Morris tribune., 1911-03-10

Cudl ScS LAdI Wi 1ldl IlScIl mas o.
East on several occasions and has ell.
joyed himself at the expense OF the
state. Mr. Hartigan stands high in
the state ana is looked upon as man
of the highest sense OF honor and
proven probity.
:. !. !.
The affairs of Secretary of State
julius Schmahl are attracting consld-
erable attention and much ugly talk
is heard, emanating mostly from the
committee room of the committee on
public accounts and expenditures. 1t
is charged that in addition to incur
ring the expenditure of something like
$4,000 more than the law allowed him
in the matter of printing, Mr.. Schmahl,
in handling automobile tags, bought
them at 35 cents when he could have
secured them for Is cents, and that
they were bought through a middle
man. Mr.. SchmahPs defense is that
1t was necessary to buy them in a
hurry.
X i !.
The matter of exempting policemen
and firemen from the prohibitions of
the anti-pass, law came up for hear
ing in the senate committee of the
whole. The spectacle of old guard
senators and progressive members
standing side by side was the result.
The senate supporters of the bill al
10rjno ronliannonn n rido
free could muster only thirty votes,
but enough to recommend it for pas
sage. Senators Lende and G. H. Sui
livan led the fight against the exemp-
tion, charging that to exempt fremen
and policemen would result in nullify-
ing the provisions of the law. The
street railway men have had a lobby
at work trying to defeat the measure
and in this they have been assisted by
the men who earnestly believe that
it would defeat the intent of the anti
pass law to permit any exceptions.
They profess to believe also that to
make an exception now would be fol-
lowed by requests for other exceptions
later and that after a while legislators
would be riding on free passes, just
as they were accustomed to do.
i. = !.
Employers liability legislation seems
likely to go by the boards this ses-
sion There are four workmen's COM
pensation measures now before the
senate and none of them seem salts
factory to all parties. The report Of
the commission appointed by the late
Governor Johnson, composed of George
M. Gillette, H. V. Mercer and w. E.
McEwen has been split in two, Mr.
Mercer and Mr.. McEwen signing one
report and Mr.. Gillette signing an
other. The chief difference between
the Mercer bill and the Gillette bill is
that the Mercer bill is compulsory,
while the Gillette bill is elective. For
mer Justice Thomas D. O'Brien has in
troduced bill, which has the back
ing of the State Federation of Labor,
involving classified list of dangerous
emp1oyments and abrogatfng the dc
tense of assumption of risk, fellow
servant rule and contributory negli-
genoe. Still another has been intro
duced by Senator Swanson of Fridley,
which provides for the appropriation
of 100000 by the state for the start
ing of an insurance fund. 1t also pro
vides for contributions from employees.
!. 4 =
An effort is being made to pass a
primary law for the direct nomination
of state officers. The Moonan (Dem-
ocratic) bill, which was withdrawn by
the committee on elections, became
the bone of contention during the last
of the past week. Senator Moonan
asked to have the bill recalled to the
floor of the senate on the ground that
it had come to his ears that the cleo
tions committee would so treat it that
it would be worthless. The elections
committee is prepared to come for
ward with a bill of it's own, but all
parties are at skies and sevens on the
matter and no one, seems to know
what is wanted. The elections com
mittee promises to report out the |
Moonan measure in a few days.
i 4 X
The Anderson statewide prohibition
bill was a special order the other day |
IN the house. An effort was made to |
kill the bill when it showed itself on |
the floor, but out of courtesy to the |
author it was decided to give it a
hearing.
!. !. !.
Capital punishment has been abro-
gated in Minnesota by the action of
he house in adopting the Mckenzie
bill. 1t is thought likely the senate
will pass the measure and it is known
hat the governor is heartily in favor
If such bill. This means that Mar
lin O'Malley, the LIE Sueur county
sentenced to death for the
murder of his two stepchildren, will