The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1917-04-19
ADJ0URNS SINE DIE
FOrtieth Session of Minnesota Legis-
lature Completes Work Today
Strenuous Session..
Public Domain Bill Killed-Supple-
mental Road Bill a Law .
90
House is Progressive.

st. Paul, Mimi, April 18, 1917.
Before the readers of the Princeton
Union peruse this letter, the 10th ses-
sion of the, Minnesota legislature will
have adjourned sine die. This is the
last day of the session upon which
bills can be passed. I 'presume the
hands of the clock will be turned back
ward and it will be we'll along in the
morning hours before adjournment.
Tomorrow there will be meeting for
an hour or two to clean up odds and
ends, but no bills can be acted upon.
1t has been a rather strenuous ses-
sion and some good, bad and indiffer-
ent legislation has been enacted.
* * *
Last Thursday the so-called tele-
phone bill was under discussion in
the senate. The bill provided that af-
ter ten months from the date hereof
the old rates should be reinstated.
The lawyers Of the senate, with one
or two exceptions, were of the opinion
that no change in rates could be
brought about until after there had
been physical valuation of the prop
critics of the companies and an exami-
nation Of their books. Then they
claimed the state would have the de-
sired information upon which to base
it's claims for reduction of the rates.
There is no doubt in my mind, nor in
the mind of any other citizen of the
state who is obliged to talk over the
x,Tri-State or the Northwestern lines,
that the rates at present are exorbi-
tant. The railroad and warehouse
commission has charge of the tele-
phone business so far as the state is
concerned, and it is mighty strange
that the companies increased the rates
over 100 per cent after the adjourn
ment of the last session Of the legis-
lature, and before the so-called Min
nette law became operative without a
protest on the part of the railroad
anu xHu1Ic a
number of the senators, the writer in
cluded, voted for the bill last Thurs
day, despite the opinions of the at
torneys of the body, simply as a pro-
test against the inaction Of the rail-
road and warehouse commission. 1t
does seem that if the commissioners
had made vigorous protest, the tele-
phone companies would have hesitat-
ed before putting their outlandish
rates into effect.
* * *
The amended public domain bill
came before the senate last Saturday
= and after a somewhat acrimonious
debate, by a vote Of 35 to 81 it failed
to be made special order. The
friends of the measure thereafter gave
notice that motion would be made on
Tuesday to again make the bill spe-
cial order. And, yesterday, for the
third time the senate, by the decisive
vote of 38 to 20, refused to take any
further action. Governor Burnquist
was very much interested in the pas.
sage of this bill, and he sent special
message to the senate on Monday Civ.
ing his reasons why the bill should be.
come a law. But the senatorial com.
bine was too strong. Combinations
were formed for the purpose of kill
ing the bill and arguments in favor
of it amounted to nothing. The origi
nal bill was faulty and contained pro
visions that were Objectionable tt
many of the senator's; but the house
amended the bill, removed the objec
! tionable features and made it much
better bill than the original one, ant
it ought to have passed. State Audi
tor Preus's friends are jubilant ove7
the outcome. But I am decidedly O.
the opinion that in the long run tn
action of the governor will be indorset
by the people. -.
* * *
By the way, the appropriations al
lowed for the state auditors offic
at this session amount to over 5000,
OOO-the largest appropriation mad
for any department Of the state gov
eminent. If the auditor can not car
for the states land, timber and min
eral interests with the liberal appro
priations at his disposal then the faul
is his. He has money enough,
properly applied, to amply safeguar
the interests of the state, and it is u
to him to do so.
* * *
Last Friday the supplemental roa
bill, which had previously passed tn
house. was taken up and passed by tn