The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1913-03-06

i fight to knock out the second choice
feature of the prima y law and they
came within hairs breadth of at
tanning their end, the vote standing
30 to %. Senator Stebbins of Roches-
ter fathered the anti-second choice
amendment, which was vigorously
upheld in the debate by G. n. Sulli-
van and Glotzbach Of Fairbault, and
as vigorously resisted by Haycraft,
Putnam, Sageng and Boyle.
The right OF nominating candidates
for non-partisan office by petition
after the primaries, which is feat
ure of the present primary law, lis
done away with i'm the Senate bill,
and will serve as weapon against
the Socialists in Minneapolis, where
they threw a scare into both Repub-
licans and Democrats by nominating
Van Lear for mayor after the pri-
maries.
When the bill was placed on it's
final passage, Thursday afternoon, it
passed by vote of 53 to8. How soon
its fate will be settled in the House
nobody here knows.
Two weeks ago 1 expressed the
opinion that the Senate would pass
the House initiative and referendum
bill practically without change. The
indications now are that this opinion
will prove erroneous. The elections
committee, headed by the able radi-
cal, Haycraft, will fight for the bill,
but determined fight will doubtless
be made TO make the measure less
drastic. The percentage for initia-
tive petitions viii be raised, and an
effort will be made to prohibit the
circulation OF petitions, i'm line with
the amendment proposed in til e
House by G. W. Brown OF Glencoe.
4 4
To even up matters with the Senate
for amending tile initiative and refer
endum bill, the House VIII DOUBTLESS
change the Senate's recall measure
The House leaders hold that this bill
is too conservative, placing the per-
centage too high, especially in view
of the fact that recall petitions can
not be circulated. They say that if
twenty per cent Of the voters have to
60 to the offices of town and village
clerks TO affix their signatures to petit
tions, no officer will ever be recalled
in Minnesota-and there may be
something in that.
= = =
The second important measure that
passed the House last week. was the
Spoonsr bill classifying property for
taxation. This bill came before the
House as . tax committee bill, but
as Mr.. Spooner was the leading
factor in framing it, his name has
been attached thereto. 1t is very
carefully drawn measure, and has the
approval OF the tax commission and
the attorney generals Office. It d.
vides the property of the state into
six classes, which are to be assessed
as follows:
Unmined iron ore constitutes Glass
l and shall be assessed at so per cent
of its true value. o
Timber and pasture lands and all
unused lands constitute Glass aud
shall be assessed at 33 l-3 per cent OF
their true value excepting first
growth pine timber, which shall be
assessed at so per cent of its value.
All real estate and the dwelling
house and appurtenant structures
thereon actually used as homestead
constitute Glass 3 and shall be asses
sed at Is per cent of Its true value.
All other real estate constitute
4 and shall be assessed at so per cent
of its true value.
All household G DDS, furniture,
musical instruments, machinery, etc.,
Glass and shall be as
sessed at % per cent of their true
value.
Stocks of merchandise and furni-