Morris tribune., 1914-10-30
LEES RECORD TOLD
BY JULIUS SCHMAHI
Secretary Of State Graphically Narrates
Candidates Long Record of Eff
Gent Public Service.

viding for the loaning of the perma-
nent school funds of the State to the
various counties or school districts in
the State to be used for the erection
OF county or school buildings.
Free School Books.
Prior to 1893 the parents Of chill
dren, the poor as well as the rich,
were obliged to buy school books.
and through some pernicious system
the books were so arranged that but
In few cases could they be used q
second time.
At the 1893 Session this bill,
through the influence of Mr..
Lee, as Speaker, and his friends "
in the house, became law and
throughout the entire state,
with the exception of the larg-
er cities, text books were fur
nished to all the pupils in the "
graded school. .
A Friend of Labor.
AS q friend of labor, my hearers,
William E. Lee is always found on
record as among the most enthu-
siastic. I can recall the attempt made
in the 1889 session to establish q
bureau of labor. Again in 1891 a SINH
lar attempt was made and failed. But
in 1893 when Mr.. Lee was speaker Of
the house such bill was passed.
AS far back as the 1885 session
there were complaints to the effect
that employment bureaus were not
treating their patrons fairly and as a
result a law was then passed for
which Mr.. Lee voted in the affirma-
tive, regulating the employment of la
| Dor bureaus.
In 1885 he was among those to vote
for the bill providing for the board Of
inspectors of steam vessels and boil
ers and to lessen the danger of those
/, who were required to gain a IiveIE-
| hood by working around those instru-
n1ents of power. 1t was while speaker
of the house in 1893 that he insisted
on the law providing for the protec-
ton of employees by requiring guards,
shifting devices, hoist-ways, fire es-
capes, ETC., in and around factories
and all kinds Of industrial establish
ments.
Stand On the Liquor Question.
Most Of the old Republicans of the
state fought side by side for the cleo
ton, in 1885, Of Hon. Andrew R. Nc
Gill as Governor of the state, on what
is known as high-license liquor law
platform. Governor McGiIl announced
that il elected he would recommend
and urge the passage of bill fixing
the minimum license fee in cities,
towns or villages of less than ten
thousand at $4,000, and in cities hav-
ing population of ten thousand and
over, minimum fee of one thousand
dollars. Victory finally came to the
Governor, and the bill was put through
the house largely through the efforts
Of William e. Lee.
It was in 1893 that Mr.. Lee
secured the enactment Of law
providing that liquor licenses
should be granted only to resi-
dents of the state. These two
!
guarantee his position in a
strict enforcement of the liquor
laws of the state.
= .
How the Capitol Was Built.
One of the institutions that the peo-
pie of the state are now particularly
proud of is the new Minnesota state
capitol. A general cry went up over
the state in 1893 that the construction
of the building was going to increase
taxes. Mr.. Lee and his associates as
sumed all responsibility for the pass
ing of the bill in the House, and today
every resident of Minnesota is proud
Of the magnificent structure standing
on one of the hills of st. Paul.
But what seems to me, my friends,
best Of all, in 1900 Gov. Van SAINT see
ing that the 1899 session failed to
make provisions for Board of Con.
troll, determined to appoint commit.
tee to go through the other states with
view of ascertaining whether a
board Of control for such state insti.
tutions would be effective. One of the
men he selected was VIM. E. Lee.
The other was S. w. Leavitt, and the
other, think, was Charles A. Morey,
of Winona.
, The Board of Control.
) At the 1901 session these gentlemen
reported in favor of the proposition
and before the legislature adjourned,
: in one of the most magnificent battles
ever fought in the legislature, the rec
: concentrations of Gov. Van SAINT
r through his committee, Mr.. Lee, Mr.
Leavitt and Mr. Morey, prevailed and
: a Board of Control was created. Mr.
j Lee was the first member appointed
: and laid broad and deep the principles
for that Board Of Control and placed
J it upon foundation that has saved
: the state already millions of dollars.