Grand Rapids Herald-Review Newspaper, January 27, 1909, Page 3

“introduced in the house St. Paul, Jan. 19.—Two bills were yesterday amending the laws relating to foreign corporations. One bill compels for- eign corporations to pay an annual franchise tax of one-tenth of 1 per cent upon their capital stock used in the state, and requires a filing fee upon their “authorized” capital, in- stead of their “paid-up” capital, as at present, when they enter the state. “The other requires foreign corpora- tions to file annual reports with the secretary of state. The speed for running live stock trains is fixed in a bill presented by Representative Spooner. The mini- mum speed is ten miles an hour on branch lines less than 100 miles long, twelve miles on main lines from the starting point to the first division and fifteen miles between division points, An attempted solution of the nor- mal school question is contained in a bill by Representative Hinds. His bill requires the state normal board to establish a new school north of the main line of the Northern Pacific and west of the meridian running through Brainerd. Private schools and academies are given the same privileges as state high schools for taking examinations of the state high school board, in a bill by Representative Lee. Representative Saugstad presented a bill doing away with all conven- tions for nominating candidates for office in the state and extending the primary election system to state offi- cers. The primary for all candidates is to be held the second Tuesday in June. sf. @ St. Paul, Jan. 20.—With only four votes in opposition the house yester- day authorized the speaker to appoint a committee of five to investigate the school book publishers, their methods of doing business and their relations to school authorities. This commit- tee is empowered to summon witness- es, administer oaths and to make a searching investigation. A bill to tax interurban and subur- ban electric railroads on the gross earnings was introduced in the house. The sum of $55,000 for educational work, looking to the prevention and care of tuberculosis among human be- ings is appropriation in a bill intro duced by Representative Conley. A bill to abolish the death penalty for murder in the first degree was pre- sented by Representative Bendixen. Representative Peterson introduced a bill requiring all road taxes to be paid in cash, to abolish overseers of highways and to provide for an in- spector of highways, to be, elected by the town board. The house adopted a resolution call- ing for a committee of three to go to Madison, Wis., to investigate the working of the public utilities act there. The establishment of a state experi- ment station and an additional school of agriculture at Marshall is provided for in a bill by Representative Melby. A bill repealing the law passed in 1907, compelling manufacturing corpo- rations to pay the same fee for filing articles of incorporation as other cor- porations pay was introduced by Rep- resentative Wright. The house yesterday afternoon lis- tened to an address by Dr. Milo Roy Maltbie of the public service commis- sion of New York. In the Senate. THE STATE LEGISLATURE PSM a cae OE SEE giv wis : IMPORTANT TRANSACTIONS OF THE LAWMAKERS DURING THE PAST WEEK. Local option for all cities of the fourth class is proivded in a bill pre- sented in the senate by Senator Sa- geng. The measure provides that on the petition of 10 per cent of the vot- ers of a fourth class city the question of license or no license shall be sub- mitted to the voters and the majority shall rule, Senator Sageng also presented a olll providing for an amendment to the constitution permitting any person - over twenty-one years of age to vote. This woman suffrage bill is presented at the request of the women of the state who wish to vote. A marble or bronze heroic statue of Alexander Hamsey, the war governor of Minnesota, to be placed in the stat- uary hall at Washington, is the object of a bill by Senator Wilson. Consolidation of rural schools is encouraged in a bill handed in by Sen- ator Sandberg. A bill by Senator Clague makes it a criminal offense to permit debarred persons entering saloons after notice ty the proprietor. In this it extends the present law, which merely prohib- its the sale to minors, drunkards or wards. The senate in committee of the whole agreed to report progress on the bill declaring the state to be own- er of minerals under meandered lakes and streams. St. Paul, Jan. 21.