Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1919-04-30

had but one League member, Mr.. Berve |
The great Committee on Appropria- |
f1o1 IS which spends the peoples money
Lacquer among it's 81 members The |
10 members of the Committee on Banks |
and Banking: the 10 on Elections, the Is |
on Military Affairs, the on Rules, were |
all minus League membership. But |
scant representation was allowed on |
other Committees: For; instance. the
mittee on Civil Administration had
three of it's Is members who belonged to |
the League. These Committees not only |
they could report back Bills that the
pdunoerouno wanted passed for early
in the interest Of the people.
AS an example. The Pittenger bill to
abolish the Safety Commission was in
troduced on the second day of the Ses-
sixty, days, in fact never was reported
out, but was finally called up under a
rule OF the House. Yet this bill passed
when it was reached by a vote. of 10S
to IL, but not in time to receive due
consideration in the Senate,
The Best Bill.
Probably the best Act of the Legis-
lature is the passage OF the Constltu-
tlonal Amendment introduced by Mr.
lund in the House. ana which reads as
follows. alter striking out the present
$IUO exemption personal property
And there may be exempted from taxa
ton household goods. wearing apparel,
AGRICULTURAL products IN the possession
OF the pOSSeSSor thereof and tools, I'M
PIGMENTS and machinery to such an ex-
tent and III such manner as the Legis-
lature may determine. Taxes may ne
imposed on incomes, privileges ana &C.
cupauonS, which taxes may pe gradual
ca ana progressive, and the exemption
or reasonable amount Oh income IRON
taxation may be PROVIDED 1or. Such
lakes may Ne in lieu OF taxes on any
class or classes OF personal property
as the Legislature may determine" Put
this provision IN the Constitution and
tnen elect fearless NOnpartlsan Lexis
lature and the burdens Oh Gov eminent
may be placed on the fellows drawing
Dig incomes, greatly to tue relief OIL
The common people-especially farmers.
Some Good Laws.
Several acts OF real merit got passed
along Win many That are more or less
questionable. Amons them are the 1oI-
lowing: ~ law recurring the STOCK
AaruS to furnish sanitary iced AND
Watering trouSns 1or STOCK. A law re-
quArlhs railroads 10 FURNISH sanitary
INDIVIDUAL urlnslng cups Iree OF cnarse
on all passenger trains.
. a Ia" 10 reg ulaIe and encourage the
formation OF Cooperative associations
o. every description. Ihls Is an excel
farmers stores, shipping associations,
clea1nerles anu other like enterprises.
10 Improve the Highways
Inc constitutional Amendment to put
the location OIL some sou miles OIL ues-
lsnated highways In the Constitution,
ana authorizing a BOND Issue OF S1vv-
OOO,OOU, one hundred mllIlOn OF doIIars
passed Doth houses ana VIII be Voleu on
ny the people at the next regular cleo
ton.
IL is no secret that this peculiar plan
was adopted to neau OIL the program OF
me Nohpart1San League. AN amend
h4ent OF d lew words merely empower
ING the Legislature TO enter upon COM
pfenenslVe system OF ROAD Improvement
Woulu nave been amply SUFFICIENT but
the fe-actlOnary leaders feared that this
provision might be taken auvantage OF by
the League TO establish State owned
" arehouses and Terminal elevators, TO
wnlGh they are very much opposed. In
addition to this law was enacted an
thorlzng the County Boards to -isxue
SzoO,0OO by unanimous vote and the
nall OF this sum by 1our-nfths vote
10 anticipate this scheme OF road build
ing to be reimbursed it the Amendment
carries.
Couldn't Agree.
The State wide primary law is still
alive ana doing business greatly to the
disgust OF slandpat politicians This is
manly manly due from the Folks at home"
VINO read the unbought newspapers and
were therefore fully informed as to
Wnat was taking place at the seat OF
government.
AAOoSS poootO Tie Bill TO 0maS-
G Iar. though not entirely destroy the
law. but the Senate held back till late
1n me session and then decided to let
t cile law alone but to provide tor party
cohVentlon to precede the primaries
at Whlch party nominees for Congress
and State officials would be made to %
on the primary ballot, names to be fol-
1oweo ~ the words endorsed by the
course, under this system the prim-
airy would be merely a sort of A ratif.
cation arrangement The House mem
Ders got stubborn and the scheme re1,
through. S AoA1
Fotent Force in Good Government.
It cannot be denied that the militant
olsahlzat1on farmers were the bower
,l the throne in promoting the good
~ tst "a on mat got by, and in the de-
Urinary. to pass the notorious Warner
Street Car, the Motor Corps. and Free
a etSaalroad pass bills and measures of this
trenches put up stiff fight but the
home Guards back on the farms who
i were reading OF the doings at the Cap
roo, IN honest. fearless and truthful
ence In shaping legislation. The noli-
t!clans in the Legislature are scarad a+
me dheag9e and hedged against the i'm
some good measures.
The Senate, A Graveyard.
The Senate was a GRAVEYARD FOR Mo-,
partisan bills that got BY the 'Ho"se
FOR instance. Mr. Burdorf (LeagueI rot
a Dill past the House with 81 Yeas ana
no nays early in the Session nrovid
ing Tor township bitches and local as
sessments to pay for the same, DESIGNED
70 Grain the marsh lands Of a local
ua.ute' IN which many farmers are in
tterested, but it received no considera-
Ion from the Drainage COMMITTEES in
A Love Feast.
The vets" and the "drys" got toeeth.
er and held a sort Of love feast over
me bone dry prohibitions or law en-
iorcement bill. They threshed out their
u1Herences and harmonized SO well that
me conference Committee went through
me senate unanimously and practically
so IN the House. The law will NOT 20
INTO erect II the National dry Amend
1 IS set aside by the Supreme Court.
20 ~ t4ucn was conceded to the Vets: but
Inc Orys knocked out the two percent
beer clause and had their wav nrettv
huch In everything else.
The Increase In Salaries.
In spite of the best efforts of I.eap,a
members and others who made an effort
to keep down taxes and the expenses ~
government there has been an almost
universal increase in the salaries OF
public officials, largely through the IN.
strumentality Of special bills.
It Is apparently very difficult FOR ia
ordinary members to resist the reunast
of q friend holding q public office to
Introduce bill to boost his salary a
tr1he Ito meet the high cost of living
Having introduced the measure the ac-
commodating Representative or Sena-