The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1919-03-06
STATE LEGISLATURE
Bendixen and WEIGH Tonnage Tax
Bills Referred Back-Wilkinson
to Introduce Another.
A Bill Requiring Railroads to Pay
,, for Improvements is Recon-
mended for Passage.

mended for Passage.
Already seriously tangled, the tom
mage tax situation in the legislature
was. further complicated yesterday
when the house referred back to the
tax committee both the Bendixen and
WEIGH bills. The motion to refer was
made by Representative Wilkinson,
who gave notice that he would intro
duce another tonnage tax measure to-
day Thursday. He stated that his
i. bill would be different from both the
Bendixen and Welch bills as it would
provide tax on the gross value of
all ore mined, to be figured on the
value of the ore at the mouth of the
mine. Mr.. Wilkinson declared that
both the Bendixen and Welch bills are
unconstitutional.
Ten minutes after congress adjourn
ed on Tuesday and after much hag-
Cling, the Minnesota senate passed a
resolution petitioning the national
body to repeal the daylight saving
law.
A bill introduced in the lower house
by Representative John Swanson pro-
poses constitutional amendment
withdrawing tax exemption privils ges
from church property end from pri-
vately owned hospitals operated for
profit.
Senator J. A. Jackson's bill to re-
quire railroads to pay special assess
ments for improvements along rail-
road property was recommended for
passage yesterday by the senate COM
mittee on taxes and tax laws. Pass
age of the bill was urged at a hearing
on Tuesday by representatives from
several communities who pleaded the
heavy burden thrown on other tax
payers by the railroads immunity
from assessments.
The house committee on public well
fare and health yesterday reported ad-
versely on the bill creating county
boards of health and county medical
inspectors as recommended by the
state board of health. The bill was
attacked at hearing by Henry
Deutsch of Minneapolis, representing
the Christian Scientists, and by dele
cation of osteopaths, chiropractors
and homeopathic physicians. They
contended the bill would establish au-
tocratic control of health matters by
the state board.
Yesterday the house committee on
municipal affairs reported unfavor-
ably the McGrath- Corning bill for the
annexation of the city of West St.
Paul to Ramsey county. T.
Action on the bill for amendment of
the state constitution enfranchising
women was indefinitely postponed by
the senate on recommendation of the
elections committee, which eliminates
y all possibility of submitting the
amendment to vote at the next cleo
ton. An attempt to bring the bill to
vote was made by Senator James
Madigan, who presented motion to
place the bill on general orders. His
motion was killed by a vote Of 40 to
81 and. the committee report was
then adopted viva voce.
The highway constitutional amend
ment fathered in the senate by P. H.
McGarry of Cass county and in the
house by Oscar Swensen of Nicollet
county, proposing trunk system of
hard surfaced highways and pledging
the state to their construction and
maintenance through the medium of
a SIS, 100000 bond issue is now ready
for submission to the voters. Both
houses gave the amendment their en-
dorsement after a = lengthy debate.
There were few negative votes. There
is not man in the Legislature who is
not for better roads, but what went
against the grain of many who voted
sfor the amendment was its length and
the writing into the constitution of
what is practically statutory matters.
voters at the next general election and
the general opinion is that it will pre-
vail
Governor Burnquist has signed the
bill establishing an eight-hour day for
employees Of state institutions. The
law must now either be amended or
repealed if it is to embody the idea of
many legislators who are utterly op-
posed to it. A bill to modify it's work
.ings will be introduced.
The house banking committee has
recommended for passage the Briggs
banking code," which includes the
( following items of legislation: Author
izing state banks to assume the re-
sponsibilities of trust companies; MAX
ing the uttering or spreading of state
ments derogatory to the business in
tegrity of banks or other financial in
situations gross misdemeanor; pro-