than it did two years ago, nor
is it likely that any state official will
make an application for a reduction
in salary, that, indeed would create
legislative sensation, for while sal
aries and appropriations are often
raised they are seldom reduced
There is perhaps, no good reason
why there should be much of an in
crease in salaries or appropriations,
but there are many reasons why there
should be an equalization. There is
the salaries of clerks doing practic.
ally the same amount of work and
bearing the same amount of response
bility, and some of the state officers
receive much less for their services
than others who perform no more la
Dor Or carry any greater amount OF
common knowledge, that in times
past, state institutions, have not re
ceiyed appropriations in accordance
with their relative value to the state
1t is un-American to grade salaries
by the title of the Office instead OF
the service performed and it is self
evident that state institutions should
receive appropriations in accordance
with their relative value to the state
and the people Of the state. This
legislature, however, seems to be com
posed of unusually level-headed, prac
tical and fair-minded men and the
public will be disappointed if some o
these errors are not rectifed.
Fighting Propositions.
There are only about four PROPOSE
items that tn legislature will have
any trouble about getting together up
On and these are: County Option, The
Initiative, Referendum and Recall
Woman Suffrage and Re-apportion.
nent. These will probably be taken
up, passed, or defeated in the order
named. Politics will enter into the
discussion Of these subjects as well
az merit, public hearings will proba
bly, be granted on all Of them and il
is around these that the legislative
battles viii rage and over which the