The Nonpartisan Leader Newspaper, February 15, 1917, Page 20

bey =t By Special Correspondent T. PAUL, Feb. 10,—This old world s of ours sure does move. If the past week’s actions of the state legislature is any criterion, we should say it's going some! To begin with, the organization which has tried to boss the politics of the state of Minnesota for a number of years, being the remnants of the old - Eberhart regime, sometimes referred to as the Arneson-Preus combination, has had a slopover, and the announce- ment of their slate, consisting of Jake Preus for governor and Oscar Arne- son for state auditor, has been indefi- nately postponed. ; At the beginning of the session some of the house members had the temerity to claim that this gang elected Ralph Parker to the speaker’s chair, and as evidence to substantiate their charges they pointed to the appointment of Oscar Arneson as chief clerk; Herman A. Preus, clerk, a brother of Jake Preus; Florence White, stenographer, & sister of Mrs. Oscar Arneson; Al- freda’ Haynes, stenographer, relative of Jake Preus; Agnes Wiprud, sister of A. C. Wiprud, chief clerk to Jake Preus. Jim Arneson, who has the cigar privileges at the St. Francis hotel, where he gets at the members morn- ing, noon and night and draws $125 per month as secretary of the boxing commission, was made secretary to the speaker, and his boy, Harold Arneson, made a page, being the only boy Jim had who was big enough to hold a job. (Someone, however, has been mean enough te say that the session is still young, and Jim Arneson has other boys that are growing very fast.) PUBLIC HEARING GIVEN ATTENTION Now it seems that some of the house members thought they were entitled to some little jobs for their friends, and as four of the gang’s friends were not provided for, they promptly provided some new jobs, even without -the knowledge of the speaker or the house. This was where they misstepped, and when the facts became known not only were the four extras summarily dis- charged, but it even got so hot that Jim wrote out his resignation. Then two of the four threatened to squeal and it is said had to be paid out of the private purse of the gang. I have stated before that the bureau of grain inspection was apt to be taken away from the railroad and warehouse commission. The public hearings on this bill are attracting considerable at- tention. Colonel R. A. Wilkinson, ap- pearing for the organized farmers in favor of the bill, stated that the -pro- ducers were dissatisfied because they thought they were always discriminat- ed agalnst, both in weight, dockage and grade; that the grade was being raised on millions of bushels of grain after it left the hands of the producers; that the storage laws were violated, and that stored grain which can not lawfully be shipped out except upon permission from the owner, was not only shipped but ground into flour, and that the railroad and warehouse com- mission was continually acting hand- in-hand with and as attorneys for the Chamber of Commerce and the Duluth Board of Trade in opposing progressive legislation. Others who spoke in favor of the bill were A. F. Teigen, L. C. Spooner and Ben Drake. Representatives of the Duluth Board of Trade and the Chamber of Commerce joined the rail- road commissioners in opposing it. In the committee on the university during a hearing on the Malmberg bill, President Vincent stated that he be- Alson W. Russell, who is foreman for some of the Bernardy-Veil company's farms, Fargo, is' taking quietly and as a matter of fact the knowledge that he is one of Hetty Green's heirs. There are 384 heirs to receive part of a one and a half million estate. He has been aware of the fact he would be an heir since 1865, but does not yet know the amount he will receive. Steps were taken many years ago to trace the descendents of Gideon Howland, and the general opinion prevails that Hetty Green had a re-check of the Howland descendents quite - recently. Hetty Green was known as the richest woman in the world and was an exceed- ingly shrewd business woman. The Fargo man is and Mrs. Green was a de- scendent of Gidoen Howland. lieved that if the regents were elected by the people special interests would gain control of the board. The ques- tion was raised, however, if he thought the special interests could gain any more control of this _board than they had at the present time. ‘When the drainage committee pro=- “posed to redraft the drainage laws and insert a little common sense into them, the friends of special privilege grew uneasy, but when the road and bridge « committee, led by their very able chair=~ man, Edward Indrehus, decided to re- vise the road laws and to even abolish the state highway commission, they went right into hysterics. The farmers have been bold enough to claim that there is too much- red tape in the present system; that there has been a gross waste of funds, and that engi=- neers have been sent out who have been ignorant and incapable; have been careless in their findings and too free with their time, - But what right have the farmers to compiain anyway? Another thing: Not only is the house on a rampage, but big, black, gloomy clouds are appearing on the horizon in the senate. Senators Potter, Vermilya, Rask and Sageng have introduced a bill providing for the consideration of milling values in the grading of grain. SOCIETY PAPER LAMENTS LEAGUE No wonder that the gentlemen of the grain combine are yelling’ holy horrors. . Not that they fear defeat (this year), but to be continually pestered with bills of this nature is positively irritating. In a “sassiety” publication of St Paul, the Saturday Night, sandwiched in between advertisements of beauty shops which claim to - be excellently equipped to render superior service in electrolitic facial