St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-03-05
THE DIRECT TAX
Should Be Given to Those Who
Are Entitled to 1t, and Not the


State.
To the Editor of the GLOBE.
In Sundays GLOBE is the editorial as
sertion that if the direct tax refunding
bill becomes law. the amount to come
to Minnesota is 1872, 245, ''besides the
sl6,27S commission to the parties who
have operated for the state In other
papers have noted the tacit admission
that large part Of the amount refund
ed goes TO somebody or bodies who are
represented to have acted as the agent
OF the state in securing the refundment.
Permit me to correct the figures given
as the amount the state will get. The
share apportioned the people of this
state was something over sos, 600 but
the state took advantage of the offer of
ID per cent discount for ready payment.
making the amount so paid S92, 245.
which will be the amount refunded
But what | wish TO call the attention of
the GLOBE and its readers to is this as
SUMPTION that some one is to get a COM
mission Oh this sum for their services
IN getting the bill enacted. Some wears
since the Washington specials occas-
lonally made mention of the presence
there OF Plat B. Walker and Mai. Hor-
ace Strait, who were represented to be
state agents" Of Minnesota. looking
after her Interests. In 1887, when
Judge Wilson was vigorously fighting
this unwhitewaShed steal in congress.
the names OF these gentlemen again APP
peared III connection with the bill, and it
was stated that they would have
commission OF % per cent of the amount
recovered if the bill passed. After look
ing in vain among the general laws of
this state for any provision authorizing
the appointment Of state agents and for
their compensation, | called on Gen.
Jennison, OF the Red Wing Republican,
who had been Gov. Hubbard'S private
secretary, for an explanation of the mat
ter. and what authority there was for
the appointment. In reply, he stated in
his paper that 1.-The authority is an i'm
piled one, the general authority and o.
legation which the governor must have
and fulfil to Su5serve the interests of
the state. AS to the payment of the
agent appointed by Gov. Hubbard, it
VIII be for the legislature to fix the
amount. We understand that that ar
rangement, which was all the governor
could make, was satisfactory to Mr..
Walker" Mr.. JenniSon diSavowed any
knowledge of the agreement Gov. Me
OH made with Maj. Strait, with whom
lie displaced Mr.. Walker.
When MeSSrs. Walker and Strait pre-
sent their claims to the legislature for
their commission on this speculation it
will be i'll order for some inquiring mind
to ask what were the functions OF the
representatives and senators in congress
from this state that lobbyist had to be
employed to do their work.
In this connection permit me to
urge that this money which is coming
back to the state is in no sense the prop
erty of the state, but belongs. every
cent OF it, to the men, OF their heirs,
who paid it into the county treasures
nearly thirty years ago. Who they were
is not difficult of aScertainment The
tax duplicates of the counties during
the period of direct taxation contain op-
posite the name of each taxpayer III a
separate column. under the caption
~. ). Tax" the amount levied on him.
The money should be refunded to the
counties, with authority to the county
auditors to pay it back to the persons
who paid it, or their heirs, on proof of
identity. Thus, and thus only, will
Justice be worked out of injustice, and
thus will the state of Minnesota absolve
herself from the stigma of retaining the
money OF others. Z. j. SMALLEY.