The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1931-04-10
MINNESOTA HOUSE
GIVES APPROVAL TO
%REDISTR|CTlNG plan
Reduces 10 Districts to Nine;
Gas Tax Increase Proposal
Is Beaten

st. Paul, April 1O.-(HeClear1ng
the way for conference committee ac-
ton, the Minnesota house late Thurs
day passed. a bill approved by its COM
mittee on reapportionment,. reducing
the states congressional districts from
10 to nine in conformity with federal
requirements. The vote was rs to 40.
Seven amendments were rejected,
all by decisive votes. It was pointed
out the house decision will by no
mean be final since it was said the
bill to be presented for final legisla-
tive action will be drafted by a con-
ference committee Of senate and
house members. The senate was to
take up reapportionment under q
special order of bushes Friday.
The bill reduces the districts by
eliminating the present seventh, ad-
ding portions of it to the second dis
trict, increasing the size Of the pres
ent ninth and putting Minneapolis
in two districts.
After the house had discussed the
subject for an hour and a half at the
morning session without any signs of
q decision, strong efforts were made
at the opening Of the afternoon meet
ing to expedite final approval.
Two Measures Differ
The redistricting plan approved by
the senate re-apportionment commit
tee which awaits action in the upper
house differs greatly from the house
plan. It provides for breaking up the
present third district, and transfer
ring it to neighboring districts. It
would have the effect of placing
Congressman August H. Andersen.
Red Wing. Republican, third district.
in the first, which is represented by
Victor Christgau, Republican, Austin.
Senator r. r. Buckler, Crookston,
Friday won the long fight he has
waged since the beginning of the ses-
sion to get through the state senate
a bill reducing the price on farm ma
chinery and Irvine made at the Still
water prison.
BY a vote of SO to 8. the senate
passed a bill which requires that the
state board Of control make a Is per
cent reduction in the price of farm
machinery during 1881 and 1882 and
q reduction Of two cents q pound In
the price of Irvine in those years
compared with 1880 prices.
Conference committees were ap-
pointed by both houses to arbitrate
differences on the state departmental
appropriations bills passed by both.
Governor Floyd B. Olson Friday
signed a bill creating a five-man com-
mission to provide relief to sufferers
hit by q tornado last August in Lin
coin and Lyon counties, and author
izing an appropriation up to SIS 900.
Defeat Gas Tax Bill
Buried under a landslide Of votes, q
bill to raise the gasoline tax from
three to four cents a gallon was de-
feated in the house of representatives
Tuesday, 80 to IS.
The increase would have raised the
revenue from the tax from the pres
ent Sc. 900 900 to So. 900 900 a year.
In the senate the motor vehicles
committee recommended indefinite
postponement of the bill, but the SEN
ate has not yet acted on it. 1t gen.
orally Is assumed Tuesdays action in
the house disposed of the proposal for
this session.
Speakers for the proposed tax,
mainly from rural counties, contended
the new income was needed to MAIN
tain the states pace in road building.
Opponents stressed that the increase
would mean added taxes and that 1t
would not be advisable to sanction
more road funds at this time, since a
SIS. 0o0. 900 highway bond bill already
had been approved.
An attack OH "the walled cities"
launched by Senator George H. Sui
Ivan, saltwater, in al attempt to
break down restrictions against en-
ployment Of non-residents in public
works. precipitated a long debate in
the senate, but resulted finally in fail
ure.
The senate refused, As to 81. to pass
q bill which would prevent municipal
tiles or school districts from discrim-
mating against non-residents in en-
ploying help for public work. st. Paul,
Minneapolis and Duluth now have or