The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1889-01-18
BAD STOCK coatpAN1rs

BAD STOCK COMPANIES.
1hb Incorporation OF cumpanies and the issu.
anee q stccks and boras 81 companies repre-. eIue
.sst @ s. g ss ' and soS Il; e ssss q
Guilt Y not impossible. e impose upon the pub.
ssuotioned bY law ssdine many saofsa g Se,sSs sSs
thsro p stability and subssanoe where in reality
there 70 nothing Thus the power OF the state is
Ia fact loaned to the aDconpa paishment Of imposi.
BAD INsuRAxc1 CoarpAN1ra
Tne present laws pettstninE to tho busincss Of
50 % tmpeffece that It Is impracti-
Il Il d not Thought bsst Is enact an eatireiS
newlaw which shall coventhe numerous branches
of insurance, some lea1shtion should he had, at
Least "a the matter Of ths orsanizt ttion and con-
laws made general - f1r ss they apply to Dakota
preventln6 % far q possible the
abuse q niins fictttious or borrowed capital,
ised under tho law q baSpss the easmimasion
aud control Of tho lnsutancG commissioncr or
auditor. end protesting yslioy holders from Inn
Rad lAIlApAptAw.
Tho board Of raliDA4 cominissioners have,
during do! the past two ysst endeavored to carry
out tho provisions q u snin and warehouse
and Also discharge then duties applicable to
railroads. 20 that The esms might meet with sp-
Az CUu6cN{u0uCo StU8lS SVeIY limited mower
thi. has been very dlGapuit. Such good as they
oould accomplish $685. - . matter Of courtesy.
nee g aseooini.sdrt4nt or ~ virtue q any power
g ~ tss e ecn@,ss!oa: Isss y not only humillst-
S. sSs - ps,s sS 3 ~ M a.erlaos q aignisy
The po!sr q the commission should Be-
areatly ENLARGED; they should have power TO
tracks with other roads 1t terminal or functional
points: to locate side tracks: to require running
connections to be made with other roads, and to
exercise such othcr powers as prudence and tho
public welfare require over railroads. express
companies and telegraph lines: aud tho grain
and warehouse law should be amended go ~ to
confer upon the commission proper deUree of
elevators. Tho commission should have power
to. and the courts provided with. speedy and
specific remedy to enforce recommendations,
when In their Judgment proper.
BAD ELECTION LAWS.
The Importance OF a system of election laws
hat will tend to inspire confidence among all
c!asses. that elections are fairly conducted and
that . every possible safeguard surrounds our
elective system. needs no discussion.
Under our present system the elective ma
chinery 10 liable to be controlled In Its entirety
by one party or class. who. for tho time beinu
election, who In turn appoint the clerks of cleo
Lion. which constitutes our elective machinery
In the interest Of that confidence which should
bility conferred on those who have our elections
In charge is exercised impartially-I would rec
that our election laws be revised and
amended 10 that they may be non-partisan in
their nature, aud that as far as possible 1t l,t
placed beyond the power of any political party,
or any interest or individual to control the ma
chtncry of our elcctions-a condition which
careful examination OF our laws will show does
not now exist.
BAD CAUcUsEs AND PRIMARY ELECTIONS
! would further recommend that the law ap-
plicable to caucuses or primary elections be en-
larged to the end that sll political parties or as
of individuals may. in their caucuses
Or primary elections, be protected in the same
and the conduct therefore be free from inter
l,olttica! belief. This could eastly be ac-
by allowing each political pnrty or
association, through the medium Of their organi-
zattons, to tix tho qualification of those who
would DO entitled to vote at CAUCUS or primary
and as far as possible the general election laws
should be made applicable thereto. imposing tn.
same penalties.
BAD COUNTY TREAsURERs.
Tho passage OF 4 law making county, CITY and
other treas,,rcrs ineligible for election or at,-
pointInent to successive terms, would be step
N the direction Of subjectfnr financial accounts
regularly To careful examination, and would on
erate az a protection against the mismanage-
lnent Of public funds.
BAD EDUCATIONAL LAWS.
Great confusion exists In tho laws applicable
to public education. The existing two systems,
known as the township system and the district
systeni. leads to embarrassment in constituting
The statutes. and necessarily to great annoyance
, uniform system for tho entire territory.
THE COSTLY MILITIA.
