Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1941-03-06
Voice From Senate
Legislature Like Classroom.
BY SEN. c. ELMER JOHNSON.
From Pine and Chisago Counties

The following quotation by the
Minnesota Daily is good description
of the state legislature: 1.-THE legis-
lature is much like a classroom. Each
morning the committees meet, and
each morning it is expected that the
members have done their required
reading. If they haven't, they can't
contribute to the discussion, and they
can't be of any real help in franz
ing our laws. That homework is
plentiful and difficult. Committee
members must be good students in
every sense of the word" Not only
should the members inform them
selves about social and economic con-
ditions, but they must also exercise
good judgment. 1t is often more
important to expose and block bad
legislation than to propose new laws.
Agriculture.
The committee on agriculture has
been in the spotlight the past week.
This committee even got big break
in the picture section of the st. Paul
Pioneer Press Sunday. Crude oil
tractor fuel is to be admitted and
distributed tax free under bill
recommended for passage at Fridays
session. Crude oil was placed on the
tax exempt list under law passed
in 1889. For several months this
fuel was used extensively by Min
nesota farmers with very satisfac-
tory results. Then the big oil COM
panies got busy and by fast talk
ing obtained an order from the Tax
Commissioner forbidding in-ship-
ment. The committee thinks it has a
bill now which cannot be misinter-
preted. A move was made to limit the
effectiveness of the fuel bill by a
limit of three per cent residue per-
mitted in crude oil. Under a COM
promise a residue of four per cent
will be allowed.
Civil Service.
The appropriation committee as
serted its independence and good
Judgment last week by recommend
ing slash of about so per cent in the
request of funds for the Civil Service
department. Friends of civil serv-
ice claim that such cut makes the
department imperative. Most sena-
tors are of the opinion that the less
it operates, the better. In fact, the
patients Estate departments) operated
on so far appear to have been more
or less crippled after going over
! by Doctor Pennebaker. There is a
good deal of sentiment for a repeal
of the law.
Unfair Practice Laws.
One of the most spirited debates
of the session developed Friday when
the Senate had under consideration
passage of S. F. 38, bill for an act
to prevent any dealer from handling
or selling any goods not carried in
his regular stock. A motion to re-
consider an amendment which ex-
empted cooperatives failed and two
motions to adjourn were voted down.
All moves of parliamentary proceed
ure having been exhausted, the auth
OF moved IOT ulucllIlllS pOStpOiiCAiiSAs'
This m tion carried unanimously.
During the debate, Senator Mullin OF
Minneapolis, delivered a strong speech
deploring the growth of cooperatives
in Minnesota. Senator Friberg of
Roseau arose to inquire if it was the
intent of the bill to place each mer-
chant in stall. Senator Mullin re-
Piled that he did not doubt the sena-
tors good judgment but insisted the
question was out of order as it dealt
with the subject of the bill, not OF
the amendment. To this Friberg re-
Piled: II know there is lot Of good
Judgment around here. The trouble
is, it isn't always used" This drew
a round of applause. There are more
independent merchants bills coming
up which are not so revolutionary
and will probably not draw such
vigorous opposition.