The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1913-02-07
Puts Public Utilities
Under City's Control

81 raul, February o.-1ne mouse
passed Senator S. d. Works reso.
luton asking congress to amend the
banking laws and allow national
banks to make farm loans.
Without dissenting vote, the
house has passed w. I.tNolan's bill
giving cities control of public utili-
ties as to their rates and services.
The measure is designed to give the
city of Minneapolis control of the
Minneapolis General Electric COM
pany, and enforce reduction of rates.
There was light attendance in
the house Saturday, and the bill
received only siXty-five votes, or
just four more than enough. The
same bill died two years ago in the
senate. 1t conflicts with the pend
ing bills to put all public utilities
under a state commission.
Railroads Are Liable.
Senator Moonan's bill, making rail-
roads absolutely liable for injury to
passengers unless the passengers were
criminally negligent, was reported ia
vorably by the senate committee on
railways.
bill providing that railways which Is
sue mileage books for 500 to 1000
miles shall make them good for the
whole family and for any employe.
1t was suggested that this might in
terfere with the present 2,000-mile
coupon mileage books sold at the
rate of cents a mile. Senator Lende
said it would be well to have it in
terfere. These mileage books make
the well-to:do and influential satisfied
with the present high rates for short
distances.
daylight Saloon Bill"
A bill for a daylight" saloon law
was introduced in the house Satur-
day by Representative A. C. Finke,
author of number of temperate
measures.
Finke would have the present law
so amended that saloons would be
permitted to remain open only be-
between the hours of z a. M, and
8. p. m.
A straight eight-hour day for Won
en- workers is prescribed in a bill
favorably reported to the house to-
day by the labor committee. The
measure bears the names of L. A.
Lydiard, Minneapolis, and ]. j. Pres.
ton, st. Paul.
The legislative reappOrtiOnment
bill is practically drawn and ready
to be whipped into final shape by
the reapportionment committee of
the house when it gets together
Tuesday or Wednesday. Barring a
slight uncertainty about districi
lines in two or three places, the
boundaries of sixty-five senatorial
districts have been agreed to by
the subcommittee.
The bill, as it stands, provides for
siXty-five senators, two more than
the present, and 1875 house members
which is an increase of five. While
there is strong sentiment in favor
, of cutting down membership, the
committee found it could not draw
a bill reducing the number of sena
tors without throwing away votes
, and making passage of the bill i'm
possible. Blue Earth county is still
district by ITSELF
Representative Brown has intro
duced in the house bill to re
move the salary limit of $4,000 fol
normal school presidents.
Hope to Have Right-of-Way.
Friends of reapportionment hope tc
give the bill right of way in boil
: branches of the legislature this
week. In the house the subcommit
tee has completed its work tenta
lively. 1t will report Tuesday after
, noon to the whole committee. Ar
effort then will be made to get the
| senate and the house committees to
gether, to have the bill reported tt
both branches, made special order
in both branches and disposed Of
without delay.
AS the session progresses there
!. are threats of breaking into groups
Probably no bill before the legisla
ture would be SO subject to trades
, and manipulation as the reapportion
, ment bill, if it once were to become
trading stock. Probably no bill Nigh
be used SO effectively to block Other
, legislation.
! 1t is stated that there are no seri
Gus difficulties now in the way O
, having the reapportionment bill
, agreed upon in the committees, ant
it is asserted there are enough votes
in both houses to pass the measure
IL 1t is reported favorably.
This Section Will Lose.
| OF course Southern Minnesota will
lose some senators. The ninth dis
, trict has been enlarged and will ge
, two additional senator's. The frs
district is likely to lose four of it.
ten. This would be sufficient tt
look after the claims of the ninth.
Hennepin county is trying to ge
, nine senators. That seems not vel
. decided and may lead to a contest
Ramsey will have an increase of onl,
one senator at best. The district viii
get no increase practically. 1t ha.
seven senators now, and will have
, seven senators after the reapportion
ment.
, There was talk last night of put
ting off the consideration of woman
; suffrage until the second week il
February. This, 1t is argued, viii
, not injure the chances of the bill
, and will clear the decks for other
: legislation. This is more than likely
! to be done should reapportionment
: be advanced SO as to be considered
this week. If it is agreed upor
Tuesday it might be advanced sc
as to be acted upon before the week
is out.
; More than $50 bills have already
been introduced in the legislature