The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1921-04-29
REVIEWS 1921 SESSION
MANY BILLS OF IMPORTANT
NATURE PASSED
Elaborate Program Farmers
Legislation Enacted; Labor
Jared Well
ASSOCIATED Press Dispatch

was accomplished at last nights SeS-
sion, which extended into early morn
Ing hours. Here are some Of the &C
3 complishments of the session:
Passed tonnage tax bill, and sub
mittee a constitutional amendment
appropriating forty per cent of the re-
celpts from the tax to the permanent
school fund and ten per cent to the
permanent university fund. Enacted
an elaborate program of farmers leg
1slation. Enacted a series OF laws 10
put into effect the highways consti-
tutional amendment and to regulate
traffic on the new state highways.
Recodified the state educational and
school aid laws.
Regulate Grain Trading
Enacted law to legalize and regu-
late trading in grain futures, declaring
purely speculative deals illegal and
punishable as gambling. Asked con-
gress to prohibit futures trading en-
tirely. Appropriated $4,000 for com
pletion and operation of the states
experimental flour mill, erected for
the purpose of testing the flour max
ing capacity OF various grades OF
wheat.
Increased the membership Of the
state board Of control to five members
to permit the appoint Of two women
members. Passed three bills to put
teeth" in the prohibition enforce
ment laws, including a measure to
permit the search and seizure with
out a warrant OF automobiles carry
ing liquor Enacted new work
mems compensation law. and created
an industrial commission to admin
lister both the compensation and the
state labor department.
Enacted legislation limiting tax
cities or villages may levy to $3.50 per
capita-Sl00 for general purposes
Passed Tonnage Tax Bill
Passage Of the tonnage tax bill end
ed, so far as the legislative and the
executive departments are concerned,
a warfare that has ragged between
Northeastern Minnesota and the rest Of
next battle will be in the courts. Two
tonnage tax bills were passed by pre-
vious legislatures. The first was We
toed by Governor John A. Johnson,
Democrat, and the second passed dur
ing the extra session OF 1919, was
vetoed by Governor or ]. A. A. Burn
Quist, Republican.
For good measure, the present leg
islature has also submitted a consitu-
tional amendment, which would not
only write the tonnage tax into the
Constitution, but would place 40 per
cent of the receipts in the permanent
school fund and 10 per cent in the per
manent university fund, leaving but
so per cent of the whole for the gen
eral revenue fund.
Farmers Legislation
Farmers legislation came in for
much attention, the legislature tax
ing the following action: PASSED a
bill to regulate trading in grain fut
ures, declaring purely speculative
and declared grain and live stock OK
changes open markets, with the prof
it sharing cooperative associations
eligible to membership. Passed bills
extending the scope OF CO. operative
associations and facilitating their OPP
Grafton.
Prohibited unfair discrimination in
the sale Of commodities and in the
purchase and sale OF farm and dairy
products.
Provided for the regulation of com
mission charges at the stockyards by
the railroad and warehouse commits
ton, giving the railroad and ware
house commission, giving the railroad
and warehouse commission authority
time of shortage. Asked Congress 70
modify the federal grain grades to
conform to the Minnesota standard.
Submitted a constitutional amend
ment to establish rural credits sys-
tenn by authorizing the loan of state
1unuS Oh 1dTm mortgages. Aiuehueu
the state drainage and flood control
laws to more nearly meet the wishes
of the farmers. Provided for the COM
pletion and operation Of the state
mill to test the flour making proper
ties of differen grades of wheat.
Directed the state agricultural de-
parment to ascertain and puDlish the
cost of producing various crops in
differents parts of the state. Besides
these, a lot of minor measures cal
culated to aid in production and i'm
prove marketing conditions have been
enacted into law.
Labor Jared Well
Labor Jared we'll at the hands Of
the legislature, its supporters say,
in the way of legislation on the eight
hour law and some other matters.
The big act affecting labor is the
workmen's compensation law, or ser
les of laws, calculated to give injured
workers the maximum of compensat-
lon without the delay and expense en-
tailed by the necessity OF appeals to
the courts.
An industrial court has been Great
ed, which will not only administer the
compensation law, but will take over
supervision of the labor department
Compensation insurance is to be close
ly supervised to the end that the rates
ment of claims assured. Heavy pen
alties for dilatory tactics and delays in
payment are imposed. f.
Several bills regulating hours and
working conditions, particularly for
female workers, were defeated for one
reason or another, principally because
of uncertainty as to their ultimate
effect. Changes in the primary and
election laws do not go as far as most
advocates of election reform desired.
In the first place party conven-
tons, although still voluntary, are
recognized and carefully regulated by
law. They do not nominate candi-
dates as in the old days, but indorse
candidates for the primaries, and the
party Endorsement is printed after
the name of the candidate on the
ballot.
Other candidates who think they
can beat the one Endorsed are still
free to try it, and their names will
be rotated with that OF the conven-
ton choice on the ballot, but they
may not file until after the conyen-
ton has been held.
The convention also is to adopt a