The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1927-04-15
LEGISLATIVE LETTER

st. Paul, April 15-Four working
DAYS remain to the Lawmakers of
1897 in which to comple.e the record
cf the Forty-Fifth Legislature OF
Minnesota. It may be safely said,
However. that this legislature has
been distinguished more Tor the
things it has not done than for those
that it has. We are often told that
the greatest public service legisia'
ture could perform would be the re-
peal of laws rather than their enact
ment. In this respect the legislature
CT 1927 has accomplished something
its sum total of additions to the
existing law is much smaller than
usual.
In the closing days of the legisia-
ture it is impossible fairly to say
what has been its net accomplish
ment. Time and better perspective
will enable as to judge it more I'M
partially and correctly. Issues OF
major Importance have not shown
themselves at this session. Epoch
making legislation has been conspl-
cuos by its absence. 1t was evident
early in the session that nothing not
able, outside of crime legislation,
would be proposed. Considerable
disappointment has been voiced by
the daily press because the Iegisia-
ture has been slow to accept the pro-
posals of the Governors crime COM
mission. Sweeping reforms, such as
proposed by the crime commission,
are seldom brought about, however,
| in so short a time. If the Legislature
tof 1927 enacts into law some OF the
main features of the crime commits
sion's report, it viii nkely be going
as far as good sense and popular
opinion will sustain it, and this, It
now seems probably wiz be the chief
Accomplishment of the present ses-
sion.
Economy May Prevail
Until the clock strikes the final
hour of adjournment next Wednes-
day night it is impossible to say what
the financial record of this legisla-
| ture viii be, but it now seems that
economy may prevail and that the
Governors advice as to a limit OF
$40, 0O0, 900 in appropriations viii
be needed and that the Legislature
may have a. real record for economy
notwithstanding earlier threats in the
senate to the contrary. In these days
when taxes are SO oppressive, when
the states taxable valuation Is de-
ereasing and when the taxpayers
ability to pay is at low cob, If the
states expenses can be held down
while the states affairs at the same
time are fairly cared for, the legls-
Iature. will have accomplished some
thing of very practical value.
Cost of Legislature
In this connection it may be said
that the Legislature of 1927 viii cost
the people of Minnesota less than
any legislature which has sat at Wa
basha Hill for many years. The
cost of a Legislative session during
the past ten years and more has been
| in the near neighborhood of SAILS 700
but the present legislature, it IS ex-
pected, VIII cost somewhat less. In
asmuch as the fixed charges, the sal
airy of members, the cost of en-
ployees, ETC., it is much the same at
every session, practically the only
source of saving is in the enormous
amount of printing done at each ses-
sion. Substantial savings have been
made at this session In printing, saw
ings which viii likely reduce the cost
of the session below the $500, 600
mark.
Economy Drive Yields Results
For ten years up to 1925 the ap-
Eropriations voted by each legisla-
tune steadily increased. A CORES
ponding increase took place in the
taxes levied by the various subdivl-
sions of government In the state until
the appropriations made by the leg
islature and the taxes raised by the
towns, villages, cities and school dis
tricts had more than doubled. In
the legislature of 1925, for the first
time in ten years, appropriations
we're not increased. The total of the
taxes raised in the state finally fell
eff this year from $126, 000, 900 to
ISI13, 000,00 If the legislature of
1927 can again prevent an increase
in state expenses, we may fairly be-
lieve that the terrifying upward
trend of taxation in Minnesota has
been brought to halt and that 1t
win go forward again only when the
states growth and prosperity war
rants and compes an increase.
Crime Legislation
As this is written it seems probable
that substantial change will be
made in Minnesota's methods of deal
ing with criminals, but the change
will be far short of the sweeping
changes recommended by the crime
commission. If the changes enacted
by this legislature work out well In
practice, the next legislature viii be
in favorable position to complete,
or at least TO add to, the program.
Outside of minor changes in the
criminal code, changes which may,
however, prove quite effective in
checking crime, the principal crime
legislation of this session viii be the
establishment of state bureau of
criminal Identification and research.
The other major proposal of the
crime commission involved radical
change In the states parole system