The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1913-02-06


hungry horde who besieged the legis.
lature from all sides and made life
burden for the opposition Money
poured into the Golfers of those back.
ing the bill and there were fat sal.
aries for everybody. This slush fund
is absent now. The bill is up on it's
merits only and for that reason it
will fail. Still there are many who
honestly believe in county option and
it will receive a good vote when it
comes up for consideration. The
house temperance committee has re
ported the bill out to pass.
:. :. :.
The one uncertain thing this season
is tonnage tax. Whether or not it
will pass the house is a question. Ii
it does those Interested are confident
that it will get by the senate. The
agitation for tonnage tax on iron
ore began in 1905. Those behind the
bill forced it through both houses
then. Former Governor Johnson, how.
ever, failed to agree with the majority
and he vetoed the measure. The propo.
sition is up again, with Representa-.
tive Thomas Frankson of Spring Val
ley and H. B. Bjorge of Lake Park as
it's sponsors. Under ordinary circum-
stances it should fail because of the
little demand for it, but it has a
chance and if it does pass no one will
be surprised. This time tonnage tax
instead of being a real issue, has tax.
en- on retaliatory features. When the
house and senate was organized the
upstate members were the first to
climb aboard the Rines and Burnuuist
bandWagons. This gave the two men.
toned leaders an undoubted lead and
ever since those members who were
nosed out have been threatening ven
geance. Tonnage tax, it is said, is
the weapon the minority has decided
upon. Some say the liquor crowd is
secretly backing the tonnage tax bill
for purposes of retaliation. Whether
this is true or not I cannot say, but
the fact remains that members of both
houses against the tax two years age
and known to be friendly with the
brewers are talking tonnage tax now
:. :. =
The Initiative and referendum bill
reported out by the house committee
on elections will probably be made a
special order and advocates OF the
measure are looking forward to a
spirited fight. The bill which will be
considered is a redraft of five bills
covering the subject and introduced
by as many members. For the initia
tive per cent petition is provided
and for the referendum a. 6. per cent
petition. For amendments to the con
stltution 10 per cent petition is re-
quired. Two years ago the bill met
defeat on the question Of percentage
and it will again figure this time. Il
is hardly probable that either house
will stand for the low percentage pro
vided for in the present bill.
= :. =
The house is now engaged in probe
OF the state grain inspection service
and the whole thing promises to be
of more than ordinary interest. The
inquiry began last Friday with an Or
tonville shipper on the stand and il
has to be said that his testimony was
anything but commendatory as fal
as state inspection is concerned. Two
exhibits of grain were shown which
had been passed upon by two state in
spectors and each gave the lot a diff
ferent grade. The state warehouse
commission, which is in charge OF the
state inspection OF grain, says that
it's grades are always in favor of the
shipper when there is any doubt, but
it's claims are not shared in by a ma
jority OF the house. At any rate they
propose finding out if there is any
thing to the charges of discrimina
ton and the probe now on is for the
purpose of getting the desired informa
ton.
j. !. :.
Representative F. L. Klemer oil
Faribault has introduced two bills in
the house directed against the brewery
owned saloons and the chances are
good for their approval by the temper
ance committee. One prohibits owner
ship of saloon by any brewery OF
wholesale liquor dealer and the other
compels all applicants for a saloon
license to make affidavit that they are
not the agent or owner of a brewery
! or wholesale liquor house or in any
way interested in such. Whether the
bill will pass or not is question and
if it does it will not be because the
brewing interests are not on the lob
1t is one bit of legislation they have
no use for.
!. :.
Governor Eberhart has announced
the reappointment of O. M. Hall as a
member of the state tax commission
and his prompt action removes from
the list one job that threatened to be
a trouble maker. Mr. Hall, it is said
will probably resign later on. He did
not want to be retired and the appoint
ment was in Difference to his wishes