Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1933-02-02
HOUSE PUSHES
LEGISLATION
Bills of Wide Variety Being
Considered and Acted
Upon.
StOCkWell Water Power Bill
Draws Fire While in
Committee.
BY HJALMAR PETERSEN
From Pine County

BY HJALMAR PETERSEN
Representative From Pine County.
(January 23rd to 2Sth)
Bills have been introduced to dis
continue appropriations for county
agricultural agents and for the use of
game and fish funds to reimburse
farmers held by court to have right
full claims for damages to crops
caused by protected wild game.
Another important bill which would
make it more possible to have consti-
tutional amendments enacted by the
voters would change it so that 500
of the vote on a constitutional amend
ment would be sufficient for approval.
As it now stands a proposed amend
ment must have majority of all the
votes cast at the election. With many
voters not expressing choice on the
amendment-whi counts the same
as mot is exceedingly difficult to
have the amendment approved by the
voters. With a million votes cast at
an election-450,0Q0 votes in favor of
the amendment and 100000 votes
against 1.-THE proposition would still
lose. If only 500 of the votes cast
upon the proposition were needed to
carry it, the vote of 100000 to $50, 900
would cause the amendment to be
adopted. This would make for more
power in the hands of the voters who
actually interested themselves enough
in the matter to vote on it.
Senator Robert C. Bell of Detroit
Lakes, has a plan of checking ex-
penditure by requiring budgets for
all local units of government, and
giving the State Tax Commission pow
er to regulate bond issues or tax lev
les. through appeal for hearings from
local taxpayers The bill would pro-
vide a way to limit new local bond
issues and is presented as an econ
omy measure to hold down debts and
tax levies.
Street Cars-HOme Rule.
Bills covering important legislation
have been introduced early this ses-
sion and there is no delay on the part
of the lawmakers in going right to
bat On those propositions. A public
hearing was held Monday night on
the bill for repeal of the Brooks-Cole-
man law. This law which took away
home rule from the cities of Mime
apolis, st. Paul and Duluth as regards
jurisdiction over their street railway
systems, was enacted in 1921. Street
car fares have risen gradually since
that law got on the statute books.
The city attorney of Duluth, Mr..
Forbes, spoke for repeal of the law,
missioner of that city. They were
joined by others from the Twin Cities,
who termed it vicious law. Mr.. C.
r. Fowler, an attorney and former
member of the Legislature, appeared
in behalf of the street railway sys-
TENS. stating that previous to the
Brooks Coleman Act there was con-
troversy after controversy between the
street railway companies and the city
councils of the respective cities in
which they operated, but since the
law of 1921 things have been much
more harmonious. To this Editor
Kramer of the Labor Review, replied
that if in prize ring one man had
his hands tied behind his back he
would not cause much disturbance to
his opponent and, of course, there
would be no fight.
Criticism of the one-man street
cars of which there are some in the
Twin CitieS was hrouohf ont also tho
long wait between cars and the high
fares. Comparison was made between
the fares paid in Detroit, New York,
San Francisco and that of the Twin
Cities. Mr.. Fowler was asked the
question whether the street car fare
i'm the city of Detroit was not six
cents, to which he made no reply
That was compared with the street
Car fare of the Twin Cities where
within each city it is seven and one
half cents if tokens are bought, or
ten cents in cash fare. If the indi
vidual rides from one city into the
ether he pays two fares-15c in to-
kens or zoe in cash. The cities of
Minneapolis and st. Paul together
nave less population than the city OF
Detroit, and yet there is wide diff
ference in the street car fares
charged, which should operate to COM
pensate the owners of the Twin City
street car system to no small degree.
Repeal of the Brooks Coleman law
would place rate making and other
regulations of the public utility back
IN the hands of the city councils. 1t
looks like repeal will pass with
good sized majority in the House but
will have harder shedding in the SEN
ate which is more conservative.
Concerns All.
Rural people over the state of Min
nesota may off-hand call this a local