The Ely miner., 1911-03-03
Minnesota legislature
Proceedings at the Minnesota State Capitol for the
Past Week.
Past Week.

ST.. Paul, Feb. 25-A semi-monthly
payday bill for public service corpora
tions, bill to limit the working hours
of women to 10 hours day in all lines
of employment, and an anti-loan shark
bill occupied the attention of labor
committee of the senate. All were
recommended for passage.
Representatives of labor unions ap-
peared before the committee to ad-
vocate the semi-monthly payday. In
dividual employees from the shops, and
railroad lawyers, spoke against it.
When the committee went into execu-
tive session Senators Pauly and L'Her-
ault of Minneapolis took up the cud-
gels for the bill Senator Duxbury
of Houston opposed it.
The bill was recommended to pass
with one dissenting vote.
Mrs. Peary Starkweather of the
state labor department, asked that a
bill making it unlawful for women to
work more than 10 hours day in any
mercantile, manufacturing or indust.
rial establishment be made a commit
tee measure and recommended for pas
sage This was done
Senator Pauly's anti-loan shark bill
provided that no man could assign his
wages without the consent of the en-
ployer and the recording of the as
signment with the city clerk. 1t also
provided that if man were married,
he could not assign his wages without
the written consent of his wife.
Drainage Probers are Named.
Speaker Dunn appointed the house
committee to investigate the conduct
of George Ralph, state engineer, re-
lative to the letting of contracts and
the construction of damage bitches in
upper Minnesota. The committee is
headed by Representative Cleon T.
Knapp of Chisholm. The other mem
bers are Donald Robertson of Argyle,
j. J. Moriarity of Belle Plaine, C. R.
Fowler of Minneapolis and Ralph e.
Crane of Grand Meadow.
State Drainage Commission Hit.
''The state drainage commission
should be abolished" said Senator
Swanson before the senate committee
on public accounts, referring to the
charges made by State Examiner
Schaefer against the commission. The
committee appointed three of it's mem
bers, Senators Works, Murry and
Swenson, special committee to in
vestigate the state drainage commits.
sion. 1t was decided to work in con-
juntion with the house committee for
the same purpose if the house com.
mittee would accept their cooperation.
If not they will work independently.
st. Paul, Feb. 27.-For the third
time in it's history, a proposal for a
distance tariff, the Iowa Idea," with
which the name of Senator eastman
has become associated, was defeated
in the Minnesota senate
The final vote on the measure was
20 for and 80 against. Two years ago,
the measure received 29 votes for and
four years ago it received % votes
The vote came after a spirited de-
bate in which such men as Senators
eastman, Clague, Putnam and Dwin-
nell took leading part.
Campbell Bill Advanced.
Initiative and referendum won a
point in the lower house of the legis-
lature. By a close vote of 81 to SO,
it's advocates succeeded in taking the
bill from general orders and made a
special order for Thursday morning,
March 9. Many of the members who
opposed placing the bill on a special
order week ago, changed their stand.
Moyle Edwards of Breckenridge, who
is opposed to the Campbell bill, but
will favor a conservative initiative and
referendum measure, brought the is
sue before the house by motion to
have the action of a week ago recon
sidered.
There were two absentees in the
senate roll call, Duxbury and Nelson.
Both had been excused. Before leav,
ing, Senator Duxbury had announced
he would vote against the bill.
Representative G. R. Fowler led the
opposition. Representative Campbell
LOOK Cne pOSltlOu that the Dll was one
uf the most important measures before
the legislature. R. c. Dunn objected
to further discussion.
The long-expected IL o'clock saloon
closing bill was introduced in the
house by ]. D. O'Brien Of st. Paul. 1t
affects only the three cities of the
first class. The proposed measure is
expected to excite even more discus
sion than the county option bill.
The Elwell deficiency appropriation
bill for the university was passed. 1t
provides about 100000 for construc-
tion and equipment of buildings.
Senator Elwelps new bill, giving the
park board right to acquire property
outside the city limits, also was
passed.
The report of the house committee
on university and university lands,
recommending indefinite postpone
men. of the bill providing for a
homeopathic building at the state uni
versity, was defeated. The bill will
be placed in general orders.
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