Morris tribune., 1913-04-04
LEGISLATURE IS
ON THE LAST LAP
Indications Are That Session VIII
Go Full Limit.
BIGS BILLS OUT OF THE WAY
Both Branches Are Now Engaged in
an Effort to Clean Up the
Dump Heaps"
Especial Correspondence.)


lap of a ninety-day run and it has been
practically agreed upon by the lead
ers that the full limit will be played.
This will bring the 1913 session to
close on April "a. 1t has been busy
one, too, if bills introduced and laws
enacted are accepted as legislative
worth When the week closed the
house had reached the 1900 mark and
that in the face of the fact that the
bill limit was reached a week ago,
while in tbs senate nine hundred odd
is the figure. At the present time the
two bodies are engaged with the tail
tngs or dump heap" as one slang
speaking legislator the other day
termed the several hundred or more
bills which are either in committee
or on general orders. And they are
tailings at that, with little in the way
of genuine merit in any of them. Both
bodies could adjourn this week and
call it a good three months work, but
they won't, and that is all there is to
special attraction for number of the
members and they are going to stick
to the finish in an effort to clean them
up. Every session sees large numbers
of bills sent to the junk heap because
of the rush which comes with the fin
ish and this session will be no excep-
ton to the rule. If anything the dis
card list will be larger.
:. >. J.
AS stated in a previous letter the
one legislative investigation that has
been productive of results as far as
giving the public an insight into the
methods and working of some of the
state departments has been that con-
Quoted by the house committee on ac-
counts and expenditures, but it looks
very much as if its efforts at reform
as a result of the disclosures made
would come to naught. The first set
back came Friday when the house
practically rejected the committees
recommendations for the wiping out
of the hotel inspection department
and it's consolidation with the state
dairy and food commission In the
face of the committees opposition it
passed the Lennon bill continuing the
department and adding to it's list Of
employees. The committee has bills
before the house at the present time
calling for the wiping out Of the oil
inspection department, the state game
and fish department and the turning
over to the state board of control of
the janit0r force at the state capitol,
but, like the first, they too are doomed.
All three have merit, but the depart
ments involved have friends, and so
there you are.
With the house a progressive body
and pledged to economy and reform
it's failure to take cognizance of the
abuses brought to it's attention seems
strange, yet it is not to be wondered
at when it is known that the commit
tee making the Investigation, while
faithful, yet lacks political tact. It
wants to accomplish too much at
once. AS to its throw down on the
proposed adjustment of the hotel in
spection department the committee
should have known that it was up
against q powerful opposition 1t is
the same in the case of the game and
fish commission with it's hundreds Of
deputies, and the oil inspection de-
department, every employee of which
represents a recommendation made to
the governor by either a senator or a
house member of influence Of all
the departments investigated the
game and fish brought to light the
worst condition of affairs Some of
the things shown up smelled to
heaven. Now, if instead of the abol-
ishment of the commission, the com
n1ittee had suggested reforms in the
way of publicity in the letting of fish
ing contracts adoption by both bodies
would have been almost certain.
Other proposed reforms, too, would
have been agreed upon. The same
IS the case with the oil inspection de-
partment. What the committee lacks
is practicability.
!. !. X
The senate this week is wrestling
with three big measures-the Dunn
good roads BILL the workmens com
pensation act and the Nolan public
utilities bill. Two of these have
passed the house, but since leaving
that body they have been materially
amended and conference committees
will be necessary in the case of each
The three represent practically the
last of the big legislation attempted
this session.
X +
Mayor Keller Of st. Paul figured
prominently in the recent investiga
ton of the state game and fish com
mission, it being shown that his pull
was responsible for some of the fish
SEEMING contracts which were let tc
certain favored parties at a ridicu