The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1937-07-15
Tuning In on The Minnesota
Legislature
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BY SENATOR WIN WEBER

The closing days of any session of the
legislature, regular or special, Away:
finds legislators nerves strained. The
hot weather of the past week has moi
tempered this strain and as these line.
are written, anything can happen.
1t was the fondest hope of all thai
the session would end this week, but as
predicted by your correspondent, the
little matter of millions has entered
into the picture and deadlock is quite
certain. The millions alluded to aggre-
gate not two or three, nor, even four
but some ten or twelve-all of which
must come out of Mr.. Taxpayers
pocketbook. The bill, or rather bills
that carry those heavy appropriations
are the Relief and Educational meas
ureS and so widely divergent are the
opinions of House and Senate men,
bers that it seems a compromise can
never be reached.
For a long time it has been known
that Governor Benson and his House
leaders would demand $17,000000 for
relief needs. Just as long as it has
been known that the Senate would
never vote so great an amount. The
matter came to a showdown the past
week when the House, as expected,
voted the seventeen million, and the
Senate, as expected, cut the amount in
two. The upShot was cauStic criticism
of the Senate Finance Committee,
which committee Slashed the amount
from the Governor. He was not choice
of his language and his bitter attack
left a bid impression not only on con-
sentative members of the Finance COM
mittee, but on several of his own party
as well. Said he in effect: THE SEN
ate Finance Committee is senile, dis
honest and immoral. (The last three
words are verbatim.)
Anyone who has known Senator
Rockne, who has given 80 years of his
great ability to his state, cannot ques-
ton his honesty or his morals Dr.
Oliver, of Graceville, beloved in his
home community is a man of unques-
toned integrity and decency. Sen.
Harry Bridgeman, of Bemidji, an ardent
Farmer-Laborite is known for his ex-
emplary habits and outstanding man
hood. They are but three of a COM
mittee of twenty-one and each and
everyone measure up to the same stand
ard as the three mentioned. The Gov
ernor's unfortunate remark, therefore,
came as a bombsheIl that shattered
not only many a heart but further
lowered him in the estimation of those
who know what it is all about"
The Relief Bill now goes to confer
ence. The Governor has stated to his
lieutenantS that he would veto the bill
if it carried less than thirteen million.
My best guess at this time is that he
will have the pleasure-if it can be
called a pleasure-of exercising that
prerogative for knowing the tempo of
the senate conferees I am convinced
they will not bulge and will hold out
for an amount not in excess of ten
million. And, if this happens, the ses-
sion will be prolonged or will be ad-
journed only to force another special
session Immediately.
On Tuesday the senate overturned the
report of the Rules committee that the
Homestead Exemption bill did not come
within the purview of the call for the
special session and sent the bill to the
Tax committee by a vote of So to IL.
The debate did not lower the tempera-
ture of the Senate Chamber Several
hours were consumed in the discussion
and proponents and opponents could
well take to the showers after the or
deal to cool off.
Senator Jerry Mullin of Minneapolis,
lead the attack on the bill, declaring it
to be bill which twill inevitably result
in sales tax" He pictured the lab
orer drawing from $1,000 to sos 90 week.
ly and rather conclusively proved his
contention that such an exemption on
homesteads would place direct burden