—The fight on the primary election system has been be- gun in the senate. In a bill intro- duced yesterday by Senator Briggs the primary election law is repealed, so far as legislative, county and con- gressional candidates are concerned, and a return to the convention sys- tem is provided. The bill, however, provides that delegates to conven- tions shall be chosen at the prima- ries. An amendment to the anti-pass law was proposed by Senator Moonan. It gives permission to attorneys and sur- geons of railroads to accept free tick- ets. Another bill by the same author places on the railway company the responsibility for damage on account of fire to any buildings or valuables along the right of way caused by loco- motive sparks, Requiring chattel mortgages to be filed with the register of deeds in- stead of with the city clerk, is a change in the law of the state pro- posed by Senator Hanson. A measure which helps the banks and insures greater safety to depos- its at the same time, is a bill present- ed by Senator Briggs. It exempts banks from taxation on their surplus to 100 per cent of their capital. The present law requires only 20 per cent of the capital to be in the surplus fund. The senate yesterday was asked to give $1,359,900 for the improvements at the state university for the coming two years. The bill follows the rec ommendations in the report of the regents. In the House. A bill allowing railroad employes to ride free on their own roads was introduced in the house yesterday by Representative Sawyer. The bill per- mits bona fide railway employes to have passes even if they hold some non-salaried state office. A bill giving the railroad commis- sion power to regulate all electric lines in the state was introduced by Representative Christensen. Representative Gates introduced a bill to prevent the’ adulteration and misbranding of drugs. It is drawn after the national food and drug act. The county treasurer gets, 20 per cent of the money from saloon li- censes now paid into village and city treasuries, according to a bill by Rep- resentative Nelson. Not more than two members of the state board of control may belong to one party, according to a bill by Repre- sentative Christensen. Representative Mork introduced a pill to prevent fraud in the sale of agricultural seeds and concentrated commercial feeding stuffs and requir- ing the correct weighing and marking ot such products. Twenty-five dollars reward is given to any person who procures the con- viction of any person for stealing any kind of poultry, in a bill by Repre- sentative Rowe. Bridges and culverts must be six- teen feet wide if they are over two feet high, and must have side rails, according to a bill by Representative Conley. Representative Austin has a Dill providing that seventy-five people re- siding outside a city or village map, upon the petition of five of them, have an election to determine if they shall be annexed to the municipality Two additional normal school bills were introduced, one by Representa- tive Robertson for a school at War- ren, and one by Representative Op- sah] for a school at Thief River Falls. eee St. Paul, Jan. 22. — Three millions for the new state prison at Stillwater is provided in a bill introduced in the house by Representative Spooner. The bill directs the board of control to complete the prison according to the plans adopted by the board, on the site which has been acquired, at a cost of not more than $3,000,000, in- cluding the sums hitherto appropri- ated. The house committee consider- ed the bill in the afternoon and decid- ed unanimously to recommend it for passage. The house had a flood of bills yes- terday, thirty-eight in all being hand- ed in. Two bills for constitutional amendments for the initiative and ref- erendum were introduced. Representative Washburn offered a bill creating a bureau of legislation to be under the supervision of the state library commission, A bill for the regulation of medical advertising was introduced by the committee on public health and pure food, which takes the place of the two previous bills on objectionable ad- vertising. Two bills pertaining to temperance were handed in. One gives counties 15 per cent of the license money and the other limits saloons to one for each 500 inhabitants in a county. Representative Goodspeed intro- duced ‘a bill abolishing the soldiers’ pi ES ERED NS og ein satire AGS ape AS eas Sa nee AE ee ae home board and placing that institu- tion under the board of control. Representative Ferguson intro- duced a bill for the acceptance of the tract of land known as Fond du Lac reservation, in Carlton ‘county, for demonstration work and experiments in forestry. The tract has been given by congress for the use of the state university. The house yesterday, wit only one dissenting vote, adopted a resolution calling for a committee of five to in- quire into the doings of the state fair board. In the Senate. Senator Stephens, introduced a bill raising the salaries of railway and warehouse commissioners from $3,500 to $5,000. The right of district judges arbi- trarily to change the dates for gen- eral term calendars in the district court is revoked in a proposed amend- ment introduced by the