Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1929-03-14
THE LEGISLATURE
WANTS CHANNEL
Other Important Transactions by Law
Body rs Observed by
III. q. Teigan.

Out of the hundreds of bills intro
duced in the legislature only 81 have
as yet been enacted into law. This is
an unusually low record for this stage
of the session. Judging from the record
made at previous sessions. But the
enactment of few laws is not neces-
sarily an indictment of the legislature.
Many Of the Legislators contend that
it is rather an evidence of thoughtful,
earnest consideration of bills by the
Legislative body. Moreover, some very
good proposals have received the APP
prevail of both houses.
Legislature Wants 9.fOot Channel.
The Legislature has some on record
in favor of 9-foot channel on the
upper Mississippi river. Barge line
advocates have for several years been
fighting for the deepening of the Mis-
sissippi, and the Minnesota legisla-
ture showed itself tremendously SYM
pathetic with the plan. Senator Lily
gren of st. Paul, had charge of the
resolution in the Senate, which gave
its approval with only three senators
voting in the negative. Representa-
tive Frank T. Starkey of st. Paul, Sc
cured approval in the house by a
unanimous vote.
The resolution goes counter to the
recommendations of the War Depart
ment engineer who recently reported
adversely on the feasibility of
70
report has not yet been made public,
it has been learned that his Cpposi-
ton is not because of engineering
difficulties, but on the ground that
there is not sufficient business in
prospect to Justify appropriation by
Congress for this purpose. Minnesota
people seem to be about 100 per cent
convinced of the feasibility of such
a plan if the legislatures action is
a proper expression of public senti-
ment
Repeal Of BrOOkS-COleman Law.
The BrOoks-Coleman street railway
act is before the legislature once
again. This act became a law at the
session of 1921. 1t was introduced
in the senate by Senators Arch Cole
man and VIM. F. Brooks. prominent
Republican politicians of Minneapolis,
through the house by Republican
floor leader, w. E. Norton, represent
ative of the anti-salOon league and
other interests in that body The
law deprived Minneapolis, ST. Paul,
and Duluth of all control of their
street railways and lodged such con-
troll in the state Railroad and Ware
house commission. AT the 1925 ses-
sion Representative Frank r. Starkey
of st. Paul, championed repeal bill
in the house, and Senator Henry l..
NORM of Duluth fought for repeal in
the senate. In both houses the repeal
bill met with defeat.
1t seems, however. that there has
been considerable change of senti-
ment since 1925. There have been
several increases in car fare since
the BrOOkS-COleman act was placed
upon the statutes. The result is that
fares in the Twin Cities and i'm Du-
were ten years ago when the street
railway company was operated unoer
the franchises granted them by the
cities. A hearing on the bill on
Thursday of last week showed that
sentiment among business folks in
the Twin Cities is strongly in favor of
repeal of the street railway act The
city councils of ST. Paul, Minneapolis
and Duluth have given their approval
to the repeal bill now before the leg
islature. Those who are leading the
fight for repeal of the law and who
appeared before the committee last
week are Senator Henry L. NORM, Du-
luth; Representative Frank T. Starkey,
st. Paul, and Representatives E. S.
Ioungdahl and S. A. Stockwell of
Minneapolis.
Guarantee OF Bank Deposits.
A guarantee of bank deposits bill
was introduced in the senate last
week. The authors of the measure
are: Senators Frank Romberg, L. p
Lund, Herman Schmechel, Moses L.
Frost liver J. Lee, Victor Lawson,
Henry Arens, X. *. Solberg, A. M.
Landry, and Laurel E. Naplin. All
of these senators were elected with
Farmer-Labor support