The Mankato free press., 1921-03-25
LAST OF FARMERS BILLS
PASSED BY LEGISLATURE
THE PAST WEEK
Battle On Tonnage and Ore Tax
Measures Now On In
Senate
ASSOCIATED Press Dispatch1

ASSOCIATED Press Dispatch]
st. Paul. March 21.-Virtual com
rletion Of the legislative program
proposed in the interest of farmers
marked the past week in the Min
nesota legislature. The senate made
an imposing record by passing the
general elections bill on Tuesday
and putting through the final bills on
the farmers program Wednesday.
The general elections bill as passed
is not as broad in its scope as some
friends of the convention system
wanted, but Senator H. N. Benson
chairman of the elections committee
and sponsor of the bill, declared him
self satisfied, since 1t was "a start
in the right direction"
y Cserset Bill On Its Way.
The senate before passing the Dill
dorsement OF judicial and county Of
ucers and members OF the legislature
and that is where the bill now falls
short OF meeting the expectations OF
some OF its friends. The bill has yet
to pass the house.
The Gjerset bill making political
parties like the Nonpartison league
and similar organizations, subject to
the laws governing elections and pol
itical organizations, is on its way. Ii
is now down in general orders, but
Senator Gjerset has said that he in
tends trying to lift it out of the ruck,
and 1t probably will be made a
special order this week.
I'm mmadiataly following the massage
o. the general elections bill by the
senate, the house committee on
elections recommend for passage
series of bills. including the one
for proportional representation and
the bill permitting a voter who has
removed from a precinct within
thirty days of an election to- vote in
the precinct from which he has re-
moved.
Farmers Bills Passed The House.
The farmers bills passed by the
house. They included the anti futures
trading bill, the open markets bill
which makes farmers cooperative as
sociations eligible to membership in
boards Of trade, chambers of com
merce and grain exchanges generally;
the bill to restore Minnesota grain
grades within the state. and the rural
credits bill. In addition the senate
passed a joint resolution providing fol
the interim commission Of three sen
ators and three representatives to
visit Washington Immediately after
the close Of the session and endeavor
to persuade the new secretary of agri-
culture to modify the federal grain
grades to conform to the old Mime
sofa grades. An appropriation OF
$4,000 is provided to pay the expenses
of the commission. -
A bill supplementary to the futures
trading bill was introduced in the
house by Rep. r. A. Wilkinson OF
Washington county. 1t aims to make
certain the prosecution of those who
violate the anti gambling phases OF
the futures trading bill, by charging
the grain and warehouse department
with the enforcement of the law, and
of the local county attorney the pro-
scouting officer.
There were some slight amend
ments to some Of the farmers bills
but they were of no consequence ex.
cert one amendment to the rural
credits bill which eliminates counties
and provides that the state only shall
provide the credits to farmers.
Battle Over Tonnage Tax In Senate
The battle over the tonnage tax
and the bill to tax the royalties re-
ceived from the leasing of ore lands
has been transferred to the senate. A
royalty tax Monday evening, and a
hearing on the tonnage tax bill is sci
to begin Tuesday afternoon at two
o'clock an dto extend into the even
ing il necessary. a hot night on the
occupational tax feature of the bill is
predicted. Representative F. J.. Nc
4tlin, International Falls, anti ton
mage taxer has introduced bill tc
levy an occurational tax on almost
every person who earns money, ex-
cept farmers and laborers. The bill
divides the occupations into ten
classes and the rates levied vary from
per cent on the gross earnings oi
manufacturers to 5 per cent on the
net earnings of professional men, Mr.
YcPartlin says it is as fair to ta1
other people as it is to tax miners and
he proposes to show the legislature
! where 1t is heading with its occupa.
tional tax.
A general drainage bill has been in
troduced in the senate, but the drain
age proposition still is before the
committee with probability that in
the Minnesota watershed the valley
dImcIS Will DS lcll W pTOVlQ0 TIE
| food control as best they can, while
the upland farmers are relieved from
contributing to food control or any
interest in the project.
The bill giving the state control oil
street railway fares and financing is
now before the house committee on
public utilities and the proponents
Of the bill will be given a hearing by
the same committee.
Warm Fight over Dry Law.
A hot fight has been started in the
house over some stringent measures
for the better enforcement of the>pro-
hibition law. One of the bills would
limit the sale OF flavoring extracts to
druggists and require the intending
purchaser to obtain a permit good
for wo years and to sign an affida-
Wit at the time of purchase that he OF
she Is twenty one years old or more
is temperate and has not violated the
prohibition laws. Another measure
provides for the search and seizure OF
automobiles suspected of carrying
liquor contrary to law.
The house committee on arpropria-
tons killed the bill to appropriate
g47k 000 or mora t0 nav honuses IN