Morris tribune., 1911-03-03
Of its congested centers of population.


Even the most ardent friends OF re-
apportionment recognize this, al
though they insist that it is the plain
duty of the legislature to reapportion
the state now, and the only way it can
be reapportioned is on the basis of its
population. Personally l am inclined
to this view. At the same time
agree with Mr.. Spooner that the time
is ripe for the calling of constitu-
tional convention to revise that thing
of shreds and patches which we know
as our state constitution.
!. !. !.
It is peculiar circumstance that
the only objection, outside the house
and senate membership, publicly made
against the reapportionment bill
comes from ST. Louis county, which
is regarded as having been gener-
ously dealt with by Mr.. Congdon, the
author of the bill. The complaint is,
and it seems to be justified, that St.
Louis county has been gerrymandered
with a view to giving advantage to
Duluth, OF which the range towns have
long been jealous. The way Duluth is
alleged to hog everything in St: Louis
county has given rise TO a demand
for county division. Indeed the name
of Iron county has already been picked
out for the northern half of st. Louis
Besides Duluth itself the United States
Steel corporation is very much op-
posed to such division, which in all
probability would mean to it a tonnage
tax on iron ore, as in such case Du-
luth could not share in the local tax.
alton of iron properties.
!. i. !.
Otherwise the tonnage tax seems
far enough away. 1t has not been pos
sible at this session to create senti-
ment in favor of the bill recently in
troduced for that purpose, members
apparently having concluded that the
contribution from ore lands is a fair
one, and that the objections to legis
lation of this kind make it impracti-
cable Whether this is so or not, the
prospects of the bill at this session
are anything but bright.
!. !. !.
A number of minor changes have
been made in the game and fish laws
in bills which have passed the house.
The beginning of the bass season has
been advanced from June 1 to June
16. A change is made in the closed
season for fur bearing animals. In
stead of two deer as formerly it is
proposed that in the future hunter
may only kill one.
:. X X
An effort to secure an advance in
the salary of the state treasurer has
been opposed by the committee of
the house. The salary is now $4,000.
An increase of $1,000 year is asked
for. The trouble about this salary
business is that the salaries of offices
created in recent years have been
planned on a more liberal scale than
those of the offices which have been
in existence a longer time. Thus, for
instance, we have the bank examiner
getting more than the public exam
iner and the salary of both exceeding
that of state treasurer-a manifest
impropriety. The officers first men
toned also get more than the state
superintendent of public instruction,
who also remains at $500.
X = \
1t is interesting to compare these
salaries with the remuneration re-
ceived by the governors private Sec
retary. The salary of the private Sec
retary is fixed at $1,000, but he is per
mitted to pocket, in addition, fees es-
timated bv the state auditor to amount
to $4,000 year The scandalous Gus
tom has grown up of giving to this
official the fees, among others, paid by
notaries public, which the original de-
sign was to have turned into the state
treasury. This seems to be a case in
which reform is demanded quite as
much as in the office of Oil inspector.
!. !. i.
The appointment of a committee
to investigate the state drainage
board, or rather its engineer, which
has hung fire for a long time, has at
last been made and the undertaking
will begin. The investigators on the
part of the house are Robertson of
Argyle, Moriarity of Belle PLANE, Fow-
ler of Minneapolis and Crane of Grand
Meadow. The senate also has ap-.
pointed committee to find out what S
wrong. It's members are Works, Muir
ray and Swanson.
'a !. + +
The immigration board is not to es-
cape either, it appears. Representa-
tive Cal Stone of st. Paul wants the
commissioner to- furnish the names Of
the men his advertising has brought
into the state-a manifest 'absurdity.
Behind this move are understood to
be certain st. Paul publicity agents
who have never been quite satisfied