Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1919-05-02
STATE CAPITOL NOTES.
St paul, MINI, 8 April Is, /


st Paul, MINI. Aprii 2s. 1919:
The fist legislative session. which
tory as on one which had before it great
opportunities but which failed to rise
to the occasion-not because Of q lack
Of gSs Intent but qp9n tns Of
lack Of leadership and further owing to
the fact, that the body was composed
SO largely Of new members. II takes
how to do things as member of the
state legislature. and. no matter how
good his intentions. the flrst-term leg
II reaelne
methods by which success is achieved.
and his unacquaintance with his neigh
Dor.
About the only man who comes out
of the session with increased prestsg e
e IL sgSSes pre Man cer ad 81 s House
Nolan has had many years of exper-
fence and he demonstrated his posses
sion of ability in the way he handled
in his charge. As mentioned heretofore
in these letters. it is understood that
the Speaker will endeavor to capitalize
by becoming a candidate for governor
in 1920.
The session stands out mainly be-
cause Of what it failed to accomplish.
Among the bills which failed of pc s.
sage during the session. in which the
public was especially interested were:
The labor compensation, act; the act
imposing a tonnage tax on iron ore;
providing partisan political conventions
to nominate candidates for state of
Public Safety; lowering taxation valua-
ton on urban homes and farm improve
ments; curbing. political expenditures
of assistant political committees; i'm
from mining properties; establishing
hours as days work for all employees;
for orthe5n
companies; classifying. telephone COM
panies for taxation purposes and in
creasing their taxes; providing a state
bonus for soldiers sailors and nurses
Among the outstanding achievements
Of the session were:
tabiish a system Of arteriai highways
and permitting counties to start work
at once upon such roads: constitutional
EotS to a anS
income tax by the state; establishing a
state board of education; increasing
Workmen1 S { compensation in case of in;
Of Sc pen weef sivne
women the right to vote for presiden-
tial electors. providing state soldier
% othe1 e enfoTce
hibition under federal constitutional
amendment; providing for drainage and
flood control; establishing state de-
partment of agrisu%ItuSe'
. OF all the things the legislature fail
ed to do it probably will be most
provide adequately for the protection
Of the state. The forestry department
Of this state oa asked f f Or an appropfia
years. The forest fires in the Moose
Lake district last fall We're still fresh
in the memory Of the people, and it
doubtedly would give the state every
protection against q repetition Of de-
struction in its northern areas. Politics
assns eox a %o Is in cnaFe ee
Of this work, the $685., 900 was cut down
to $4,000 per annuna for the next two
years. Sa sum absolutely i ina for
Of the. session, with defeat staring
them in the face, the advocates Of a
liberal appropriation stormed the legis-
possible to. convince the legislature of
the necessity for action. but those in
charge Of approximations had plainly
setisfaetien reoTesneing h sef fer sae
pie Of northern Minnesota. Conse-
ser 6e H9Hse bill Was n the es
through. Governor Burnquist, who
trict, Immediately after the terrible fire
homes. posed. for his picture at the
funerals of the victims and appeared
in the movies as the rescuer Of the
raise his Voice in behalf of an adeaua f
appropriation-and he was not the only
one who was ren1iss in this particular:
II it We're not the fact that the people
affairs.
session handed real jolt to our friend
by the introduction Of a bill taking
Seen IN his to
and give out the publication Of consti-
tutional amendments, election ballots
ns Shfn IN Sfnng ana
which is composed of the, state audi
tor, the. state treasurer, the secretary
Of state and the public printer. The
without the knowledge Of Julius or Of
the House his friends amended it so
sr Of advertising patronage; This
the two branches, and the House yield
ed tG the semat t. Sc that The
not appear in black-faced type upon
all Constitutional amendments and
other state advertising. appearing in the
public press. All Of which would in
dictate that the present legislature was
not without it's nerve or It's sense of
humOr. -
s.L 49,
> Another ghost which probably will
rise up to haunt Minnesota statesmen
in the future in the failure to make
provision for paying discharged SOL
4diers: and sailors bonus cQnditioned
upon service. Other states Quite gen
orally have made provision for the boys
who went over: to make the world safe
fol, democracy. Minnesota failed to
make good i'm this particular. After
the boys shave had about two years to
think this over, they undoubtedly will
be ripe for action, and IL they cannot
consistently put the blame where it
rightfully belongs, it is barely possible
that they will go out to get every mem
Der of the late lamented." The fact
that the omnibus bill already had: been
loaded down with additional salaries
For. state and county officials, and that
the membership had arrived at the con-
clusion that they could not add more
tax burdens to the people, will not be
considered valid excuse
~
IS. The really great achievement Of the
session was the passage Of the Bah
+ cock highway bill. This is Minnesota'e
first step in the building of system