Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1917-04-20

uAA0CIOA " PoOAAC uRWoAA' AAo 49,
came up in the house Tuesday of last
week, was amended in accordance with
the governors ideas and then passed
by substantial majority. When it
reached the senate it was referred to
the committee on the reorganization
Of the state government recommended
Tor passage by that committee and
placed on general orders. There 1t
remained till Saturday when Senator
Duxbury, one of its leading sponsors
moved that it be made special order
in the afternoon. To this the oppo'
nents of the bill objected and they won
out by the vote of IS to 81. That left
it at the foot Of general orders with
several hundred bills ahead OF it and
its fate is sealed.
As I stated last week, the fight over
the public domain bill developed into
q contest between the governor and
the state auditor. The governor won
out in the house, but the auditor trium-
pied in the senate and thus became the
ultimate and real victor.
q q e
Another bill OF the efficiency and
economy commission to meet defeat is
the education bill, providing for de-
partment of education composed of
three commissioners which should take
over the work of the state superintend-
ent and all educational boards, except
the board of University regents and
normal school boards. It passed the
senate, but was killed in the house
by an overwhelming vote.
The efficiency and economy bill
creating a de partment of public
health, which passed the senate, was
amended in the house in such man
ner that the senate refused to con-
cur and the measure may die in confer
ence committee of the two houses.
Thus it will be seen that the legis-
lature has repudiated practically the
entire program of the efficiency and
economy commission and it may he
put down as certainty that no inter
i'm commission will be appointed after
this session to frame similar bills.
Both the senate and the house have
by the governor. The principal one
of these is the so-called public safety
bill which provides for the appointment
Of commission of seven, headed by
the governor and attorney general,
which shall see to it that all lives and
Of the people of Minnesota are
protected during the present war. A
million dollars is placed at the dis
posal Of the commission, but large
pat Of this money is to be used in
paying the national gard that served
on the Mexican border. -...... ..-.:
Representative w. D. Washburn's
bill providing for the registration of
male persons coming
from countries at war with the United
States, was passed by the house Sat
urday after the adoption of an amend
ment by Representative Odland pro-
viding that no steps shall be taken by
the governor to register such persons
unless the president Of the United
States deems that the public safety
so requires. In it's original form the
bill gave the governor this power with
out regard to the opinion or wishes
of the national authorities. Mr.. 3D.
lands amendment was objected to by
some of the radical members, but was
accepted by Mr.. Washburn who doubt
less realized that unless so amended
the bill would be defeated. In urging
the adoption Of the amendment. Mr..
Odland and others argued that in a
matter of this kind no steps should
be taken unless dictated by the presi-
dent and his administration. Atten'
ton was called to the fact that in his
war proclamation the president does
not require aliens to register.
. 4 q
Salary increase bills have occupied a
good deal of attention at this session
Of the legislature and last week the
house passed two bills affecting prac'
tically all the counties in the state
one raising the salaries Of the pro-
bate judges, the other giving the clerks
of court additional clerk hire. Vigor'
Gus protests were entered against these
bills by some of the members, but to
no avail.
Practically all of the forty odd child
welfare bills intoduced at this session
have been enacted into law. They
were originally drawn by the national
child welfare commission and are I'm.
doubtedlv good measures which will
benefit children not blessed with par
ents able to bring them up properly.
q 3 .
The eight hour bill will not become
law and the same fate awaits many
of the other bills sponsored by the Ia
Dor leaders in the legislature. AS q
rule, the farmer legislators shy at the
labor bills introduced by the city law
makers and enough Of the other mem
bers join with the farmers to prevent
their passage.
q . =
There will be no interim grain ant
live stock investigation such as wa'
asked for by Magnus johnson and 9th
er farmer representatives, for the sen
ate committee put to sleep the investi
cation bill which passed the house
There is a pretty general feeling tina
these Investigations do not accomplish
anything worth while.
An important bill passed by tn