The Tomahawk. [volume] (White Earth, Becker County, Minn.) 1903-192?, 1925-04-30
1925 LEGISLATIVE.
SESSION CLOSES
Reorganization Bill Outstanding
Feature of 1925 Session
Governor Disappointed.


ed at the state capitol.
The lawmakers finished their real
work Wednesday at a. m, five hours
after the traditional midnight hour
fixed for the passage of bills. Clocks
had been stopped so it was all right.
At noon they reassembled, sleepy
eyed, and adjourned sine die.
1t went out of existence barely
avoiding special session by a last
minute agreement over a few thousand
dollars that threatened to block all
appropriations for state departments
The fight was over salary increases.
matter Of $4,000 a year involving
five elective state offcials-an insig-
nificant item in comparison with the
$41,S13,901 total Of appropriations.
In the long night vigil, Minnesota's
legislators turned boys again. sang,
tried serenading conducted mock ses-
sions and, led by Senator James A.
Carley, Plainview democrat, voted
abolition Of the republican and the
farmer-labor parties and left only the
democrats to handle the states polit-
ical destinies.
Highways and Motor Vehicles.
Minnesota's good roads program will
60 on to completion through passage
Of legislation which gives the state
highway department finances to pro-
coed with building Of the trunk
highway system in spite OF extreme
reluctance on the part Of many legis-
lators to be too liberal.
The financing Of the state highway
department was attained only after
the greatest difficulties. An economy"
legislature was to be reckoned with,
and there was much objection to 60
ing ahead with program of road
building in the face of concerted de-
mand for saving money.
But the friends of the good roads
program succeeded lin giving the
highway department sufficient funds
to proceed with the construction work,
although not on as elaborate a basis
as In past years.
A reduction Of motor vehicle taxes
was given the motor car owners, as
partial compensation for the enact
ment Of a 2-cent tax on gasoline The
other important Highway legislation in
cluded law to regulate all bus lines
through the railroad and warehouse
commission. and a redrafting of the
state highway laws, which will pro-
vide for force Of men to patrol the
trunk roads, and a more common
sense" set Of speed laws.
The tax legislation that finally
went through the legislature was more
corrective in natyre than 1t was lin.
portant. There we're some important
bills introduced but few of them
went far after They left the commit.
tees hands.
Interim Sill 10 Feature.
Reorganization Of Mlnnesota's sys-
tenn OF state government is the one
outstanding achievement Of the 44th |
state legislature. The session was
not lacking otherwise in constructive
results, but It was the Interim bill" |
that hung over the members all |
through, from the opening days until |
the very close.
This big bill. which Governor Theo.
dore Christianson helped to frame and
which he urged early and late on
the members of the legislature, is q |
reform in the administration of state |
affairs.
Every legislature for the last IA
years has been confronted with pro-
posals to do this. The 1925 session
did it.
AS a result, Governor Christianson
now sets forth upon one Of the big
gest jobs state executive has ever
undertaken, one wherein he hopes to
accomplish savings for the taxpayers
by placing the activities of the state
upon a business basis. where every
dollar will be spent in the way to get
the greatest value.
While the bill abolishes various
boards and bureaus, and transfers
their duties to other units Of govern
ment, the chief feature Of the measure
is the control Of expenditures, which
is exercised directly by the govern
ment over every agency. A depart
ment Of administration and finance is
created, in charge of three commits
sioners, directly responsible to the
governor.
Public Welfare and Health.
Public welfare legislation which
aroused the greatest interest was
the struggle over the ratification Of
the proposed child labor amendment
to the federal constitution. After a
hard tussle the opponents Of the con-
stitutional amendment succeeded in
having adopted resolution which re-
jects the amendment.
Chiropractors' factions fought an
other war in the legislature in an at
tempt to have the present laws gov
erning their profession modified. The
bill was killed.
A bill was passed to make 1t mis-
demeanor for anyone to missbrand =
package which contains caustic or
corrosive acids, alkilis and other sub
stances. The statute of limitations