Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1917-02-02
IEGIsI.ATIvE LETTER

A6N$464AA14v6 A6S1 4o1
Trade on Tonnage Tax and Prohibi-
ton possible-Beltrami County Divi-
sion bill before legislature Teigen
asks for investigation of Chamber Of
Commerce and St. Paul Equity Elk
'change-Temperance Committee OF
House recommends Prohibition
Amendment by vote of 9 to 6-Davis
to ask for investigation of printing
trust in state-Christianso bill on
general Understanding insists on
action in House.
The Beltrami county division bill
will soon make it's appearance in the
legislature as several enthusiasts from
the northwestern section of Beltrami
county, headed by Geo. Ericsson, Spoon
er editor, are now talking "division. -
Sen. Nord of International Falls is
sponsoring the bill in the senate and
Rep. :Prendergast Of Bemidji, will in
troduce it in the house. Contrary to
the usual course Of county division
bill, the citizens Of the county seat,
Bemidii, are favorable to this division
and present indications are that a new
county will be organized in Northern
Minnesota.
Beltrami county is the second largest
county in the state and presents con-
dition entirely different than any other
in the state in that one must travel
twenty-four hours and a distance of
almost 200 miles, part Of this being in
dominion Of Canada, to reach the
county seat in which Spooner is To-
Gated.
IN, 41a
posed division bill says: "Thc Red
Lake river gives us q natural boun-
Diary and we are entitled to a new
county with this river as the dividing
line The people Of Bemidji, too, real
ize the necessity Of this as we are al
most as far from our county seat by
rail as is Bemidji from onr state CAPT.
toll.
It is reported by those who are IN
position to know that the liquor inter
ests in the state are holding club
over the head of the St. Louis county
delegation iii an effort to line them up
against the prohibition amendment If
there should be a possibility of influ-
encing enough of the vets who favor
the tonnage tax bill to kill this meas
ure which has always proved to be
nightmare to the steel trust on the
Range. The majority of the members
Of the ST.. Louis county delegation are
confirmed drys and pledged to vote for
the prohibition amendment but it is
evident that the steel trust will sacri-
fee anything to kill the tonnage tax
bill. This is, however, only surface
talk now but it is reported that steps
are being taken by the Big Interests
on the Range to line the vets up solid
ly against tonnage tax in return for
the votes Of the dry St. Louis county
members against the prohibition
Regardless of the faerit or demerit
of tonnage tax, it will not, if this
plan materializes, be at all surprising
to find many of the vets voting against
tax in return for the votes Of
the St. Louis county drys against pro-
hibition. Next to the amendment, the
tax bill will, in all probable
ity, develop to be the most Important
up before this legislature.
The anticipated resolution by Rep.
A. F. Teigen of Chippewa, asking for
an investigation of the Minneapolis
Chamber of Commerce and the St. Paul
Equity Exchange made its appearance
in the house last week and caused
of stir when it aroused the
ire of Rep. Magnus Johnson, former
president of the Equity society. It
seems that Rep. Teigen is at 1oggers
head with some of the members Of the
farmers organization in the house and
that he will oppose them throughout
the session is predicted.
johnson feels that IN asking for an
Investigation Of the st. Paul Equity
Exchange, Mr., Teigen has attacked
The integrity Of that body while the
gentleman from, Chippewa insists that
his resolution is meant only to insure
4 sduarc deal for all concerned in the
grain business.
Notice. Of debate on this resolution
was given by Rep. A. V. Anderson and
q hot time is promised when the adop-
ion Of this rule comes to the floor of
the house.
. q q
The prohibition amendment was re-
ported out for passage by the house
committee on temperance last Friday
with the transportation clause stricken
out and was set for special order on
of this week at II O'Clock
a. m.
The vote of the house temperance
committee on the amendment stood
nine to six.
Those voting for the amendment in
committee were: Sutherland, (chair-
many, johnson, Norton, Norgren,
Corning, Hicken, Gullickson, Moen
and Holmes.
Those voting against the amendment
in committee: = Nimocks, Girling,
WEIGH, Steen and Moeller.
q q =
Tom Davis of Marshall was relegat-
ed to the printing committee and now
it occurs to those who were instrument
al in putting him out Of the way that
he has decided to turn tables on them
because Tom Davis has promised that
he is going to Investigate the printing
trust in Minnesota. If Tom is really
-