The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1918-12-30

SPEAkERSH1P SELECTION
is ALREADY SETTLED

| !St. Paul, Dec. 3O.-W1th the stage
set and the actors in their places, the
| curtain will 60 up Tuesday. January
IT,, on the opening Of the Minnesota
legislature. ...~-.:
The session promises, to be one OF
the most interesting and most i'm.
portant in the history of the state
Many big problems Of state policy
| will be UP for solution. and some law
Of fifar-reaching effect will be includ.
Led in the statutes Of 1919. -. T..
/ AS usual the senate will get down
to business without delay. This is
possible partly because the senate
me mbership is composed largely Of
men of legislative experience, and
partly because the lieutenant gov
ernor is able to start right after cleo
tion making up his committee assign
ments. I.
Early Start in House.
The house also Is sure this session
to get an early start. The speaker
ship fight was settled nearly q month
ago, and the speaker-elect has had
time to perfect his committee organi-
cation.
In times past, when the election of
speaker has been in doubt until late
in December, it has happened that
the start of the legislative grind In
this. house has been delayed for a
week orsmore. 49, .@7 Ha''@. tf@
tits predicted that Speaker Nolan
will announce his committees on the
third day of the session.
Both the senate and the house will
be organized along new lines The
natural line of cleavage In the old
days was between republicans and
democrats, although this has been
less true since the law abolished
party lines in the election Of men,
bers of the legislature. and there
have always been democrats. espe-
cially in the senate who have been
Gin" with. the majority republican
organization.
The entrance of the Townley Non
partisan league into legislative poll
tics has changed everything.
Feeling Is Better.
The division now is between the
untagged members and Townley
m members. and the feeling On both
sides is far more bitter and personal
than ever before within the memory
of old followers of politics.
One Of the first matters to come
before the legislature probably will
be resolution to ratify the nation
wide prohibition amendment to the
federal constitution.
The amendment already has been
ratified by fifteen legislatures and II
| will be before the legislatures Of the
s,,s rxr f,x. ts ,f,,p
= Favorable action by thtitv-sia
states is necessary to put the amend.
| ment over. No serious opposition is
expected in the Minnesota legisla.
ture.
Highway Plan Important
One of the most important matters
likely to come before the legislature
perhaps the most important, Is the
proposed state constitutional amend
ment creating state highways sys-
tenn and empowering the legislature
to issue bonds to cover the cost cf its
construction.
1t provides for system of 5000
miles of hard surface highway con-
Meeting every county seat In the
state.
A state tax on automobiles is pro-
posed to pay the interest on the
bonds and provide sinking fund for
their retirement when due, this tax
to be in lieu Of the present license
fee and all other automobile taxes.
Under proposed federal law the
state would also receive about $13,-
500, 900 from congress over four
year period as good roads aid.
A majority of both senator's and
representatives have gone on record
as favoring the state highway CON-
mission plan and its" success seem
assured.
Legislation for the relief of forest
fires last fall Is also to demand at
tentiofl.
The state, forestry department also
has several bills along the line of fire
prevention.
The matter OF workmen's compen-
sation Is another matter to come up,
and the status of the public safety
commission will also be ascertained.
1t is also likely amendments to the
primary law will be objected, and an
amendment is certain to be passed to
eliminate the word "nonparty" from
the ballot. A tonnage tax battle
looks like a merry scrap that will be
fought out, 1t having to do with a
tax On iron ore tonnage