The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1913-02-13
STATE LEGISLATURE
= r. G. Dunn's County Assessor Bill
Goes Through the House by
Vote of 81 to As.
Initiative and Referendum Bill and
Woman's Suffrage Measure
Also Passed by House.

out Of the fire and secured it's passage
by vote of 81 to IS. When the bill
came up on general orders the pre-
ceding Tuesday it was attacked in
all quarters of the house, and Mr..
Dunn then stated that he realized
the sentiment Of the members was
against it. But he succeeded in get
ting the bill laid over and had it
made a special order for II O'Clock
Friday. Meanwhile it developed
that there was much sentiment for
the bill in the country districts.
The measure applies to all counties
in the state except Ramsey, which
has a county assessor under special
law, but cities over 5000 do not
come under it's provisions except by
a three-tifthS vote of the city council.
The assessors are to be elected by
county commissioners and their SAL
aries are graded with some latitude
allowed in each class, the amount
being fixed by the county commits
sioners. The county assessor super
sedes all town assessors, but his work
is renewable, the same as now, by
the town and county boards of equal
izatiOn. and finally by the state tax
commission. Arguments against the
bill by J. T. Johnson, Thomas Frank
son. Gerhard kimpel, ?. A. Peterson
and others were mainly on the ex-
pense Of the county assessors, and
the taking of the assessment away
from local control. r. @. Dunn led
the argument for the bill, charging
as he did the other day that :'all the
tax dodgers in the state are against
the bill.'' He was asked by Mr.
Frankson whether his constituents
favor the bill. ''Some of them do, -
said Mr.. Dunn, ''but I think that a
majority of my constituents, like the
constituents of all of you, want to
evade all the taxes they possibly
cam Frank Hopkins secured an
amendment changing the date of
assessment from March l to April /.
A. j. Peterson got an amendment
striking out the provision that the
tax commission may remove the
assessors. Mr.. Dunn himself amend
ed the bill by striking out the allow
ance for the assessors travelling ex-
penses.
The senate on Friday passed Sen
ator Frank Clagues bill extending
the right of local option to all cities
OF less than 10000 population. The
vote Was 81 to l. A fight was made
for an amendment by Senator Glotz-
bach Of Faribault but was defeated
by a vote of % to p. The same bill
was killed two years ago by the re-
tusal OF house officers to permit the
turning back Of the hands of the
clock the last night of the session.
The bill had passed both houses and
was waiting in the house for a con-
currence in senate amendment.
Fines up to 81, 900 are proposed for
persons who circulate rumors liable
to injure banks in a bill by Repre-
sentative R. j. Henning. The meas
ure applies to all persons who shall
''make, circulate or transmit to
others any false statement, rumor or
suggestion written, printed or by
word Of mouth, which is directly or
by inference derogatory. to the fnan-
cial standing of any bank. savings
bank, banking institution or trust
company
Street car conductors will be en-
powered to make arrests for drunk
enness on their cars should a bill
by Representative Knapp be enacted.
Such powers are now conferred on
railway conductors and has proved
effective in suppressing disorders on
railway trains. The law makes it a
mlsdemeanor to board a train while
intoxicated or to introduce liquor on
trains, and the conductor may seize
liquor found on trains, and this pro-
vision is extended to street cars.
Six-year terms for all coroners in
the state, the present incumbents to
hold office until January /, 1919, are
proposed in bill introduced bv
Senator Handlan of St. Paul.
The Rines organization scored it's
first big victory in the house last
Thursday, when it put through the
initiative and referendum bill as
framed by the elections committee
Five amendments we're offered and
debated, but each was voted down.
The vote was ITO to 7; those voting
in the negative were w. Anderson,
R. G. Dunn, J. P. Elmer, P. H. Nc
Garry, John W. Papke, Ell. A. Saggan
and I. f. Walker. 't.'@