The Ely miner., 1935-03-22

weeks to go before its s0-day maxi
mum life expires on April 25. Many
major bills including taxation,
license fees. and relief are yet to re
passed and signed before adjournment.
Carl G. Neumeier of Saltwater, for
IT years law partner of the late Sem
ator George H. Sullivan. was elected
TO succeed him in the state senate.
He defeated Reuben G. Thoreen of
Saltwater in the special election in
Washington county, called to I'LL the
place made vacant by Sullivan's
death. Neumeier carried all six pre-
cincts of Saltwater and led in a ma
jority of the 81 outside the city. He
polled 3,7IS votes TO 2,934 for Tho
reen. It is his first venture into po-
litics.
The senate upset a majority COM
mittee report to recommend for pas
sage a bill to exempt car drivers
from liability in connection with in
iuries sustained by guest riders. Most
of the argument centered around
whether the bill if enacted into a law
would serve to reduce automobile liza
bility rates. Postponements of the
measure contended that it would
Authorization was given for $780,
900 revolving fund for condemnation
and acquisition of $500 acres in the
Mud lake area of Marshall county
for a migratory game refuge. The
federal government has allotted $685.
900 for the purchase Of these lands
from the state, and as lands are &C.
quired the state will be REIN bursed.
There will be no cost to Minnesota.
In addition to the land purchase, the
federal government will spend $780,
900 for construction work in the area.
The house passed a bill extending
to cities and counties for two years
the authority to issue bonds to pro-
vide emergency relief funds.
Apparently convinced that the
Minnesota legislature will iron out
the difficulties which have held up
final action on the s10,00o,000 relief
bill, Harry L. Hopkins, federal re-
lief administrator. transferred S..
004,135 to Minnesota for relief for the
first half of March. Hopkins action
left Arkansas the only state from
which FERA was Withholding funds.
Arkansas has not yet met Hopkins de-
mands by raising s250.000 a month as
its contribution toward relief costs.
Hopkins transferred the money to
Minnesota's grant on the assumption
Governor Floyd B. Olson will sign
measure appropriating $4,000. 900 for
relief uses this year. The measure
was declared unconstitutional by Gov.
ernor Olson and now is in confer.
ence.
Fearful that the waning hours Of
the legislature will catch them with
out definite action on the difficult tax
relief question, legislative leaders
will shape up program designed to
shave of some of the real estate load
tax The tax relief problem received
a serious setback with the death of
Senator George H. Sullivan Of Still
water, chairman Of the senate tax
committee. Senator Sullivan was the
sole figure in the legislature CONVEX.
SAINT with all the details Of the tax
system, and his passing left the tax
revisionists without effective leader
ship. Reorganization Of the senate
tax committee under leadership Of
Senator Fred ]. Miller of Little Falls
viii give the revisionists a new set
up, and the new chairman expects to
follow in Senator SulliEan's footsteps.
In conferences, Senator Miller pro-
posed to consider the tax question
from three angles-limitation of levies
replacement taxes, and control Of ex-
penditures by public officials. This
will mean that the tax committee viii
hand the legislature a program pro-
viding that what ever will be cut Of
the real estate taxes viii be provided
for in some new tax-possibIy sales
and gross income. At the same time
taxpayers viii be given an opportunity
to challenge expenditures proposed
by their public officials
Though legislators are anxious to
slash the levies on property because
of the growing complaint from own
ers of both homestead. and business
property, the likelihood is that the
cut viii not be so great as many tax
payers would like. Entering into the
question is the replacement A sales
tax, no matter how small, will be an
unpopular tax. Governor Olson op-
poses it and the legislators feel that
II would hit the little man in greater
proportion than the big man Never
theless. some tax of this type would
have to be enacted. and If it is to be
a sale tax. it is likely to be smaller
than the per cent now proposed.
Prison made goods sold in Mime
sofa would all have to be labeled to
indicate their origin by a bill approved
by the senate labor committee. The
Minnesota prison now marks its pro-
ducts.
Enlargement Of the state crime bu-
reau personnel from II to 40 is pro-
posed in bill reported out for pass
age by the state senate crime COM
mittee. The measure also authorizes
the crime bureau to pursue criminals
into counties without first obtaining
permission Of sherifs.
A few years ago the legislature en-
a''ted a law requiring fve-day wait
ing period between application for
marriage license and its issuance.
Women's organizations were partic-
ulariy active in sponsoring the Iegis-