Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1917-02-07

In speech by former State Senator
Garfield Of Luverne before the senate,
In which he criticised the primary law
and made plain many Of its so called
Inequalities. His contention is that
instead of aiding the people in the Sc
lection Of those who shall represent
them In of1ce the primary law has
curtailed this power. Down in his dis
trict Crock county, there has been
much agitation for the repeal of the
primary law. At the present time the
only bill calling for any change is q
measure by Senator Dwinnell of Min
neapolis providing for the repeal of
the nonpartisan law. That is still in
COMMITTEES and while it has many sym.
pathizers its passage or the approval
Of any legislation designed to correct
known abuses in our present system
of nominations does not seem at all
favorable.
The law providing for the payment
OF pensions to those who participated
In the suppression of the Indian out
break of 1862 is in danger. A bill car
rying the names of Representatives
Sherman Childs of Minneapolis and
Elias Nordgren Of Sunrise, calling for
it's repeal, has been offered in the
house and 1t will receive a goodly
vote. The Indian pension bill was
vetoed in 1905 by the late Governor
Johnson, but it's hackers were success
full the next session to the extent Of
SECURING executive approval. At the
present time there are about 400 per-
sons drawing pensions under the act
and about $4,000 a year is disbursed.
The authors of the bill calling for the
repeal of the pension act believe there
is niger in tho woodpile. That
there should be more than 400 pen
sioners now, when less than 700 par
ticfpated in the suppression more than
f1fty-ive years ago, hardly looks right
to Messrs. Child and Nordgren.
!. i. +
The passing of the state fire mar
shal's Office is proposed in a bill Of
fered in the senate by Senators Car
ley, Jackson, Rockne and Duxbury.
It's incorporation with the state in
surance department is to be the sub
| stitute. The four men named are
members of the efficiency and econ
omy commission responsible for a
number of bills calling for state de.
partment changes, reforms and con-
solidations. The present head of the
department is Robert Hargadine, a
Democrat. Mr.. Hargadine's term does
not expire until March, but he hopes
to be retained. His hopes, however,
will go glimmering If the senate bill
mentioned prevails.
!. !. j.
If ruling made by Attorney Cen
eral Smith sticks, the job of surveyor
general of logs and lumber will soon
be thing of the past. Mr. Smith
holds that the only fee the surveyor
can exact is the amount allowed by
law for scaling. Out Of this he will
have to pay the salary of the scaler.
The latter expense has always been
met by the owner of the timber to be
scaled. Twenty-yes, ten years ago
the position of state surveyor of logs
and lumber was a prize that many
fought for It was said at times to be
worth from $4,000 to 100000 a year
and the incumbent was always under
pledge to kick back portion of it for
campaign purposes. This job and the
oil inspectorship were the chief pluma
of the biennial distribution.
!. !. !.
Governor Burnquist has trimmed
about 100000 from the budget OF
$4,000, 10000 submitted to him by the
various state departments and the
howl that has gone up from those hit
ifs long and loud. Rural schools were
hit for about 100000 and the state
university for like sum. That the
university can stand it seems agreed