St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-04-14
SHOULD BE DEFEATED.
In Its Present Shape the Mining
Tax Bill Should Be Killed.

1t is altogether likely that Senator
Leavitts bill taxing mining products
will be reached on the senate calendar
to-day, and, decked out as it is, it may
stand show of becoming a law. The
bill as it is now on the calendar, is quite
different from the original measure, and
If passed may be the means of forcing
the most dangerous method of taxation
possible upon the people of this
state. The bill, as introduced by
Senator Leavitt, aimed to repeal
the law under which the mining
companies of the state pay certain
sum per ton on all ore mined and
shipped. On iron ore this is now, under
the law of 1881, one cent per ton. The
constitution of the state distinctly pro-
vides that all taxation shall be upon a
cash valuation, thus making the law OF
1881 clearly unconstitutional, as no
one pretends to say that per ton tax is
one levied upon cash valuation.
When this measure went into com.
mlttee OF the whole it was amended and
changed entirely. Instead of coming
out measure to repeal an unjust and
unconstitutional law, it appears SIM
ply as an amendment to the old meas
ure, increasing the tax to three cents
per ton.
II the old law is unconstitutional,
what is this amendment
True, the tax is raised to three cents
per ton, but it will be easy for the min
ing companies to report One-third as
many tons as are actually mined and
shipped, and if this scheme fails and
the tax proves OnerOuS. all the mining
corporations have to do is to appeal to
the courts and have the law declared
null and void. And this is exactly what
they will do in case the per ton tax
amounts to more than tax on the cash
valuation would.
There is strong opposition to the bill
among those senators who believe in
equal taxation, and it is exceedingly
doubtful if the gilded bait is swallowed.
Senators LeaYitt, McHale and Hompe,
who have vigorously opposed the
amendment of the old law, and insisted
on the passage of the original Leayitt
bill are still holding their ground, real
izing that the only way to ever estab-
lish equality of taxation is to defeat
this bill.
Another point to be considered is the
disposition of the three cents per ton
tax. The bill as amended makes no
disposition of the money realized in
this way. The present law gives half
cent each to the state and ST. Louis
county. This still stands, the new bill
making no provision for the additional
two cents per ton. This could be recti.
fled by amendment, were it not for the
fact that the bill is past that
stage, and can now only be
changed by unanimous consent
which it will be absolutely impossible
for any one to get. The farmers in the
senate should vote sOlidIy against this
measure unless Senator LOmmen's
amendment fixing the farmers taxes at
half-cent per bushel on all wheat
raised and shipped out of the state is
also adopted.
This latter proposition has more
reason for its appearance than the pres
ent law taxing mining products. The
dividends of the iron companies show
that that business is prospecting, while
the farm mortgages show that farming
is not paying.
Who should be given special favors in
the way of exemption from taxation,
the poor struggling farmer or the
bloated mine owner?