St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-03-26
THE BOARD OF TRADE.
The Exemption From Taxation Of Manu-
factories Approved.
ONLY ONE BRIDGE WANTED.
b. E. Fletcher Gets Strangely Excited
Over the Meat Inspee-
ton Bill.

from Duluth relative to the bridging of
the Detroit river, the board OF trade
settled down to series Of discussions
on legislative matters that proved to be
quite lively before the hour was
over. The first topic was brought
up by communication from st. Paul
that had been received the first of last
week. requesting the board of trade to
send delegates to aid in bringing the
bill before the legislature eXempting
certain manufactures from taxation in
Minnesota, among them manufacturers
in wood. metal, wool, flax. etc. The
communication requested the delega-
ton to appear Friday-that is last Fri
day, and Secretary Hall stated that he
had succeeded in having a committee,
of which J. NJ. Bartlett was chairman,
be present.
Mr.. Bartlett said that they were pres
ent, but the matter did not come up as
had been expected. and as he thought a
delegation should be present represent
ing the board when it was brought up,
he moved that committee OF three be
appointed to appear before the Henne-
pin county delegation in favor of the
bill.
j. 3. Bassett was opposed to any such
movement by the board and said: 81
see by the general action of the legis-
lature that they are going to put bur-
dens upon us. Our expenses are grow
ing heavier and heavier all the time,
and our means of meeting them, by the
action of the legislature. are growing
less. This action is simply cutting Off
at one end what it is adding to the other.
l am engaged in the manufacture of
lumber and l don't want it exempted"
From the back of the room-They
don't propose to exempt the manufact-
| ured lumber from taxation. major.
Well, then I'd be all the more OPP
posed to it: / amend the motion by
having the committee report in one
week.
President Wyman spoke favoring
the action, saying: 81 am in favor of
this bill because we have young city
and young state, and we want to
build them up. We need these man
ufactureS.'
Bassett-Oh. your manufacturing in
wood yourself
'''To be sure am: but that is not the
principal reason for my wanting to see
this bill pass. If it passes in five years
it will bring in enough men who have
other property to make up all we lose
now from not taxing the manufacturers.
Besides it will be Of a lasting benefit to
the State.''
B. F. Nelson also spoke favoring the
bill. as it would give the idle men
work. besides building up the in
dustries of the state. lie was in favor
of giving the committee power to act.
Judge Atwater thought their was no
use in discussing the matter. as he said
every farmer in the legislature would
vote against it anyway, and the bill
would be lost.
Mr.. Bartlett explained what the bill
was and thought that the farmers
would be the first to vote for it.
After a little more discussion the
amendment of Mr.. Bassett was lOst.and
the motion carried. }. NJ. Bartlett, A.
J. Boardman. B. +. Nelson, d. NJ. Gill
more and r. j. Anderson were appointr
ed as q committee to favor the bill be-
fore the legislature.
Judge Atwater. as chairman of the
committee to which was referred the
matter of the bridge across the Mime
sofa river, brought up two objections
to the bill, which were essentially that
the county did not have money to eX-
pend on the. bridge, and that the bill
does not fix the location of the bridge.
The report ended with resolution that
the board of trade did not favor the bill,
and further that they did not consider
the plan wise one. After some dis
cussiOn the report was accepted. but not
adopted. and J. NJ. Bartlett worked in a
substitute for the bill. which favored
one bridge to be located by the board of
commissioners of the three counties,
and to cost not more than $4,000.
Gov. Pillsbury thought that the loca-
ton of the bridge should be decided by
a committee of uninterested porties. rs
he thought the difference of opinion was
caused to a great extent by property
holders.
Mr.. Bartlett's substitute was adopted
by the board.
Judge Atwater announced that he had
matter of considerable Importance to
bring before the board and read reso-
luton that the board recommend the
passage of the bill pending III the legis-
lature known as the 'meat BILL" He
said that he believed there was gen
tleman present who was as well versed
on the question as any one and called
OH H. E. Fletcher TO explain the bill
and its purpose. Mr.. Fletcher laid his
coat and hat on the table and
stepping out into the middle of the
room, went Immediately into the SUBJ
ject. He showed how. at the present
time, people were paying high prices
selling their cattle at very low prices.
Six years ago. he said. the stock that
now brought but So cents brought z
cents, and yet the price OF meat at the
markets was higher. He thought that
the meat bill would remedy this trouble
if it were passed. Up to short time
ago, he said. there was little doubt i'm
any ones mind but that it would pass.
but that the last few days it had been
receiving great opposition. He said
that there were number of men
going around with petitions to obtain
signerS to kill the bill, and that they
were being paid $500 a day for it. He
wouldn't say who was paying them.
but systematic fight was being made.
and that if the legislature adjourned
this year without taking any action,
before it came together again there
would be trust organized as detri-
mental as the Standard Oil company
trust. He showed how the packing
companies of Kansas City. Chicago and
Omaha were selling direct to the
retail trade of Minneapolis and St. Paul
and dwelt also on the impossibility of
meat inspectors telling whether or no
the meat was good when it was dressed.
He seemed to convince all of his
hearers but Maj. j. B. Bassett, and that
Seltlelildu Woulu nob De conVinced.
He gained the floor and kept it, pro-
testing that the bill was being for
warded to raise the price of meat and
there was no use of trying to conceal it,
by saying that it was to encourage in
dustries in the state. P. d. Mcmillan,
Gov. Pillsbury, President Wyman and
others argued with him in vain: the
exchange took on the appearance of
free-for-all go-as-you-please debating
society, till finally the president called
for vote on the question of appointing
committee of three to wait on the
delegation in the interests of the hill