The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1921-01-07
sOLONSR R T9PLUNGE
Minnesota Legislature Has
Heaviest Program
SESSION OPEN TUESDAY,
Members of Both Houses In st.
Paul Prepared To Start
Their Work
IAssociated Press Dispatch

Associated Press Dispatch
st. Paul, January 3.-The Minneso-,
ia legislature, meeting tomorrow,
faces the heaviest program in it's his.
tory. Indications today were tnat
more legislation will be proposed to
the 1921 session than any proceeding
sessions. House and senate leaders
today laid this to the slackening OF
projects during the war, the necessity
of measures to aid a return to nor
malcy and the advent Of women into
politics.
Practically all members of both
houses were today, ready to plunge
into the strenuous work Of the SEES
sion. There were caucuses In score
OF places all at once, on dozens of the
various subjects to come up. Sena-
tors and representatives with pet bills
were trying to talk to every colleague
in sight simultaneously.
The law makers evinced little inter-
est in the inaugural ceremonies that
will usher in a new executive admin
istration Wednesday. They were more
concerned with the business of getting
the legislative hopper running at high
speed. A long and difficult session
was forecast by many and a large
number of the legislators being far
mers actually or indirectly, are an
xious to adjourn inside Of ninety days
if possible.
One of the first big problems facing
call for a tonnage tax on iron ore.
This problem has required before ev-
cry legislative session for a great
many years. Governor Burnquist
, throughout his administration, has
opposed the various tonnage tax meas
ures advocated. His supporters as
sert his stand has been upheld in the
report of the state tax commission,
submitted recently, which claimed that
bills thus far proposed would probably
have been held unconstitutional. The
commission asserted that If tonnage
tax is enacted, it should be in lieu of
all other taxes on mineral property.
| This has been one Of the contentious
of the mining companies throughout
the bitter fight
Legislation For Farmers.
! Legislation affecting farmers prom
ises to take up much of the time of
the session. To begin with there is
a battle brewing over the method of
administering proposed highway laws.
The state at the November elections
authorized ten year good roads pro-
gram with an expenditure of $780,
100000. ~ 's'~ -,
A bill has already been drawn plac-
Ing administration OF the highway, de-
partment in the hands of one man.
Several legislators objected to this
proposed method and as result COM
mittees have been Investigating the
ACCESSIBILITY of establishing commits
sion of three to five men. Several leg
1slators were understood to favor a
larger commission to serve without
pay. A large amount of legislation
will be necessary to put the Babcock
good roads amendment into effect and
keep the program working smoothly
A caucus was in session today, at
which various findings of committees
and suggestions were being threshed
out and 1t appeared certain that many
of the points will not be settled among
the majority of law makers until the
bills get to the floor of the house, at
least.
{ Perhaps one of the biggest fights of
the session may develop over propo-
sails to make boards of trade public
markets, which would make any indi-
vfdual eligible to membership in
boards of trade of chambers of com
merce. A great cry has arisen among
hoi mOlo dIlt0 SOCI6IloS against
the closed membership in boards of
| trade, particularly the Minneapolis
chamber of commerce, and they are
expected to carry the battle into the
j legislature If possible. There is siren
uous opposition to the plan from grain
| operators and brokers and powerful
influences may be brought to bear
! against any such proposals. Women
as we'll as farmers are interesting
! themselves in other marketing prob
lens and the Housewives league of
the Twin cities are active in cam
palgns Tor various measures.
State Inspection of Meat.
One OF the proposals in which the
active is the demand for a state meat
inspection department. It has been
recently estimated that fifty per
cent of livestock that finds It's
way to the family table in Min
nesota is never inspected. A federal
law prohibits inter state shipment Of
dressed meat without federal inspec-
! ton and approval. but this does not
prevent scores Of small packers and
! local butchers from killing inferior or
diseased stock and placing 1t on the
market for public CONSUMPTION. with.
out inspection. Hugh Hughes, direc.
tor OF markets, is considering a bill
! which would establish state depart.
ment of meat inspection to work in
. conjunction with the federal bureaus
OF animal industry. 1t would Mace
rigid restrictions on killing of all live.
stock for public consumption and re.
quire inspection Of all meats before
offered for sale.
The American Legion has framed q
legislative program and strong pres.
sure will be brought to bear on the
legislature to enact at least some Of
the proposals adopted in resolutions
/ at the state convention Of the legion
Among the demands will be the 70.
vision of the state bonus law to make
immediate dependents of former serv.
Ice men eligible to benefits. The le.
gion also has a, strong Americaniza-
ton program and will ask the IegisIa.
ture to force study of American bis.
tory and civics in public schools as
well as physical training for ali pu
pills. Inc legion also plans to ask all
iteration Of state regulations to permit
the legion to use state armories in