judiciary com- mittee, When the court fixes a higher price for land than the state officials think reasonable for sites for state institu- tions, the land can be refused, if a bi... by Senator Stephens becomes a law. A bill was introduced prohibiting the driving of hobbled horses in races. Senator Wright introduced a bill increasing the pay of county survey- ors from $4 to $5 a day. The state board of control is au- thorized to transfer patients between the Anoka and Hastings hospitals for the insane in a bill introduced by Senator Stephens. s es St. Paul, Jan. 23—Senator Steph- ens introduced a bill yesterday which provides that prisoners at Still- water may be paid 25 cents a day, at the option of the state board of con- trol. The money is to be kept or sent to the family of the prisoner. Senator Sageng yesterday present- ed a bill providing for a constitution- al amendment for the initiative and referendum. Senator Nelson introduced a Dill which would prohibit the consolida- tion of corporations engaged as com- mon carriers without the permission of the railroad and warehouse com- mission. Senator Clague introduced a Dill authorizing state banks to deposit with the state treasurer United States bonds, district school bonds, township or village bonds, or drain- age bonds, in lieu of bonds now filed by the bank as_ security for state funds. A bill was introduced by Senator Sullivan directing the tax commission to determine the amount of capital stock of foreign corporations doing business in the state, and to deter- mine the amount of fees due the state thereon. The state public’ examiner will make two annual inspections of the banking institutions of the state in- stead of one inspection, if a bill in- troduced by Senator Hanson is pass- ed. Senator Weis introduced a bill which he thinks will benefit shippers of grain. It provides that the names of members of boards of trade must be reported to the county auditor. Senator Weis believes that shippers will be protected by knowing whether or not the men to whom they make shipments are members of chambers of eommerce or boards of trade. During the Indian outbreak in 1862 the state troops took some chickens and hay from the Edward Magnus farm in Nicollet county. Yesterday Senator Canestorp introduced a bill to pay $2,000 for the property. The senate adojurned until 11 a. m. Tuesday. In the House. Representative Ware introduced the first county option bill in the house yesterday. The bill provides for special elections in counties to vote on the prohibition of the sale of liquor. These elections may be call- ed at any time by the board of coun- ty commissioners on a petition of 25 per cent of the voters of the county. The ballots shall read “Against li- cense” and “For license,” and the voter shall express his choice by a cross after one of the sentences. An- other such election may be held at any time after three years, but not before. The law prohibiting the issuance of non-participating policies by certain life insurance companies, passed in 1907, is repealed in a bill introduced by Representative Wallace. The abandonment or neglect of a wife or child by the persons charged by law with their maintenance is made a felony in a bill presented by Representative Austin. A bill establishing a branch school of agriculture at Foley, in Benton county, was introduced yesterday. Where county depositories furnish a surety bond, it need not be larger than the amount of the deposit, ac- cording to a bill of Representative Congdon. The Spooner bill directing the board of control to build the state prison at a cost of $3,000,000 was fa- vorably reported to the house yester- day and was made a special order for next Thursday at 11 a. m. nnn 0 2 2 2 2 2 2 ii nih i OaOaOewnmnem—ae—e——vae-00€0° Oem CLUBS MUST HAVE LICENSES. Are Placed in Same Class as Saloons by Supreme Court Decision. St, Paul, Jan. 24—Under a sweep- ing decision handed down by the su- preme court in the attorney general’s test suit to compel the Minnesota dub of St. Paul to take out a liquor license, every club or social organiza- tion in the entire state henceforth .will be compelled to observe the laws relating to the sale of ‘ntoxicating drinks. Mitchell, S. D., Jan. 24.—President Kerfott of Dakota Wesleyan univer- sity has been in the East for a week in the interests of the school. On his way he stopped in St. Paul for a con- sultation with James J. Hill. The pres- ident is trying to raise the $30,000 in- debtedness that hangs over the col- lege, and the railroad builder agreed to present the university with $10,000 when the rest of the debt has been HILL PLEDGES $10,000. provided for. . ROBBERS’ VICTIM DEAD. Wisconsin Man Struck Down While Thinking to Do Kindness. Janesville, Wis., Jan. 24—Michael Cronin, who was struck upon the head with a club last night by two un- identified men who came to his door and asked to be directed to a neigh- bor,. died yesterday in a hospital with- out regaining consciousness. Cronin was supposed to have considerable money, and robbery is believed to have been the motive. CONGRESS Resume of the Week’s Proceedings. Washington, Jan. 19.