The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1932-12-30
BY G. B. WOLLAN.

st. Paul, Dec. q, 1932.-One week
from today will open what may prove
to be one of the most interesting if not
most momentous sessions of the legis-
lature in generation or more. The
1888 legislature faces an extraordinary
situation, namely, the general aid in
sistent demand on the part of taxpayers
that state appropriations be reduced
substantially as a means of relieving
the now almost confiscatory tax burden.
School districts, towns, villages, cities
and counties have generally reduced
their budgets, some starting the pruning
process two years ago, while the state
has been somewhat laggard in this re-
spect, which now only adds to the
strength of the public demand for re-
trenchment.
Ipresume every house member elected
on Nov. 8, promised the voters that, if
elected, he would vote to cut down state
expenses, hence the legislative senti-
ment should be virtually unanimous in
the by and large-but when it comes
to looping off appropriations, it makes
a great difference whose foot is pinched.
Views are going to differ greatly.
Legislators representing districts where
state institutions are located are natur-
ally going to try to prevent appropria-
lions for their respective institutions
from being cut too much, at the same
time being inclined to generosity when
it comes to slashing appropriations for
other institutions or activities.
AS consequence the appropriations
committee of both senate and house are
facing tremendous tasks and their
meetings are bound to witness clashes
of most serious nature before the vari-
Gus appropriation bills are reported
out for passage. There is strong
likelihood that there will be more splits
in these committees than ever before,
with minority reports being frequent,
thus precipitating more than the usual
number of fights on the floor before the
measures come to roll call on final pass
age.
This, in turn, will initiate against the
short session plan and make it all the
more difficult to cut the session to 60
instead of 80 days, as planned and adj
vocated by both conservative and min
ority factions. Some members are al
ready skeptical about this and predict
ing that if as many as Is days are cut
off the session it will be doing well.
Still others are predicting that in
spite of efforts to cut the session it will
run just about the full 80 legislative
days, as usual. These base their pre-
diction on the belief that this is going
TO be the "fghtingest' legislature in
many long year because of expected
differences of opinion on several i'm
portant issues, including reductions of
appropriations, reapportionment, trunk
highway extension, new sources of state
revenue, further diversion of gasoline
taxes, conservation, liquor control Gin
anticipation of passage by congress of
beer bilD, sales tax, chain store tax,
income tax amendment, unemployment
relief, repeal of the Minnette law giving
the railroad and warehouse commission
power to regulate telephone companies
and various other important measures.
Gov. Olson is expected in his message
to the legislature to recommend num-
erous measures for enactment into law,
many of which will meet with quick