Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1937-07-15
Ninety Days Is
Enough

The suggestion has been made that
ninety days is not enough time for
the regular biennial Minnesota Leg
islative sessions: that the states con-
stitution should be amended to per-
nit of weeks or months more of
the regular session each two years.
There are several other improve
ments and changes to be made be-
fore any talk of lengthening the ses-
sion is to be taken seriously. Min
nesota has gone along for years,
since 1858. when it became a state,
with only ninety day sessions. True,
there have been few special ses-
sions of the Legislature in between
the regular sessions. but less than a
dozen in all, and most of them in
the last six years of depression, I'M
employment, and unrest. In ordinary
times il is only extraordinary condi-
tons that cause special sessions of the
lawmaking body to be called by the
chief executive.
In the session of 1888, one of the
busiest on record, when many bills
of statewide importance became law,
ninety days was enough to do the
business. There was no special tax
session a month after adjournment.
During the 1888 session the net
income tax on individuals and cor
porations became law, the mortgage
moratorium was placed on the stat
utes also the homestead preferential
act (making for lower assessments
and comparatively lower taxes on
farm. village and city homes); min
imum license fees on automobiles
lowered from $40 to SIS; 4,400 miles
added to the trunk road system of
1000. making a total of over 1000
miles in the system; truck regulatory
act: all of these and other important
bills were made law.
Charles Mum was speaker of the
House of Representative in the 1888
session and the late Floyd B. Olson
was governor. The governor knew
that the work of the Legislature at
the best is complex, and especially
so to newer members, so he did not
present scores of proposals in his mes
sage, but rather, he confined his mes
sage to fewer but important state
wide measures. He proposed legisla-
ton that was practical and that had
some chance of passage. Thus the
minds of the representatives and the
senators were not so confused. They
could concentrate.
Through the able leadership of the
late Governor Olson, and backed by
a fairly well crystallized public opin-
ion, the Legislature was able to focus
its attention upon relatively small
number of general statewide prob
lens of major importance.
With good leadership the legisla-
tors started right out to work They
had a goal; they knew in what direc-
ton they were going; they knew what
they wanted The result was early
introduction of important bills, COM
mittee hearings without delay and
public hearings before the hurly-
burly closing days of the session.
There was not much introduction of
bills for political effect, and thus not
so much raising of political issues
for the next campaign. In fact the
lawmakers in that 1888 session were
so busy that little time was given
to marches on the capitol with result
ant quarreling and court actions The
lawmakers were hearing from home
in letters and were fully aware of
what their constituents desired They
delivered. 1t was not so spectacular,
but the people got the laws they
wanted. They got results.
1 am satisfied from personal ex-
perience that with proper and COM
petent management, the present
length of the session affords ample
time to pass the necessary legisla-
ton for the biennium and that there
is no demonstrated need for a con-
stitutional amendment to lengthen
the session.
Should the time come however,
when people of Minnesota become
convinced that the Legislature is
not able to function properly and
competently within the time now pro-
vided for its work, l urge that we
examine the matter to see if there is
not something we can do to increase
its efficiency. I am not inclined to
favor the expedient and palliative of
merely increasing the time limit
in other words, increasing the ex-
pense and prolonging the agony.
am not sure the result would be ma
terially changed by that attempted
solution.