—A sensational and bitter attack on President Roose- velt was made in the house yesterday by Mr. Willett of New York. His re- marks, which were delivered under the license of a general debate on the pension appropriation bill, were cut short by a vote of the house that it would hear no more of them. So ve- hement was the denunciation of the chief executive that it seemed as if the New York member raked the dic- tionary for words which would prop- erly express his feelings. The prest- dent was characterized as a “gar- goyle, tyrant, pigmy descendant of Dutch tradespeople, hay tedder, foun- tain of billingsgate, a jocularity, imi- tation of a king and bogus hero.” As it was Mr. Willett had complet- ed the reading of about three-fourths of his speech when, after repeated appeals to the chair by numerous Re- publicans that he be called order, he was compelled to take his seat. It was on a motion by Mr. Candler of Mississippi that the New Yorker be allowed to proceed “in order” that the house voted him off the floor, 78 to 126. Mr. Willett freely remarked on the floor that the action of the body “put an end to free speech.” After the furore which the speech created had subsided a number of members spoke on various sub- jects. In the Senate. : By a vote of 37 to 27 the senate yesterday fixed the salary of the speaker of the house of representa- tives at $15,000, instead of $12,000 as at present, and instead of $20,000 as proposed by the committee on appro priations. Senator Rayner endeavored to have the senate adopt a resolution calling on the attorney general for in- formation as to whether the president had ordered a suit brought against the New York World and the Indian- apolis News because of alleged libel in publications relating to the pur- chase of the Panama canal. property, and under what statute this action had been taken. Under objectien the further consid- eration was postponed until today. Washington, Jan. 20.—The salary of the president of the United States was yesterday fixed at $100,000 per annum, So far as the senate could fix it, and salaries of the vice president and the. speaker -of the house of representa- tives $15,000 each. The salary of the chief justice of the supreme court of the United States was increased from $13,000 to $15,000 per annum, and those of asso- ciate justices from $12,500 to $24,500. These changes were made as amend- ments to the legislative, executive and judicial appropriation bill, and after an extended debate amendments al- lowing $5,000 to the vice president and the speaker of the house for horses and carriages were stricken from the bill. Disposing of the speech of Repre- sentative Willetts of New York Mon- day, attacking the president by refer- ring it to a special committee, the house yesterday proceeded to take up the various appropriation bill s that have been reported within the past few days. The pensions and urgent deficiency bills were passed without delay, and when adjournment was taken the naval appropriation bill was under consideration. Washington, Jan. 21—The Browns- ville affair was again before the sen- ate yesterday, Senator Frazier of Tennessee speaking in opposition to the passage of any measure for the re-enlistment of the discharged sol- diers of the Twenty-fifth regiment. He insisted that the guilt of some men of the regiment had been estab- lished beyond any doubt, although the indiviuals who had committed the crime had not been determined. The legislative, executive and judi- cial appropriation bill was under con- sideration also. After adopting without opposition a resolution by which Gov. George F. Lilley of Connecticut ceases to be a member of congress, the house of representatives yesterday proceeded with the naval appropriation bill. There were few amendutents offered to the measure, the items under con- sideration being those of maintenance and improvements to navy yards, sta- tions and other public works of the navy. Washington, Jan. 22.—A debate on the propriety of increasing salaries of federal circuit and district judges consumed nearly the entire time of the senate yesterday, with the result that the compensation of the twenty- nine circuit judges was increased from $7,000 to $9,000, and that of the twenty-four district judges from $6,000 to $8,000. Strictures upon the efficiency of of- ficers of the navy in the care of ma- chinery of war vessels were uttered in the house yesterday during the consideration of the naval appropria- tion bill, with the result that an amendment was adopted requiring the secretary of the navy annually to report to congress those instances where more than $200,000 is expended for repairs, After futile efforts to obtain legisla- tion looking to the restoration of ma- rines aboard ships, an amendment was agreed to prohibiting the pur- chase of powder “manufactured and sold in violation of’ the Sherman anti-trust law. The bill was still pending when the house at 4:44 p. m. adjourned. Washington, Jan. 23.