The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1911-02-28
From first page
of its congested centers of population


Even the most ardent friends of re
apportionment recognize this, al
though they insist that 1t 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 l
agree with Mr.. Spooner that the time
is ripe for the calling of a constitu-
tional convention to revise that thing
of shreds and patches which we know
as our state constitution.
!. j. !.
It is a 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 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 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.
!. i. :.
| 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 l 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.
!. i. !.
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 $780,
An increase Of $500 a 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 q longer time. Thus, for
instance, we have the bank examiner
getting more than the public exam
liner and the salary of both exceeding
that of atate treasurer-a manifest
improperly. The officers first men
toned also get more than the state
superintendent of public instruction
who also remains at $4,000.
It is interesting to compare these
uyi4h hn ra
ceived by the governors private sec
rotary The salary of the private sec
: rotary is fixed at $500, but he is per
mitted to pocket, in addition, fees es
timated by the state auditor to amour
to $4,000 year. The scandalous Gus
tom has grown up of giving to thi
official the fees, among others, paid b.
: notaries public, which the original de
sign was to have turned into the stat
treasury. This seems. to be case il
which reform is demanded quite a
much as il the office of Oil inspector
:. !. =
The appointment of a committe
to investigate the state drainag
!
: has hung fire for a long time, has a
last been made and the muckrakin
will begin. The Investigators on tn
part of the house are Robertson C
Argyle, Moriarity of Belle PLANE, FoV
Ter of Minneapolis and Crane of Gran
I Meadow The senate also has al
: pointed committee to find out what
wrong. It's members are Works, MI
: ray and Swanson.
!. !. !.
:. The immigration board is not to e
: cape either, it appears. Represent
q tive Cal Stone of St. Paul wants tn
commissioner to furnish the names {
the men his advertising has brougf
: into the state-a manifest absurdit,
. Behind this move are understood
be certain St. Paul publicity agent
who have never been quite Statistic