The Ely miner., 1915-04-30
Legislature Just Ended Too Sc.
vereIy Criticised.
PROVED TO Be ECONOMICAL
Total Appropriations Nearly One Mil.
lion Dollars Under Aggregate
of Two Years Ago.


will not easily be forgotten. Attend
ing that have characterized the house
practically the entire three months it
has been in session the lights flicker
out for the last time, the members OF
the two bodies grabbed their belong
ings and two hours later majority
of them had shaken the dust of the
Capital City from their feet and were
on their way homeward. The senate,
ruled by an iron hand in the shape of
the much abused and time honored
"Mr. Senatorial Courtesy" not to
speak of a little band of patriots
headed by Senator George H. Sulli-
van of Saltwater, maintained it's usual
calm and poise to the end. A slight
attempt was made toward the finish
by some of the members to rough it,
but they were quickly squashed. Quot
ing an inspired Twin City press:
1.-THE senate was a dignifed body, but
the house, well, the least said about
it the better" While this is Twin
City press view, your truly does not
entirely concur in the conclusions
reached. True, talk and lots of 1t,
featured practically every session of
the house, yet at the close both bodies
rallied to the demands made upon
them and laws were turned out by the
score. Fighting every inch of the
way the economy end of the two
bodies forced through an appropria-
tion bill fully $1,O0O,0O0 under that of
two years ago and finished it with
tax levy for revenue purposes repre-
senting a cut of nearly one mill. No,
1t was not SO bad, though it could have
been better. In, constructive way
the Thirty-ninth legislature was not
a bowling success. Neither was it de-
structive, which is something to be
thankful for. AS headless aggrega-
tion it was a wonder. In any event
the majority of those composing the
two bodies were good fellows. No
one can accuse the Thirty-ninth of
Viciousness.
Perhaps the most important bill en-
"
While there are two sides to the ques-
tion and many differences of opinion
as to the advisability of the measure,
nevertheless it is on the books and it
Is important enough to keep more
than one wet county on the anxious
seat until either the state goes entire
ly dry or the act itself is repealed. 1t
nro nd hxy fn bo
and was approved by governor sup
posed to be favorable to the liberal
element. Another fairly important
innovation to which the Thirty ninth
is entitled to credit is the Minnette
telephone control bill. 1t puts all
telephone companies operating in the
state under the control of the state
railway commission and as a law rep
resents something that the progress
slve element of the state has been
trying to put over for years. Sill an.
other bit of good legislation was the
passage Of the anti-roadhouse bill,
and, still another, the law compelling
public service corporations to pay
their employees semi-monthly instead
of monthly. Continuing further there
is the law repeating the second choice
feature Of the election laws; a revised
schedule for state aid to public
schools; the repeal of the Elwell road
law; submission of the initiative and
referendum to the voters for their ap
proval, and statewide teachers pen
sion laws. Over 400 laws were pass
ed and while all the relief sought was
not given quite few reforms have
been made.
Contrary to expectations the Rus
tad-Gordon bill providing for limited
legal nominating convention met it's
death blow in the house, but this does
not mean that the convention idea is
dead. Last year both parties picked
their standard bearer through the
medium of an elimination convention
and that such will be attempted again
is certain. The bill passed the SEN
ate with votes to spare, but represen-
tatives of the Anti-Saloon league and
prospective candidates were on the
Job when the measure came up for
consideration in the house and they
were successful in sending it to the
discard. AS l get it the Anti-Saloon
league has in mind as a Republican
candidate for gubernatorial honors
next year Congressman Lindberg of
the Sixth district and its leaders fear
ed that convention would hurt his
oh I;oo 30
was James A. Peterson of Mime
apolis, who wanted to be United
States senator and then turned his
attention to he governorship. Still
another was w. c. Clure, late man.
ager for w. e. Lee of Long Prairie.
The man who drafted the Rustad-
Gordon convention bill and its real
oker was /. A. Caswell, clerk of tho
supreme court and the recognized
Progressive leader of Minnesota. Cas-.
well was not sparing in his language
when he learned the character Of the
opposition as displayed when the bill
reached the house and it is said he
personally scored each member of the
opposition to a standstill. 81 am
through with you ALL" he is reported
to have said. mo more for me.
Hereafter am going to play with
good fellows and men whose ideas do
not run counter to representative gov.
frnment. You fellows have seen your