The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1912-06-21
SPECIAL SESSION
HAS ADJOURNED
CORRUPT PRACTICES ACT MAR.
RoWLY MISSES DEFEAT
AT CLOSE.
THE NEW PRIMARY LAW.
Has Many New Features.-Second
Choice Provision Makes II Pos
sibie to Get Majority Nom
nation.

nary session or the Minnesota LeglS-
lasure came to an end at nine o'clock
this morning, when the journal of
Mondays proceedings was read and
final adjournment taken. Although
in session only two weeks, the legis-
lature wheel turned unusually fast and
half a dozen measures of unusual val
ue to the people were passed by prac-
tically non-partisan action. OF the
three measures asked by the governor,
two, a statewide primary and a cor
rupt practices act passed and reap
portionment was turned down. The
next subject that attracted most at
tention was bill prohibiting the Mod
ern Woodmen raising their rates in
Minnesota until referendum vote is
taken. This was demanded by con-
siderable dissenting element in the
lodge.
The last bill passed was the corrupt
practices act.
Controversy between the two houses
over this took an unexpected turn
when, after the conference committee
had agreed on the features of the bill,
it became known that enough sena-
tors had been procured to vote against
the measure to make it's defeat GER
tain.
While the conference committee was
drawing up unanimous report on the
measure, and members generally be-
lieved that on this report it would
pass both houses by unanimous vote,
the opposition had interviewed ten
members of the upper house and Sc
cured their pledges to vote against the
act. Advantage was taken of the fact
that only Sc members were present
and as it required 80 to pass the meas
ure the opposition of only five would
defeat it.
The opponents of the bill were
enough in number to defeat the IL cas-
ure, but were hopelessly in the min
ority when the advocates of the meas
ure threatened to adjourn. and to keep
the senate in session all summer if
necessary until full attendance could
be forced and the bill passed. One
by one the opposing senators changed
vote of 50 to 0.
Discovery of defects in the primary
bill led to the reconsideration of the
measure and the passage of amend
ments. 1t was discovered that the sec
ton governing voting machines was
not clear and the right of the city of
Minneapolis to use it's machines un-
~ L.
toned. To make certain that Mime
apolis was protected c. r. Fowler Sc
cured the adoption Of an amendment
providing that voting machines could
be used in certain titles and that
where it was not practical to use them
for all elections, that they be used as
far as possible and that the ballot sys-
TEN be reverted to for other officers.
Among the minor acts of the closing
day was the appropriation of $4,000
for the usual publication of the new
laws as supplements to the legal news
papers throughout the state.
The New Primary Law.
The most important work Of the
session was the passage of the state
wide primary law, known as the
second choice" law.
The new law simply extends the
present primary law to all officers in
the state with the exception of officers
in towns and villages and cities of the
third and fourth class and to members
of the school, park, and library boards
in cities of population less than 100,-
300. and provides for second choice
In the nomination of such officers. In
addition to this, it places the judges
of the supreme, district, probate and
municipal courts, municipal officers in
Minneapolis and county superintend-
ents of schools on a non-partisan basis.
Legislators were practically unani-
nous in their support of the general
idea of a statewide primary law.
They differed only on the second
choice provision. The bill as passed
provides for the elimination feature.
The purpose of 1t is to compel nomi-
nation by majority. Under the pres
emit system. If three or four candidates
run for a nomination. the man receiv-
ing the highest number of votes is
nominated. He might have more votes
than any one of the other candidates,
but still receive less than one-third OF
the entire vote cast. BY this method
a minority would nominate.
The second choice Is provided to cor