The militia now costs the territory $4,000
per per year % and ~ eatireiy & teo expansive The an
armory rent fs too large, and is often an ex-
cessive rent for accommodations furnished. but
she law IL arbitrary aud fixes tho sum at $780,
should bo approved BY the adjutant general and
governor and should not be more than tair
nished.
All property tangible and intaaRible Except
such rs from sound policy may be made excmpt)
Ihould be taxed.
70 Its Just share Of taxation, IL is possible to
adopt system OF laws which will be uniform In
ts character and equitable I'm its application.
acter and shifting In nature now escapes TAXA
Lion. and which is largely II not entirely in the
bands OF those who are best able to pay taxes.
Some means should be devised to reach and tax
This class OF property. Legislation must bc had
not only to enforce taxation, but against lemnta-
lion to evade taxation. The inability to discover
property and
OUR DEFECTIVE SYSTEM
should be remedied as far as possible. Our tsxes
should lie deprived Of n personal character and
)ur tax system ,e impartial in its application,
sxacting tho public revenue from all persons and
Tho following I'm addition to real cstate) should
De subject to q judicions tax: Incomes, inher-
tances and requests. railrond and steamboat
'er and sleeping companies, telegraph and tele-
phone companies, banks territorial and ma
'fonaD, loan and trust companies. insurance and
ndemntty companies, and their bonds and evil
tence Of indebtedness. public elevators. ware
houses and stOrehouses for grain, insurance
gents and agents for all companies or corpora
ions OF other states. horse car fcrry gas, cleo
ric light. and all franchises or licences granted.
md all corporations or quasi CORPORATIONS organ
zed and doing business In the territory should
pay tax on the actual value OF their capital
'tOck after deducting the assessed value of their
cal estate, and in addition tax measured by
heir dividends A. tax with propricty might be
adjusted to some 0f tho interests above named,
IN the principle OF gross earnings.
PERSONAL PROPERTY
,eIonginE to non-residents should be listed for
'axation In the lax precinct where the property
s located. While some Of the interests above
portion Of wha: they should pay and others
,ay none at all. Bank stock il assessed under
'hapter 14O, Laws Of 1887.
ihe territorial treasurer received from all
elegraph companies In the territory during the
1887 and 81, 122.3Oin 1sss-ccrtainly o very
inadequate sum. considering the telegraph
property In tho territory
REAL ESTATE.
y lts nature, generally pays not only its full
harc. but the great burden Of taxation ia borne
~ this class OF property. When we leave real
'onal In its nature the nearer We can indicate.
pecify and describe the property or interest to
,e taxed tho better. Our statutes in many in
.ral in their wording. that while IL may he DOS
tble for aesessors to reach much property not
low assessed, this general language Of our laws
nables ASSESSORS to either neglect or to exercise
discretion without open violation Of duty.
FRANCHISES AT AUCTION.
general law requiring that all licenses or
In the nature Of franchises hereafter
.ranted by cities or towns shall bc disposed Of
10 Duli1C auction for Drrt.ntDHn Of y.
not. perhaps, OF great value at l,rcs-
nt-will, in timc To come, result in great
A system Of taxation that would eventually
ead to exemption Of real estate from taxation
Or territorial or state purposes would be very
and could largely. II not entirely. lie
by the territorial taxes being COL
ected from class of property coriOrate AMI
,ersons in its nature.
! woilid also suggest the propriety of allowing
axes TO lie paid semi-annlaily, especially on
no full amount OF tax at tho tiino tho firse pay
nent Is due.
TAXING RAILROAD LANDS.
The message deals ut unusual length with
he taxation of Northern Pacific railroad
suds and the gross earnings litigation. In
peaking OF the former "he governor says the
ecent decision by Judge Hose is favorable
0 the counties. and sustains the theory that
he lands held by tho Northern Pacific Rail-
DAD company not used for railroad pur-
'oses are liable 10 taxation. and can be
gally taxed under our present laws.
RESTRAINING TAX SALES.
Tho practice of courts or judges granting In
nncttons or stays in matter Ot sales for unpaid
axes should be prevented and prohibited by
roper legislation. No temporary injunction
hould In any caae be allowed TO issne. unless
he amount Of tax is first paid This would In
% way impair the remedy Of party TO proceed
y action to procure the vacation of an improper
r unlawful tax. Under the pretensc Of tax
einp void unnn It's face in nnctiona nr ~ aya nf