Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-01-10
MINNESOTA.
Inaugural of the New Governor.
Discussion of the Railroad Prob
lem.

ST. PAUL, Jan. 9.-The Legislature of
this State, having met and organized on
Thursday last, yesterday in joint conven-
ton canvaSsed the vote for State officers.
To-day the officers elected were sworn in
the presence of both branches of the Legis-
lature. A message from the outgoing Gov.
Austin reports the financial affairs of the
State prosperous, the balance being Sj1S,-
39S. The recognized bonded Indebtedness
is four hundred and sixty thousand dollars,
an increase Of two hundred and ten thOus-
and dollars since last year, the increase
having been devoted to the extension and
completion of public buildings. Owing to
the increase Of taxable valuation, a de-
crease of million in the State tax levy is
considered practicable. Gov. Austin's vol
luminous circumstances beingthose of re-
firing officer are considered of little conse-
Guence.
The inaugural of Gov. Davis is an able
and interesting document, devoted mainly
to the discussion of new questions. He
starts out by recommending an apprOpria-
tion in aid of the sufferers on the frontiers
whose crops have been destroyed by the
grasshOppers. The number of Judges of
the Supreme Court should be increased
from three to nine 10 enable the court to
get through with business promptly. The
railroad question is extensively discussed.
Referring to last falls increase Of three
cents per bushel in the rate on wheat by
the Milwaukee, st. Paul and Chicago, and
the Northwestern railroads, Gov. Davis
saws: If my administration should commit
such acts as this in performing the func-
tons of taxation, it would be depOSed by
an indignant constituency. Is the law of
1871 neutrality-suspicious. rates for freightS
and passengers. of the cOnstitutiOnallty Of
which the Governor has no doubt, has been
Systematically violated by every railroad in
the State. he suggests that the State under
take suits for the punishment of the vio-
la;orS of the law. receiving a mOiety of the
resulting penalty as indemnity for ex
penses.
He adds: There is another way to relief
in which the SO-Called vested rights of the
companies can be conceded to the fullest,
by a constitutional amendment prescribing
that when any statute is enacted in favor
or benefit of a railroad company at its in
stance, the company shall by the mere force
of the beneficial enactment, be subject to
such duties and control by the State rs the
| constitutional amendment shall impose.
Favorable and enabling legislation from
year to year is so much matter of neces-
! sity to compass, that such an amendment
will in course of time do much TO annihi-
late the power of self-regulation which has,
by an oppressive use, caused the people TO
assume their present attitude toward the
corporations.
The Governor figures that the Winona
and St. Peter Railroad should pay their per
cent upon its gross earnings since 1865,
making the amount to the State from that
company SOL, 49S. The matter of the dis
pOsal by the railroad companies of the
whole or part of their lands to a trustee, so
that one organization OWLS the road and
another the lands, which in several in
| stances is denounced rs a device and power
| to escape the tax, is alluded TO, and q
recommendation is made that the lands be
placed on the taxable list and tax collected
for the years during which the property has
| been thus cancelled.
Governor Davis, following the decision
the United States Supreme Court, denies
the right of the general Government or of
| the Indian Bureau TO sell timber from In
dian lands, as the State has legal right to
| two sections in every township which are
set apart for the school fund, And pre-
sumptive right to all swamp lands, mas
much as the value of these lands consists
| entirely of the timber, which was recently
| sold by Indian Commissioner Smith, and
recommends such action as will fully pro-
tect the interests or the State.