The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1919-09-19
FIGHTER BONUS
PASSES HOUSE
No Dissenting Voice When Meas
ure Comes to Vote In
Lower Body.
$50 MINIMUM BONUS
Tonnage Tax Bill Goes Through House
BY Vote Of f0f to 22-Provisions
Of New Primary Bill
Before SoIons.

Before Solonss
st. Paul.-With the passage of the
soldiers SIS per month bonus bill in
the House Of Representatives by a
unanimous vote and it's certain pass.
age in the Senate predicted, members
OF the Minnesota Legislature are turn
Ing their attention to primary election
reform and forest fire prevention meas
ures.
The soldiers bonus bill went through
the lower branch by vote of 124 to
o. An attempt was made to amend
it so that widowed mothers and or.
phans might share in the bonus due
soldier. 1t was decided not to de-
lay the bill, however. It is probable
that such an amendment can be made
in the upper body.
$50 Minimum Bonus.
AS passed in the House the bonus
bill gives every man or woman in the
service SIS for each month in the SER
vice, with minimum of $50. Con-
scientious directors are barred from
participation. A fund of '$20, 900 900 is
to be provided to meet the expense
by the issuance of certificates of in
debtedness.
With ratification of the woman suff-
rage amendment and passage of the
soldiers bonus bill out of the way the
two big topics Of primary election re-
form and forest fire prevention nat
urally come to the fore. Those meas
ures were mentioned along with the
other two in the Governors call. Be-
sides those four, the Governor asked
for consideration of the high cost of
living question. That matter, being
so broad in scope, is one in which it
is believed little progress will be made.
The Legislature has been flooded
with an avalanche of small, petty bills
in some instances, and bills of state
wide but not pressing importance in
other cases. The machinery has been
clogged.
Passes Tonnage Tax Bill.
By vote of 101 to % the House
passed the tonnage tax bill introduced
by Representative c. M. Bendixen of
Morgan. The measure provides for a
tax Of five per cent on the value of
the ore at the mouth of the mine. An
amendment was adopted dividing the
proceeds between the school and the
general funds. Representative Thorn
as H. Girling Of Robbinsdale tried to
have the bill amended so as to provide
for IL per cent tonnage tax in lieu of
all other taxes, with the further pro-
vision that half the amount go into the
State Treasury and one-half into the
local communities.
The elections committees of House
and Senate met to consider the pri-
mary reform. Senators Brooks and
Putnam introduced in the upper
branch an Endorsement convention bill
which would be supplemental to the
present primary.
Provisions of Primary Bill.
The bill provides for party conven-
lions that may either recommend or
nominate candidates for the state and
congressional primaries, but care is
taken not to exclude Independent can
didates who may care to file on the
primary ticket. The candidates nomi-
mated or recommended by the state or
congressional convention are to have
their names placed on the ballot with
the statement that they have been
nominated or recommended by the
party convention. The clause in the
bill relating to this feature reads:
"This act is supplementary to, and
not in lieu of any law relating to pri-
mary elections, and it shall not be con-
strued to modify any such law save as
the addition of this act shall compel
such modification"
Representation In the state conven-
ton is to be based upon the average
vote for state officers cast by the party
holding the convention at the last pre-
ceding general election. The average
vote is to be certified to the respective
state committees by the secretary Of
state and the committees will appor-
ton the representation.
Rules for New Parties.
New parties may hold conventions
by filing with the secretary of state not
later than February 1, preceding the
date Of the primaries, a petition or GER
tificate showing that they have mem
bership equal to per cent of the total
vote cast in the state at the last gen.
eral election.
The conventions are to be called for
the nomination or recommendation OF
candidates and the adoption Of party
platforms.
The state convention is to be held