massage, instantane- ous bleach for sunburn and freckles, wrinkle treatments, etc., are notes of such coming events as the Junior ball to be held at the Hotel Radisson on February 16, when the president and deans of the university and their wives will act as chaperones, and the board of regents and their ladies will be patronesses, the supper for which is planned for midnight in the Gold room, and dancing will continue until 3 o'clock. ‘ Among this slush we find this gem of editorial thought: ‘“We shudder to think of the horrors that await us if the Nonpartisan IL.eague becomes ac- tive in the politics of this common- wealth, judging by the sorrows and sufferings our ' good neighbor, North Dakota, has undergone as a conse- quence to its influence. And when one thinks that the leading spirits in the Nonpartisan League are most eager to extend its activities to this state it is enough to take the joy' out of life and fill the atmosphere with gloom. Oh, have a heart, and keep the Nonpartisan League in its original primeval home, Minnesota wants none of it.” It is evident that Twin City “sassie- ty” does not consider the farming com= munities as being part of the state of Minnesota. May Guarantee Deposits By Staff Correspondent ISMARCK, Feb. 12.—Much com- mittee thought has been given Senator Drown’s League measure for guaranteeing deposits in state banks and it is believed the measure will be favorably acted upon by the senate. His first bill for this purpose was Senate Bill 107, but Senate Bill 217 has since been substituted, changing the make-up of the guaranty fund commission that would have charge of administering the law. This commission would be composed of the governor, secretary of state, at- torney general (members of the state banking board) and the president and secretary of the North Dakota Bankers’ association. This guaranty fund com- mission would have to meet at least . four times a year, and the two mem- bers not state officials would receive $5 a day and actual necessary traveling expenses for their services. The guaranty fund would be created by assessing every state and private bank one-fourth of one per cent upon its average daily deposits as shown by ° ‘a statement to be filed January .1 of each year. For the beginning of its operation, such statement would be filed January 1, 1918, giving time enough for the banks to be examined and their financial standing determined before that date. Within six mouths after the approval of the act, such an examination would have to be made. ‘Whenever the guaranty fund reached one and one-half per cent of the aver- age daily deposits, assessments would automatically cease, and they would begin again whenever it fell below this amount by reason of paying the deposi- tors of some wrecked bank. In case a bank became insolvent and there was not enough in: the guaranty fund to - make good to the depositors, the guar- anty commission is authorized to issue its own certificates. of indebtedness (drawing interest at 5 per cent) to make up this balance, and all the banks participating in the fund under the law, would have to contribute pro rata to this deficiency fund. They would be reimbursed again . with the first funds accruing to the guaranty fund and their 6 per cent interest on this forced loan would be paid. The guaranty fund remains with each of the banks. Each one is required to set aside its proportion according to the statement of its daily average deposits, and this remains with each bank unless needed to pay off deposi- tors in some institution. Then all the banks are drawn upon to conmtribute from the funds thus set aside. A penalty of $10 a day for failure or re- fusal to set aside the proper amounts is provided, and further, any bank re- fusing to do so for 10 days may be de- clared insolvent and its affairs wound up. A provision is made that if the feder- al government ever guarantees bank deposits and banks operating under the state law wish to change to the federal law they may do so, and receive back 90 per cent of the guaranty fund they have paid in which is still un= used. - Grain Grading Bill up By Staff Correspondent ISMARCK, Feb. 12.—The North Dakota union of the Society of Equity indorsed Senate Bill 162 by Drown (League) providing a North Dakota system of grain inspection, weighing and grading. This bill is now with the senate committee on state af- fairs which is strongly made up of anti-L.eague members. Why it was not referred by Lieutenant Governor Kraabel to the committee on ware- - house and grain grading, which ought to have charge of such measures, is not known. That is one of the few senate committees that has a majority of League members, and at the time of the organization of the senate, when the lieutenant governor was being criticized for having organized the committees against the ILeague, he pointed out the fact that the commit- tee on warehouses and grain grading was one of the most important ones to TWENTY the Nonpartisan League and that it was composed of League members. Nevertheless this committee did not get the grain grading and warehouse bill - This bill as framed by Senator Drown provides for the appointment of a state inspector from the faculty of the Agri= cultural college who shall establish grades and appoint deputies at ship= -ping points in the state to grade and weigh grain. Samples are to be taken by the deputies and forwarded to the central markets, which shall be estab= lished by the railroad commission, and each be placed in charge of a deputy. Such markets shall be established with= in this state at Grand Forks, Fargo, ‘Wahpeton, Fairmount and outside this state at St Paul and Minneapolis, Duluth and Superior, Wis., and sam- ples forwarded shall at all times be on display there, The dill includes an appropriation of $50,000,