The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1923-03-30

piled up higher and higher on Gen.
eral Orders until they are numbered
now by the hundred. State wide
measures are being placed on Sps,
cial Orders and there debated. 1t
is a poor special order that cannot
consume all of one session of the
house or senate. We now see that
we must hurry-so we meet On Sat
urday and consent to two evening
sessions this week
Probes All the Fashion.
In the face of more bills than
ever before flooded Minnesota
legislature, the present session is
also carrying on an unusual num-
Der of Investigations. The senate
has been "all het up" for ten days
or more over Senator Carley's
charges of extravaganza in political
expenditures and devoted one whole
day of oratory to a vain attempt to
find out how to- start. The senate
also has simmering an investigation
into the affairs of the board of re-
gents of the university. Maybe the
public examiner will be called on
the carpet, too. The house is prob
ing State Game and Fish Commits
sioner Avery; also all the depart
ments of the state government and
all the natural resources of the
state. We are stigating, too,
the seventy odd subjects taught in
our schools and the cost of living
at the state farm school We may
not find out anything; legislative
Investigations seldom do; but we
are probing furiously.
Road Proposals Coming to Head.
Bills proposisg regulation of mot
or bus lines and the taxation of
gasolene were debated this week.
Chairmen Green and Brooks of the
Motor Vehicles committees in house
and Senate. promised an "early'
report on the revision of auto tax,
but the matter will likely not be
decided until near the end of the
session. A proposal is being de-
bated to raise the tax from 2 per
cent TO 2.75 per cent. so as actually
to obtain an average of $18 per car
and produce a revenue of seven
millions Highway Commissioner
Babcock's proposal for $20,000,-
900 bond issue for the next two
years is getting favorable mention
in the city press and is being en-
dorsed in many places throughout
the state but the sentiment in OPP
position is very strong. Mr.. Bah
cock has. three big arguments for
the bond issue; the roads are need
ed and the. bond issue will provide
them and speed up prosperity; the
state will never be called upon to
pay cent of bonds or interest as
the entire amount will be paid out
of auto tax receipts; immediate con-
structiop will reduce the expense of
maintenance nearly million and a
half year for the next twenty
years-a saving of great import
ance. Opponents of the bond issue
eye Mr.. Babcock's argument with
great suspicion. They are not con-
WINGED that the auto receipts will
pay the bonds. Figures cannot lie
but they fear that maintenance
costs may increase. Anyhow the
bond DOGGY keeps them awake
nights. '
The State highway commissioner
has it all figured out that Mime.
sofa will average ACT 900 autos fo1
each year of the next twenty years
that auto taxes with federal funds
will produce $12,463,000 each year
for the next twenty years. and that
these funds will allow $3,500,00C
each year for sinking fund, ST.
| 100000 for maintenance and 81.
100000 for new construction each
year If we want the roads ane
want them without any direct taxa
ton cost we must bond now, is thu
essence of Mr.. Babcock's conten
ton. On the other hand bonding
the state Except for rural credit:
and state owned elevators) is Sin
let's pay as we go, is the argument
of the opposition.
Newspapers Color the News.
Never in the palmiest days OF
party politics were the newspaper.
of st. Paul more partizan than they
are today in reporting the doing.
of the legislature. The Pioneer
Press and the Dispatch unblushing
! Iy produce semi-news editorials or
their first pages, written from the
standpoint of big business, will
every issue. So brazen are the!
that one might well think THEN
| news columns were edited at II
Broadway or in the inner sanctun
of the finance committee Of tbs
| board of directors of the steel cor