The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1913-02-10
House to Take up Question Of Sub
hitting Proposition to Voters
at Next General Election.
NEW TAX FOR AUTO OWNERS
0fsthun Proposes to Raise License
From Fifty Cents to Five DOL
i lars.-953 Bills Now In. ...-
BY United Press.

BY United Press. .... ---.~. z
] st. Paul, Minn., Feb. 13-Declar-
ing the state ditch which runs for q.
distance, Of twelve miles. beginning
at the village of Beltrami in Polk
county, across the prairie. towards
the village of Climax, to be menace
to the health of the community; Sen.
John Saugstad has offered a bill ask
in for an appropriation Of $4,000 to
improve the same. Representative
T.. T. Morkin and John Clementson
introduced the measure jointly in the
house. -. 49,. 81. --....
The original cost of tho ditch
was about $4,000. It was intended
that is should drain state lands. At
present, it is said, the water over
flows much of the adjacent land, be-
cause the ditch is not deep or wide
enough. 49,. .,....-.
The result is that there ia no cur
rent and the water has become stag
nant, furnishing a breeding place tor
typhoid fever and other diseases. n
view Of these conditions, the authors
believe they Will have little dimculty
In getting the desired appropriation.
May Cut Out Fees.
It looks like the present legislature
will abolish at least the principal
fee office in Minnesota. Bills have al
ready been introduced to eliminate
the fee system for oil and boiler in
spection, and Monday afternoon .
bill will be introduced in the house
to abolish the fees of the clerk Of
the state supreme court.
The bill will provide for q salary
of $4,000 a year. It is claimed that
it the bill passes the state will get
a considerable revenue, as the fees
from this Office are said to be NO lit
tie inexcess Of the salary -
This week promises to be the most
interesting one so far of the session,
and although 953 bills have alredy
been presented-535 in the house
and 418 in the senate-there does not
appear to be any tendency to slight
important legislation, at least on the
part of the house. -. 80 80.
IL Suffrage Bill Tuesday.
Tuesday will be busy day in the
lower house with the woman suffrage
bill as a special order at IL q. m.
and the. Coates Gilman legislative
contest for. the afternoon session.
There will undoubtedly be some
strong arguments for the suffrage
amendment along lines that the elect
tors should be allowed to vote ON
the question at the next election.
A. S. Larson, author Of the bill, said :
Saturday evening that he received
hundreds of letters from all parts Of
the state, favoring the bill, Whether
the committee on elections will re-
port on the communication received
from Minneapolis, signed by forty
two women opposing the bill, has not
developed.
Two bills have already been pre-
pared for Introduction this week un-
der the direction of the house COM
mittee on taxes, in which sleeping
car companies and express companies
are rquired to pay six per cent on
their gross earnings
Auto License Raise.
Another bill to be introduced, pro-
badly Monday, will be for higher
auto license. 7. T. Ofsthun, chair
man, state tax committee, says the
committee has agreed on q bill linz
posing an annual license fee Of IS.
At present the fee is fifty cents Z
year.
The senate promises to get into the
grain Investigating business during
the week, and although the commit
tee proposed by the resolution Of Son.
w. D. Works has not yet been ap-
pointed, It Is possible that Lieut..
Gov. ]. A. A. Burnquist will name
the committee early In the week.
The senate Judiciary COMMITTEES
has approved the amended form Of
| the court Of recall bill. AZ drawn,
Senator sulliyan's bill does not inter
fere With tho rscall bill Of een. J.
Il.