The Sauk Centre herald., 1912-06-20
.SOLONS HAyf QUIT
Adjournment of Special Session
OF Minnesota Legislature
PASS ONLY FEW LAWS
Statewide Primary, Corrupt PraC-
tiCeS Act, Increase of GrOSS
Earnings Railroad Tax
Especial to The Herald)

Especial to The HeraldD
ST. PAUL, June Is: The Minnesota
legislature, called in special session
by the governor June to enact re-
apportionment law, statewide pri
mary law and corrupt practices act
has completed its labors n d ad
journed, the end coming today.
The legislature did some things the
governor asked it to do and declined
to do some things. The sum total OF
its work includes the passage of a
statewide primary law, corrupt
practices act, a law increasing the
tax on the gross earnings of railroads
from 4 to per cent, the abolition of
the provision of the automobile law
OF 1ell compelling farm wagons and
horse-drawn vehicles to carry rear
lights at night. The legislature also
adopted the proposed constitutional
amendments providing for the popu-
lar elections of U. S. senators and for
the imposition of an income tax.
What the legislature didn't do was
to pass reapportionment bill. Such
measure was introduced in the house
but it got no farther than committee.
1t is the general opinion here that
the work of the special session is on
the whole satisfactory. The opinion
is also freely expressed that the gov
ernor did not enhance his chances for
reelection by calling the special ses-
sion. The members of the legislature
were 10th to come down here and pay
their own expenses for fortnight
when, in their estimation, there was
no demand from the people for a
special session. Consequently there
was more or less friction between
them and the executive. This was
specially true in the senate where a
message from the governor scoring
them was greeted with peals of laugh
ter. 1t is generally believed down
here that the governor called the ses-
sion without consulting his managers.
Just what effect the increase of the
tax on the gross earnings of railroads
will have is problematical. The law
was enacted with the intent to "get
even" with the railroads for raising
their tariffs. Will the railroads ''get
even" by again boosting passenger
and freight charges, is the question
heard in many quarters.
The primary law which has been in
effect since 1902 applied to congress-
men, members of h legislature,
county and city officers. State officers
were left to be nominated under the
old convention plan. The law just
passed extends the operation to all
officers of the state with the excep-
tion 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, 900, and pro-
vides for second choice in the nom
ination of such officers. In addition
it places the judges of the supreme,
district, probate andmunicipal courts,
municipal officers in Minneapolis, St.
Paul and Duluth, and county superin-
tendents of schools, on non-partisan
basis.
The bill as passed provides for the
elimination feature. The purpose of
it is compel nomination by major
ity. Under the present system, if
three or four candidates run for a
nomination, the man receiving the
highest numberof votes isnominated.
He might have more votes than any
one of the other candidates, but still
receive less than one-third of the en-
tire votes cast. By this method a
minority would nominate.