Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1919-03-19

House Committee on Appropriations |
baked at this point and refused to |
O. K. the bill and was sustained by |
his committee: The purpose was to
send out speakers and insert adver- |
tisennents In friendly papers boosting
the amendment. The curses aimed at |
Christianson are both loud and deep
in the ranks Of the blunderbund.s Sen. |
McGary and Rep. Oscar Swenson who
are respectively chairmanof the House
and Senate Committee on Highways
were active I'M pushing this scheme.
along. e II
The Bone Dry Enforcement Bill.
After some six hours of strenuous
debate the. House. passed the Anti
Saloon League Bone dry, bill, The
main battle was over the definition of
intoxicating liquors. The bill limit
ing the quantity in harmless bever-
age to one-half of one percent. An
amendment by Pattison and Briggs
increased this to a maximum OF. q per
cent. Another amendment by Girling
would have prevented the act from
taking effect Il the national dry amend
ment should be set aside. Both
amendments were defeated, The bill
ds passed will make the state bone dry
in harmony with the Federal Laws and
bone dry in any event on Jan. 10th,
1920. The. League members divided
on the amendments and the bill in &C
cordance with the majority sentiment
in their respective districts. The
big fight over the measure comes up in
the Senate next week. It is difficult
to predict the outcome.
Workmen's Compensation Act.
The House spent a four hour acri-
.monious session in considering the
most important Of the bills champion
ed by organized labor. This is known
as House File No. 20 introduced by
labor leaders which provides that the
state shall take charge of the collec-
ton and payment of all damages re.
sulting from employment that work
men may sustain. The affect Of the
law will be to put all SO called cos
.ualty insurance companies operating
in this state out of business, since this
state will do the work at cost The
Insurance interests fought hard
against this measure, denouncing it as
Socfalistic and .tinctured with Town
leyism, but labor lined up to a man in
it's support and with the solid vote of
League farmers and some other pro-
gressives put the bill through the
House 70 to 48. It must still run the
gauntlet in the Senate. The total
premiums collected in the year 1917
were 81, $50. 000sof which only $3.50, 900
were paid out in losses, leaving ex-
penses and velvet" Of $500, 900 to the
insurance companies.
The Tax Amendment.
The Constitutional Amendment civ.
ing the Legislature more lee way in
the matter OF taxation introduced In
the Senate by Mr.. Gandrud and in the
House by, MI. Wicker, and approved
bly,! the State Tax Commission and
which will undoubted ly: be submitted
to the people to ratify reads as fol-
lows: "
,"And there may be, exempted from
taxation household goods, wearing ap-
parel, Agricultural products In the pos
session Of the producer thereof, and
tools, implements and, machinery and
property, Of state and county to such
an extent and: in =. such manner
as the Legislature may deter
mine. Taxes may be imposed on In
come, privileges and occupations
which taxes may be, graduated and
progressive, and the exemption Of a
reasonable amount Of income from
taxation may be provided, and such
taxes may be in lieu Of taxes on any
class or classes Of personal property
as the Legislature may determine"
All the League members voted for this
amendment. 2z= -,~...-
Anti-Gamblina Bill.
The Senate is>still wrestling with
the Peterson bill to prevent trading
I'M futures and has held public hear
ings where much opposition has been
manifested, mainly by small country
elevators which claim protection is
afforded them by hedging on the mar:
ket. 3,
The Free Pass Bill. ~ I /:
Rep. Nimocks, the super-patriotic
author OF the Red Flag bill, got knock.
ed fout again this week. In fact, it is
q regular pastime in the. House to
give Nimockg the horse laugh. His
last bill to fall by the wayside requir.
ed all railway companies to furnish
free passes to law makers. The meas
ure got 81 votes OF the necessary 81,
none of, them League members Init