—Bxactly as reported by committee the naval pro- gram for the fiscal years 1910 was yesterday adopted by the house of representatives, and the naval appro- priation bill was passed. The op- ponents of the bill found themselves in a hopeless minority. The only vital alteration made in the measure was the striking out of the provision restoring marines to naval vessels. The aggregate amount appropriated by the bill is $155,000,000. Feb. 12 next was yesterday declar- ed to be a special legal holiday, and a@ survey and plans for a highway from Washington to Gettysburg, to be known as “The Lincoln Way,” as a memorial to Abraham Lincoln, was provided for by a joint resolution passed by the senate, after an extend- ed debate. Final action was also taken on the legislative, executive and judicial bill, the senate refusing by a vote of 41 to 27 to fix at $75,000 the salary of the president, previously increased by an amendment to $100,000. HERMAN BILLIK’S LIFE SPARED. Sentence of Death Is Commuted to Life Imprisonment by Gov. Deneen. Springfield, Ill, Jan. 24. — Gov. Charles S. Deneen last night com- muted to life imprisonment the sen- tence of death which had been pro- nounced on Herman Billik of Chicago, who was condemned to hang for the murder of Mary Vrzal, whom he poi- soned, with other members of the family, it was charged. The commutation is made on rec- ommendation of the state board of pardons, after the supreme court had refused to interfere, saying that the record showed no reversible error and affirming the judgment of the crimi- nal court of Cook county. Says Testimony Was False. The state board of pardons, in mak- ing the recommendations to Gov. De- neen for commutation of sentence, says that after the final action of the ‘supreme court, Jerry Vrzal, brother of Mary Vrzal and one of the princi- pal witnesses for the state at the trial of Billik, appeared before the state board of pardons at the hear- ing of the petition for Billik’s pardon and swore that all his testimony at the trial against Billik was false, ex- cept as to.some unimportant facts. The state board of pardons is of the opinion that, owing to the state- ment of the jurors that they were in- fluenced to inflict the death penalty by the testimony of Jerry Vrzal as to certain facts, which were not testified to by other witnesses, the jury would not have inflicted the death penalty if Jerry Vrzal’s testimony had been eliminated during the trial instead of afterward. Recommends Commutation. The trial judge, in a communication to the state board of pardons, rec- ommends commutation of the sen- tence, saying that the enforcement of the death penalty, under the circum- stances of Jerry Vrzal recanting his testimony at the trial, would not, in his judgment, meet with general ap- probation. Gov. Deneen several months ago granted Billik a reprieve until the supreme court could review the case. Last month Lieut. Gov. Sherman, in the absence of Gov. De- neen in Washington, granted Billik another reprieve until Jan. 29. ENTIRE BLOCK IS BURNED. Six Principal Buildings of Unity, Wis., Are Destroyed. Eau Claire, Wis., Jan. 24. — Fire broke out in Button & Mumbrue’s hardware store at Unity and made a clean sweep from the postoffice to the corner north. The burned buildings were Kop’s hotel, furniture saved; Ewert’s saloon, stock saved; Button & Mumbrue’s hardware store, total loss; Fritz’s feed store, total loss; L. H. Cook’s printing office, entirely burned; Zell Bros.’ dry goods store,, everything burned, the family barely escaping without clothing; Weide’s meat market, total loss. The aggre- gate loss is estimated at $30,000; in- surance about one-third this amount. President Answers Foraker. Washington, Jan. 24. — President Roosevelt yesterday sent to the sen- ate a response to Senator Foraker’s resolution calling upon the secretary of the treasury for an itemized state- ment of .expenditures from the $3,- 000,000 war deficiency fund. The statement was not made public. DOCU C IO ICO STURGIS MURDER TRIAL SET. Sturgis, S. D., Jan. 22—Oscar Ja- cobs, charged with killing Elba Rob- erts here Monday night, was arraign- ed yesterday afternoon and asked for two weeks’ stay until he could get his* attorney here from Watertown, which was granted. The hearing was set for Feb. 3. Jacobs is firm in his assertion that the young woman shot herself with a revolver she took from Lhis pocket. NEFECTIVE PARE PAY CAR BUMPS PASSENGER. Cook and Six Others Are