Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1919-02-12

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amended orrepealed. Many members
Including all of the League farmers
would prefer an amendment granting
blanket authority to the Legislature
to Issue. bonds tor the construction Of
highways or to engage in any public
enterprise. 4: .Ss. Sc Z. .ll. s=ssss
Stirred up the Big Elevator Companies
@ Grain after leaving the hands OF the
producer, and found in elevators on
the first day Of May is only taxed a
small fraction Of / percent per bushel
by specific provision Of law. Rep.
Wicker of Dodge has introduced a bill
to tax this grain one-half cent bush
ell which would be approximately one
half the rate the same grain is now
taxed if found in the producers gran
airy. AS might be expected the big
elevator companies are up in arms
against this measure and will fight
it to a finish and probably kill it
somewhere along the devious road of
legislation.
Public Ownership.
The citizens of Minneapolis have
evidently become tired of poor street
car service and are looking toward
the taking over of the car, lines and
operating the same themselves. A
bill, said to have the sanction of the
entire city delegation has been intro
duced and will very probably become
law unless, held up by the Governors
veto that will authorize Minneapolis
to acquire the existing lines or con-
struct others and operate them.
Ice-cream Legislation.
A bill fathered by members of the
Hennepin (Minneapolis) delegation is
pending in the House to allow mater
ial reduction in the per cent of cream
in Ice Cream, thus greatly affecting its
quality. The bill is being opposed by
Rep, WEIGH and other League mem
bers.
OIeo Bills.
Mr. Welch has introduced and is
fighting hard for two bills regulating
the sale of cleo and butter substitutes.
One of these bills prohibits the use
of oleo in all state institutions; the
other would stop the sale of butter
substitutes that may be colored in
imitation of the real article. Similar
| bills have been introduced in the Sen.
ate by Magnus Johnson.
Increasing Salaries.
There is a general movement in the
| legislature to increase the salaries OF
public officials clear down the line
Despairing of being able to reduce
the high cost of living the men and
women on the State payroll evident
| ly feel that this is good time to get
an increase in their monthly allowance
to meet the new conditions. Whether
| there will be a fiat increase or only
special changes has not yet been de-
! termined, but some increases will
doubtless be allowed.
Notes.
"What is the real need of putting
a tonnage tax on the iron ore? What
will the State do with the money!?
innocently asked Rep. Murphy Of the
| iron range district of Mr.. Bendixen
when the tonnage tax bills were under
consideration. Everybody in the
House smiled as the member from
Redwood replied, "Put it in the road
fund.-
Nobody so far has had the courage
or the hardihood to introduce a res
olution approving the work of the
Safety Commission. That little dona
tion?" Of $4,000 to Ambrose Tighe
the lawyer who it is said drafted the
act creating the commission and has
been acting as it's voluntary counsel
advising the members among saalel
! things that the commission is "above
| the courts" seems to be the proverbial
last straw" If this famous Commits
sion should be allowed by the legisla
ture to quietly die natural death
''unwept, unhonored and unsung,' the
members should consider themselves
very lucky.
| The wholesome fear instilled into
legislators by the great uprising Of
! farmers who joined the Nonpartisar
League is more apparent in the House
| than in the Senate. Senators hole
their jobs four years and it may be
some of them think that that before
their terms expire the storm may blow
| over Few of them appear to realize
that it is going to be a regular FLOOD
from which none will escape except
those who get into the ark of safety
at this session by supporting legisla
ton to regulate and restrain the prof