The Tomahawk., 1923-03-29
PROPOSED LEGISLATION.

The new public domain bill has
been drawn by the special house
economy committee. It creates three
commissioners at $4,000 year each,
heading departments under which are
grouped q number of activities.
Representative MacLean of Henne-
pin county is author of bill making
the giving or selling Of liquor that
causes death murder in the third de-
gree, regardless of whether it was
given or sold with intent to do harm,
and regardless Of whether the giver
or seller knew the liquor to be poison
GUS.
A record for the Minnesota Legis-
lature for the number of bills intro
duced in any one day was set when
the House Of Representatives received
1874 measures-the avalanche marking
the end of the bill-fling period with
out suspension Of rules. The record
for Introduction of bills in a single
day was set some years ago at 100,
and had never been topped. The bills
took two hours time Of the House and
kept force Of stenographers and
clerks busy until early morning. House
members will have until March 26 to
Introduce bills but must obtain con-
sent of two-thirds of the members to
do SO.
Representative Darby, chairman Of
the house temperance committee, will
put out bill making drastic amend
ments to the state prohibition laws.
The bill will have the approval of the
committee. Minnesota's dry laws are
much more stringent than the federal
laws and the laws in most other states
on the subject, but the committee
thinks there Is room for improvement.
The bill will add several sweeping
provisions. one of the chief OF which
will be a provision under which half
the fines assessed against wet cul-
prits will be put into separate fund
to finance stricter prohibition enforce.
ment
Drivers of vehicles must come to a
full stop at dangerous railroad cross
ings, before proceeding, under terms
Of Senator A. H. Bridgeman's bill rec
commended for passage by the senate
committee on railroads. The measure
also provides that the railroad and
warehouse commission shall designate
dangerous crossings by ordering erec-
ton and maintenance of adequate stop
signs, with additional dangerous ap-
proach signs at specified distances
from the crossings. A subcommittee
Of four will consider the law in re-
gard to a proposed bill prohibiting re-
moval Of railroad division points with
out first obtaining consent from the
railroad and warehouse commission.
|
Indefinite postponement was the
verdict of the house committee on
taxes on the bill by several house au-
thors, revising the scheme Of tax
valuation. The bill is backed by c. J..
Buell. representing. the Minnesota Tax
Reform association. 1t would reduce
the valuation on structures from 40 to
rs per cent, and on plated land 1t
would raise the rate from 40 to go per
cent.
To give some 80 signers of Repre-
sentative L. c. Spooner's bill chang
ing the sales system on farm machin-
cry and Irvine made at the state pris-
on, an opportunity to present their ar
guments, public hearing is scheduled
in the senate public institutions and
buildings committee room. r. w.
Wheelock, chairman of the state
board Of control, and M. c. Mcmillan,
mechanical superintendent at the
prison, appeared against the bill, say
ing 1t greatly you'd raise present
prices and make 1t impossible to mar
ket their products without danger to
law violations. As none Of the spon-
sors Of the bill were present, 1t was
decided to notify them and have a
hearing before taking final action. r
Senator Boylan has given formal
notice that he will move that the sem
ate fix special order for debate and
passage Of the full crew bill. which
is backed by the railroad brotherhoods
and labor unions generally. The bill
has also been passed upon tayorably
by the house committee on railroads
The move Of Boylan means that the
first action on the bill be taken in the
senate, where it is expected to pass.
The house passed the bill two yesrs
ago and is expected to do so again
this year. Two years ago the meas
! ure died In the senate.