The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1927-03-25

Les aCUempC 10 take uTOm MIN nlS
stitutional perogative of drafting the
individual items of appropriation
bills.
The "antis" just al strongly assert
that they don't propose to have the
executive deprive them of their con-
stitutional peroyative of drafting the
bills as they see fit. Besides, as Sen.
Putnam said, they resent what they
call the executives attempt to make
the legislature a mere rubber stamp"
Friends of the governor insist that
since he made his campaign on the is
sue of economy Qand specifically on
holding appropriations down to the
amount voted in 1925 and was elect
ed by a tremendous majority, the
legislature should obey this mandate
CT the people,"
The opposition just as vigorously
holds that the governor had no bust
ness, in the first place. to attempt to
Limit the legislature in the exercise
of its constitutional functions.
The governor, his friends say, is
standing with his back to the wall de-
termined to carry on for the benefit
of the already too heavily burdened
taxpayers, and that he will not hes
itate to veto the entire appropriations
bills, extra session or no extra ses-
sion.
Taken by and large, it looks as if
the old saying when Greek meets
Greek" is going to be paraphrased to
when Morse meets Norse"-mean-
ing, of course. Gov. Christensen and
Sen. Rockne, both Of whom are Of
Morse ancestry and heirs of the well
known Viking s~tubborness.
It's going TO be a real fight and no
mistake.
The Schan investigation has got
ten well under way, but so far proved
a bit disappointing to those who were
looking for the promised Startling
disclosures"
True, A. N. Jacobs, principal wit
ness against Sen. Schall land the on
ly one so far heard), has told of a
large number of campaign contribu-
tions received from ~bootleggers. But
he hasn't as yet given any real test
imony "tieing up" the senator with
any alleged promises of immunity for
said bootleggers in return for their
coin of the realm.
1t appears from his own testimony
that such efforts as were made to dis
miss charges against the bootleggers
or "get them off easy" in the way of
fines were made by Jacobs himself
not by the senator.
However, much of the testimony SO
far brought out seems to have been
directed to showing that Jacobs ac-
tually was Sen. Schall's campaign
manager and to establish the relation
ship of principal" and agent" be-
tween the two. This in order to
hold the senator legally responsible
for the acts of Jacobs, his agent.
For four evening sessions of the
investigation committee Jacobs has
been under direct examination by
Sen. Jim Carley. member Of the COM
mittee, and Mike Kinkead, st. Paul,
attorney, employed by Sen. Victor
Lawson, author of the investigation
resolution.
1t was expected that exami-
nation of the witness by counsel for
Sen. Schall would begin tonight
(Tuesday) and continue for two or
three sessions of the committee.
The committee has subpoenaed be-
tween 20 and 80 witnesses and has
about as many more available, it is
said. Tom Davis one of the senator's
attorneys has obtained SO subpoenas
in blank for witnesses.
blank for witnesses.
The Legislative session ends April
81, just four weeks hence. How on
earth between so and 100 witnesses
can be examined. arguments Of coun-
sci heard and the committees report
drafted in that short time is beyond
me, I'll admit. Yet, it's got to be
done, and the senate given time be-
sides, to act on the report, or the
whole investigation will have been a
farce and almost worse than useless.
Except, of course, from the stand
point of the Farmer-Labor party and
Magnus Johnson. who are desperate
ly seeking material for the next
campaign as we'll as something to
help hold together a disintergrating
party.
And now another fight is just
aror nd the corner-between rural
and city legislators on the gasoline
tax distribution question.
The house delegations from the
three large cities-St. Paul, Duluth
and Minneapolis-issued a statement
last Saturday through Rep. Mark
Gehan, Chauncey Peterson and Sum-
|ner T. Mcknight, respectively. The
statement points out that the pro-
posed constitutional amendment to
divert oneuthird of the gasoline tax
to the state road and bridge fund
proposes san unfair distribution" and
would "work increased hardships" on
home owners of al cities and villages.
It is pointed out that the four big
gest counties-Hennepin, Ramsey,
st. Louis and Stearns- in 1926 con-
tributed $2,122,596. or AZ per cent
Of the total gasoline tax Of 5000
OILS and that under the proposed plan
they would receive in return chad the
act been effectively only IL percent at
the most, the law providing that no
county may receive lore than three
per cent of the state road and bridge