St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-03-15
TO BIZ. or NOT TO BE.
The Markham Eili Talked Up an(
Down. and More TO Come.

The Markham Hili Talked UD ana
Down. and More TO Come.
The Markham railroad taxation bill
was the special order before the sena-
torial committee of the whole yesterday
afternoon, and Senator Stevens occu-
pied the chair. Senator McHale's
amendment was reported Immediately
upon Senator Day moving to recon-
mend the passage of the bill. Then
Senator McHale offered fur
Their amendment striking out
= portion of section ,, and he explained
that his purpose was 10 further protect
against the possibility or repeating the
gross earnings law. Senator IaWney
dld not favor the amendment lie
doubted the effect. and held that 1t left
the language Il little ambi uous. and
he thought it would attack the validity
of the bill. \ technical discussion then
snsued between the senators from Scott
and Ninona. They differed upon the
construction of the sentence. but each
seemed earnest in the desire to perpetu-
ate tie gross earnings system. 1hen
Senator Stevens came to the aid, ana
The language was finally fixed upon
with mutual satisfaction.
Senator Stevens asked TO present an
amendment, and he pTefaced the same
with an elaborate speech. lie conceded
the rights Of certain counties crying Tor
relief from the injustice imposed
by The present tay law. lie charged
that. in his opinion. the bill III us
original form attacked the gross
earnings system, and he resolved TO OPP
pose the bill. The supreme court or
the United States, in the Pullman case.
passed upon The very point in question.
The court ruled that a tax upon the
gross earnings was invalid. and he IN
sisted that the language in the case III
question was identical as i'll the present
bill.
Senator Probstfield protested against
TiHkering the Bill
md he urged that the bill read that the
gross earnings shall be paid in the
ZANE manner as now provided by law"
senator Stevens replied that manner
means the method OF paying. In other
words, the manner is u 20 to the state
treasury Office and pay the tax.
Senator Donnellv called attention TO
the danger that the bill was falling
into. 1t should be specifically men
toned that the same amount as now
paid shall be paid upon the gloss earn
ings. Still he would vote against all
amendments, for he would rot aid III
sending the bill back to the house with
amendments TO concur in.
Senator Eaton offered an amendment
providing that the railway companies
pay tax upon gross earnings IN the
same manner and upon the same basis
as now provided by law. Senator Taw-
ney did not object to the amendment,
ha
the language added to the bill. The
amendment was lost
Senator Tawney reiterated that the
present law provides gross earnings
lax is paid in lieu of all other taxes,
and it is now proposed to tax both the
lands and the gross earnings. And the
guibbling upon the language was con-
tinued at great length. All amendments
were voted down, and Senator Hammer
took the floor to oppose the bill. He re-
ferred to the bill Of 1891 as diabOlical
attempt TO rob the state Of the gross
earnings tax and to fix small license,
but the people stamped the act with
their condemnation, he said.
Senator TaWHey desired to discuss the
legal phases of the measure. lie sub
miGted that it is unfortunate for the bill
that the senior lawyers Of the senate
had opposed the bill until legal Objec-
lions had been raised embarrassing the
speaker because OF the respect III which
he held his confreres Oh the Judiciary
committee.
Senator H'ayney WaXed Eloquent
as he proceeded, and it was his grand
est effort of the session. He was graft
fed by the consensus OF opinion thai
he ttuhtits i'll " hith the vast areas OF