The Mankato free press., 1920-12-10
State LegisIatorsHeId Con-
ference In St. Paul
DRAFT OF BILLSIS IDEA
Compromise Proposed BY the
Chamber of Commerce
Turned Down
MEASURES AIMED TO AID THE
MINNESOTA FARMERS.

standard FOR the grading OF Whea1
and feed.
! Second. To curb profiteering.
Third. To audit the books Of CO
operative enterprises at stated in
teryals. o..
Fourth. To revise in some import,
ant details the cold storage laws OF
Minnesota.
Fifth. To draft bill regulating
packing establishments.
/ Sixth. To amend the 1919 co-opera
tive law to provide for federation oI
CO. operative agencies.
Seventh. To regulate the sale oi
coal at Minnesota docks in CO. opera
ton with Wisconsin authorities.
Eighth To provide for crop re-
ports committee.
Ninth. To further the colonization
| of M.nresota's cut over lands.
Tenth. To amend Chapter 444
whatever that Is.
Eleventh. To draft weed law
that will enable the authorities to
keep state lands free OF weeds.
law for Minnesota.
st. Paul. December 3.--Tne extra
primary committee appointed by the
incoming members of the house and
senate Of the next legislature, meet
ing at the state capitol yesterday. re-
commended that q committee be ap-
pointed to draft bill giving Mime
sofa farmer equal rights OF represen-
tation in the Minnesota Chamber
OF Commerce and the Duluth Board
of Trade. III
This action was taken after a spir-
1 kAf haH 1nln
question Of marketing, cooperative
enterprise and speculation in food
products. Before the committee took
recess at loon, Senator F. L. Clin
moved that committee be named to
prepare bill prohibiting pecuation
in food products.
Decision to draft a measure open
ing the Chamber of Commerce to
farmers cooperative organizations
came despite disclosure that ten
tative proposal has been made by
the Chamber Of Commerce to COM
promise with the farmers.
Against Any Compromise.
Members of the committee stated
emphatically that they we're against
| INV compromise, demanding that leg
islation be enacted declaring for a
public market.
J. H. Hay of the department of
agriculture quoted a dispatch from
Paul g. Warden In The Sunday Pio-
neer Press, In which Mr. Warden in
timated that leading banks had serv-
ed notice on the big bears that any
further depression Of grain prices at
this time would not be countenanced
'"This speculation is what causes
farmers" Mr.. Hay said. "If that
statement OF Mr. Warden's is true,
you legislators are in duty bound to
remedy that condition. Such state
ments as that appear almost daily
on the market pages OF our newspa-
pers IL they are not Nrue, the news
papers should be prevented from
publishing them"
| Discussion Is Precipitated.
This precipitated a general discus
sion. which ended with the adoption
of Senator Cliffs motion providing
70 rcomam etaoinshrdl etaoi ntaoinni
for a committee of three to be named
! by Representative Wilkinson to draft
bill to prohibit speculation in food
{ products. ~. .
| , The session was attended by near
J lv all Of the committee of ten from
The house and bv Senators Cliff
Cummins and Gandrud. Speaker No
Ian and Lieutenant Governor elect L.
/ L Collins, and J. H.. Hay OF the de-
partment of agriculture. -.
Organization was effected with
| Colonel R. A. Wilkinson, chairman of
the House committee. presiding. W. ].
Norton of Minneapolis was elected
secretary.
Outline Of Plans.
Mr.. Hay explained three plans
which he laid before the committee
for consideration. All had to do with
remedying present marketing condi-
tions Of which farmers complain. The
plans briefly were as follows:
| First Organization Of a STOCK
company on the part Of CO. pera
tives to deal with chambers Of
commerce and boards Of trade.
! Second. The So called Nebras-
ka plan, where the Legislature has
declared grain exchanges TO be
| public markets, thus admitting
| farmers organizations.
Third. An Independent market
ing system to, be organized by CO.
operative organizations. gf
Senator Ganrud moved. and Rep
resentative Rako seconded, that a
committee be appointed to draft a
! bill along the line Of the Nebraska
! law. Representative Norton objected
F, that the members OF the committee
were not yet ready to commit them
selves to any such legislation.
Was Seeking information.
"This COMMITTEES could hold a ser
les of hearings that would place 1t in
a position to render real service" !"
Represents ative Norton said. Lets
not dash into this without any infor-
nation. I am for any measure that is
just, that is, calculated to give the
farmers square deal. but want to
know why I am for It."
/ There Is a widespread demand for
Legation along this line" said Sena-
for Ganrud.
Representative Norton again urged
J q series of hearings. Senator Cum
/ minis interJected the assertion that
the committee wants ell the informa-
ton 1t can get.
Americans standing as to the ex-
act wording OF the motion relating to
the Chamber Of Commerce led Sena-
tor Cliff to state his understanding
70 1t. AS explained by him, 1t would
authorize committee to prepare q
bill to amend present state laws com
pelling such organisations as the
! Chamber of Commerce to accept