Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1917-02-14
LETTER FROM THE
STATE LEGISLATURE
Railroad and Warehouse Commission
Receives Bitter Attack from
Opponents.

St. Paul - (SpeciaD = That the fu-
ture of the state railroad and ware
house commission it not any too Sc
cure was indicated during the week in
a savage attack made upon those COM
posing this particular department be-
fore the srain and warehouse commit
tees of the two legislative bodies.
Taking the stand that the grain in
spection end of the department was
conducted more in the interest Of the
commission men than the producers
OF grain, Colonel Wilkinson of Wash
ington county, former Representative
l.. G. Spooner of Stevens county and
a half dozen others with Equity Co.
operative exchange connections dashed
the commission and it's methods in
verbal battle that lasted nearly two
whole days and concluded with the
prediction that the commissions
doom was sealed. The hearing was
on the bill of the Carley efficiency and
economy committee to divorce the
grain department from the present
commission, and while no action was
taken enough was brought out to in
dictate that the future of the present
department and those composing it is
in danger of legislative humiliation.
Minneapolis chamber of commerce
control was freely charged, and such
does not sit we'll with the present leg
islature. That considerable of the
tongue flashing and some of the
charges made we're undeserved is adj
mitted but there is no getting away
from the fact that the state railroad
and warehouse commission is fast los
ing the confidence of the rural Sec
lions of the state. Every grain
grower who fails to get the grade and
price he thinks he should holds the
commission responsible, and if this
were not enough the losing end of ev-
cry ruling made by the commission
becomes a lifelong knocker.
!. !. !.
A return to party nominations and
the application of the old convention
system along legalized lines is seen
in two bills introduced in the house
and senate. One fatherd by Senator
Rustad of Wheaton is a combination
of convention and primary, while the
other, backed by J. H. Harrison of
minneapolis, provides for convention
only in the event that candidates fail
to receive designated percentage of
votes at the regular primary. In each
case party nominations are permitted
and the selection of delegates to the
convention by primary made manda-
! tory. What the fate of the measures
will be is problematical, but it can be
said that there are number in both
houses who favor party nominations.
That the move will be fought by both
the Democrats and the Nonpartisan
league, now organizing in the state, is
certain.
!. !. !.
AS expected the several contests
waged against number of members
in the house have failed Of their pur-
pose. The last Of them went glim
mering when his colleagues agreed to
whose certificate was desired by A. L..
/ Thompson, former member of the
legislature. Thompson had the. back
! ing of Judge Grindeland
whose official ruling held that Flikk1e
had vacated his rights by violation
of the corrupt practices act, but this
decision failed to influence the mem
bers of the house who passed on the
claims of the two. When the house
convened no less than six contests
were entered, but none of them pre-
vailed
The senate will shortly pass on the
house bill providing for dry consti-
tutional amendment and much inter
est is shown in the outcome. If passed
house, as the senate committee on
temperance has added year of grace
to it's operations, but such is not ex-
pected to jeopardize it's passage. Hard
on the heels of the house action on
the prohibition amendment the simon
pure prohibitionists of that body in
PRODUCED a bill making the state dry
by statute. Viewed at first it hardly
seemed possible that such would pre-
vail, but at the present writing there
are members willing to wager that it
will get by the house. The bill in
question is about the most drastic in
the dry line ever attempted and if
passed will make even the possession
of liquor of any kind a felony.
4 !. !.
The investigation of the /. w. w
and it's operations in the state con.
tinues in the house. Starting some
ten days ago sessions have been held
daily, and the end is unknown. I'm.
Willingly, as I pointed out in a pre-
vious letter, the instigators of the in
vestigation have given the hackers oil
tha 1eap71o a c1uh and thew are uSine