The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1886-03-18
TAXING THE LANDN

AtLOIncy UeueCdl I13nn SalU yeSLer-
day in explanation Of the rumors con-
cerning his action in the matter of the
quo warranto proceedings against Ger
tain railway companies that have been
endeavoring to evade the tax on their
lands:
'These companies were organized
some years ago and received large land
grants from the state. Later they 80 d
their roads but retained the land. This
land iS exempt from taxation under the
law granting it to the companies. The
suits were brought to dissolve the char
ters of the original companies in order
to bring the land under taxation. On
the first of March l received Il letter
from Mr.. Cary of the Milwaukee road,
in which he makes the following prOpO-
sitiOn: In order to avoid any question
las to the effect of the dissolution Of
the charter of the Southern Minnesota.
and Southern Minnesota Extension
companies upon the right Of our CON-
pany to operate their road) l should
advise this company, so far as the suits
against the Southern Minnesota and
Southern Minnesota Extension COM
panieS are concerned, to transfer the
lands held by those companies so as to
take them out from the exemption from
taxation, if by that means the suits
would be discontinued l replied as
follows: If you will have such Il dis
position made OF the lands of the two
companies named by you as will render
them taxable, will at once discontinue
the suits against Them This is the
correct version Of the whole matter.
any statements to the contrary not
withstanding." - st. Paul Pioneer
Press, March II.
The companies named own land in
this county, and if the above PROPOSE.
tion is made in good faith and is car
ried out, it will satisfy everybody here
abnnts. The main point is to get the
land on the tax list If the st. Paul
and Sioux City company will do the
same, it will be still better. The Sioux
City and st. Paul company owns con-
siderable land in TINS and adjoining
cou,tits, which is not aft ..cttd by the
suit brought by the attorney general
in fact, that company is not il party to
it, being incorporated under the laws
OF Iowa. The people will not he ell
tirrly ltislied until that colnpany's
lands are on the tx list also.
IMHOLTAN VT 10 SOLDIERS
The following request has been sent
to county auditors from the commits.
sioner Of pensiuns:
DEPARTMENT OF TIE INTERIOR,
Pension Office, Washington, ID. e.,
Feb. 20, 1856 Sir: | have the honor
u invite your attention to the blank
herewith, and to request your aid III
obtaining, by Il completion nt the tabu-
lar statement in the form Indicated,
and from such data us you can procure,
information rs to the numher IF sur
vivors of the late civil war, who, in
your county, are supported in whole or
in part from public funds in charitable
institutions.
l desire this information to enable
me to present, intell;gently and ex-
haustively. to the congress of the
United States, the whole matter of the
necessities of the survivors of the war.
that the committee on invalid pensions
may be able to say what, if any, relief
may properly he extended to the unfor-
tnnate class which is made the subject
of this inquiry.
shall very highlyapprcia any SER
connection, and venture to hope that,
in view of the urgency of the matter,
you will give it immediate attention,
am. sir. very respectfully,
JOHN T.. BLACK, Commissioner.
The Mankato Register has added a
new test to distinguish the "true''
soldier. 1t is not sufficient for a per-
son to have served four years in the
union army, to have lost limb on the
battle field, to have suffered untold
hardships in southern prison pens, or
to have always voted the straight re-
publican ticket. All this goes for
naught unless he also joins in the howl
against Fitz john Porter, than whom
there has not been a more wronged and
mis-judged man for many years. This
last test excludes such good soldiers
as Gems. Grant, Terry and host of
others. Keep on imposing new tests,
and "true" soldiers will become very
scarce. It reminds US of the Scotch
mans wall over the decadance of
Christianity: "There are none left ex.
cept Sandy and I, and have my doubts
as to Sandy's soundness." People may
honestly differ as to the justice of Gen.
Porter's case, but when their opinions
about it are set up as test to distin-
guish "true" soldier, or any attempt
is made to marshal the old soldiers on
either side of the case, it is carrying
the matter altogether to far.
The right of one man to live is supe.