Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1919-04-09
OBSERVATIONS.
(By a Cornfeld Philosopher.
xXxll-LEGISLATIVE LETTER
RUSHING Thinus.

Rushing Things.
Only a possible fifteen days more
remain in which to make laws and
both Houses are beginning to hold
two sessions daily and some evening
sessions. The hundreds of bills on
general orders have been abandoned
to their fate and everybody is trying
to get his pet measure set for special
consideration. Even the regular cal
endar bills recommended to pass is
receiving but scant attention. Welch's
Bank Guarantee Bill near the head
OF this calendar has been there for
week, and may not be reached at
all. It is likely however, that it will
get past the house in the closing days
! only to be lost In the Senate for lack
of time.
Most Of the big appropriation bills
are out OF the way In the House and
the others will be finished the present
week. The fighting over the sums to
be allowed is all being done in the
Committee, the House usually accept.
Ing its conclusions by an unanimous
vote.
No Reduction In Interest Rates.
The Boyd bill reducing the contract
rate of interest from ten to eight per
cent which passed the House by
good majority was killed in the judi
ciary committee of the Senate which
seems to be the grave yard of pro-
gressive legislation. However,, the
lukewarm support given the measure
by Senator Cummings who had the
matter in charge contributed largely
to its defeat.
State Budget Commission.
The House has passed a bill Great.
ing State Budget Commission to aid
the Legislature in determining what
appropriations should be made at each
session. This Commission will con-
sist >of the Governor, State Auditor,
Chairman, Tax Commission, Lieu
tenant Governor, Speaker of the
House and Chairman of the Senate,
Finance Committee and House Com.
mittee on appropriations. The pur-
pose of this commission is to collect
and compile information and estim-
ates in advance of the needs Of all
the public activities. The bill was
prepared by Theo. Christianson,
Chairman Committee on Appropria-
ton, with view to economy in pub.
lie expenditures.
Kind to the State University.
The building project for the State
University which contemplates an
expenditure in the course of a few
years Of something like ten million
Of dollars for the erection of new,
up-to-date buildings for the State
University has been approved by the
House Committee on Appropriations
and ratified by the House itself. This
means a special tax for this purpose.
Senator Johnson's Bank Resolution.
The Senate appears to shy at Sena-
tor Magnus Johnson's resolution to
appoint committee of five members
to investigate the State Banking De-
partment. Theoretically, if this In
spector did his full duty none of the
fifteen banks that recently went broke
could have suspended in the way they
did and Senator Johnson wants to
find out what's the matter. This
laudable desire on his part, however,
is not likely to be gratifed for the
reactionaries in the Senate will take
care that the Banking Department
will be protected.
To Regulate the Stock Yards.
The House has passed without a
dissenting vote the bill introduced
by Green, of Blue Earth, to put the
South St. Paul Stock Yards under the
jurisdiction of the Board of Railroad
& Warehouse Commission. The I'M
animity of the members on this point
was a surprise. Either the stock
yards people expect to kill this bill
in the Senate or they do not stand in
any great fear Of this commission.
Workmens Compensation Act.
The Workmens Compensation or
Insurance Bill which organized labor
has bent every energy to push through
was killed in the Senate on final
passage by the narrow vote of "a to