The Ely miner., 1915-04-16
SPEEDING UP AS
ENDDRAWS NEAR
Lawmakers EndeavOring to Clear
the Calendars.
GIVEN CONTROL OVER RATES
Insurance Departments Powers Enor.
mousIy Increased by LegisIa-
ton Just Enacted.
GIVEN CONTROL OVER RATE,

st. Paul-(SpeciaD- another
week the thirty-ninth Minnesota leg
1slature will be history and the lead
ers of both houses, aware of the near
approach of the hour of final ad
journment, have begun to speed up
things bit Last week a large num-
Der of bills, few of them of statewide
Importance, were rushed through the
house, and the senate bill hopper is
choked in consequence. To date $50
laws have been placed on the statute
books. The chief matter of concern just
now is the omnibus appropriation bill,
recently turned out by the house ap-
preparation committee. 1t carries de-
partmental appropriations of S5,213,-
397, which is S113,S9O less than the
amount granted by the legislature
two years ago. 1t exceeds the figure
agreed upon by the senate finance
committee, which cut the demands OF
the state university over 100000 and
reduced the forestry department to
mere running expenses The house
committee in its bill has restored the
cut made by the senate committee.
One thing is assured by both commit
tees and that is the total appropria-
tiOns this year will be considerably
under two years ago and the state
tax levy for revenue purposes will
be less To those who gauge the
average legislative body by the num-
Der of laws 1t places on the statute
books the present gathering is pos
sibly looked upon as q failure, but
there is one thing TO its credit and
that is the determination of a ma
jority of the two bodies to keep down
to the minimum the biennial raid on
the state treasury The cut has been
all down the line.
:: - -
Governor Hammond has signed
Senate File No. 55S and it is now a
law This bill gives the state insur
ance department supervision over and
control of all fire insurance rates in
the state and as result Minnesota
is the first state in the Union to be
so equipped. Now if a rate is unsat-
missioner believes that a combina
tion exists he can revise the rate and
the only appeal is to the courts. The
department under the terms of the
act, which is the work of Senator
Ward of Fairmont, is placed on the
same basis as the railroad and ware
house commission. S. ID. Works, state
insurance commissioner, regards the
law as one of the best ever enacted
in Minnesota His department has
absolute control of all fire insurance
rates under it's terms.
There is an alleged bridge combine
in Minnesota and Representative War
ner, chairman of the house commit
tee. appointed to investigate it's ex-
istence, is of the opinion that the leg
islature should pass some law that
would curb it's activities. Writing to
county auditors throughout the state
Representative Warner learned that
the combine has its home in Minneap-
oils and that through the medium OF
straw bids the counties generally are
compelled to pay high figure for
their bridge work. He so reported
to the house in lengthy letter and
supplemented his charges with much
in the line of data showing the opera
tions of the alleged combination. AS
Mr. Warner explains it the state is
divided into districts and each dis
trict is apportioned to some bridge
concern. Of course the others partic.
ipated, but their bids are generally
high enough to permit the award to
the favored party.
!. !. 4
The Minnette telephone control bill,
placing all wire talking companies in
the state under the state railway
commission and compelling physical
connection when demanded, cOntin-
ues to hang fire. For week now the
disputed points between the house
and senate have been in the hands of
conference committee, but up to
date the committee has failed to get
together. Some delay was occasioned
by the illness of Representative Min
nette, who is confined to his room in
the Merchants hotel. Mr.. Minnette
insists on the Incorporation of
referendum provision in the act and
this the telephone companies do not
want. There is possibility that the
whole thing will go by the boards as
a result of the disagreement, but Sen
ator Rockne and others insist that an
agreement will be reached before the
close of the session.
!. :.
The Rustad-Gordon convention bill,
designed to permit political parties to
name candidates for state offices at
legally organized public meetings, has
chance to pass. The senate gave it
favorable consideration in committee
Of the whole and later passed the
bill. The house will now be asked
to concur. The bill is, in effect, q