Injured in Collision Due to Fog. Saginaw, Mich., Jan. 22. — An en- gine pulling a pay car collided with the rear end of a south-bound Grand Trunk railway passenger train from Bay City yesterday at the suburb of Carrollton. Marcus Montier, cook on the pay car, was seriously injured and six others received lesser hurts. A heavy fog was responsible for the col- lision. IN MINNESOTA State News of the Week Brietly Told. Peter Miller, aged fifty-five, was found frozen to death on the outskirts of Chisholm. The family of the de- ceased resides at Virginia, Minn. Building improvements in Red Wing for the year 1908 reached the valua- tion of nearly half a million dollars, over $150,000 in excess of the valua- tion in 1907. Ole Olson of Rapid River has lost the use of both feet as far as the an- kel, they having been amputated as the result of being frozen. Mr. Olson lost his way while hunting. A man supposed to be John John- son, a lumberman, committed suicide by hurrying himself beneath the wheels of the Sauk Center-Bemidji passenger train at Cass Lake. Ten women of the restricted dis- trict at Duluth recently ordered closed were in the municipal court charged with defying the law. They have re- tained attorneys and propose to fight the charges. Louis Piekl, who had his right leg severed near the hip Sunday morning by being run over by the same engine of which he was fireman on the North-Western railway, died at St. Alexandria hospital. Benjamin Kreig was arraigned be- fore Justice Johnson at Hastings upon a charge of stealing coal from the Milwaukee road. He pleaded guilty, and a sentence of ninety days in jail was suspended during good behavior. Miss Margaret Kennedy, daughter of John Kennedy, has brought suit against the city of Montgomery to re- cover $2,000 damages for injuries which she claims to have received while walking above a defective side- walk. : Gustav Stumm, a farmer residing near Fulda, was accidentally killed by the discharge of his shotgun, which he was pulling through a wire fence while rabbit hunting. The charge en- tered his right cheek and emerged near his left ear. George and Dennis Meaher of Big Falls were arraigned before Justice Watson on charge of setting fire to Ardahl’s $5,000 warehouse last Febru- ary. They waived examination and were bound over to the grand jury at the next regular term of the dis- trict court. An enthusiastic mass meeting was held in Eveleth, at which Dr. Bracken, secretary of the state board of health, and other physicians spoke in con- nection with the anti-tuberculosis ex- hibit. Resolutions were adopted urg- ing the St. Louis county commission- ers to appropriate $10,000 for the con- struction of a sanitarium in this coun: ty for treating tuberculosis, J, M. Jones, the deputy game war- den at Fergus Falls, preferred a com- plaint against Edward Balentine of Breckenridge a short time ago, charging him with hunting outside his home county without a license. Mr. Balentine is county attorney of Wilkin county. He accepted the mat- ter philosophically, entered a plea of guilty and paid a fine of $25 and costs, Claude Ventioner, about twenty-two years of age, employed at a station lunch counter at Worthington, went suddenly insane and tried to purchase a razor and revolver, announcing that he intended to kill himself. Upon be- ing refused he tried to break a show case and secure the weapons, but was frustrated, and after a struggle was placed under arrest for insanity. He has been in ill health for a long time. Peter J. Peterson, a farmer living east of Faribault, threatened to kill his entire family and then himself, it is alleged. He has been acting strangely, aNd the members of the family were afraid of him and con- cealed themselves until the sheriff was telephoned for. Peterson was taken before the city justice, where he said he was subject to spells when he could not account for his actions. He is being held in the county jail. Charles Yergen, manager of the Service Operating company; George Swanson, a lineman, and Michael Con- nof, an engineer, were rescued when at the point of suffocation from un- derground gas connections on one of the principal streets of Owatonna. The gas pipes sprung a leak, and the men had descended through a man- hole to investigate. They were over- come by the deadly fumes, and would have died in a few seconds. All will recoyer. The Swift County Agricultural so- ciety elected H. E. Sorlien president; E. D. Olson, vice president; Manford Horn, secretary; E. Lende, treasurer. The association starts the year with good prospects, and intends to have a better fair this season than ever. Joseph Drury of Fillmore was held to the grand jury in bail of $1,000 on a charge of assault in the second: de- gree on the person of aged John Stuart, because of a quarrel hetween the‘latter’s grandchildren and the fer- mer’s children. pina