St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-07-19
CITY ASSESSOR PLUMBERS
SCHEME TO TAX CORPORATE
FRANCHISES.
AFTER THE BIG CONCERNS.
THE STREET RAILWAY FRAN.
CHISE PLACED AT $780,
600.
WANT THE. BRACKETT SITE
The c. and c. Board Disposed ia
Settle for the City Hospi-
tai.

The city board of equalization yes
terday listened TO a lengthy speech
by City Assessor Plummer relative
to the taxing OF franchises. The
city attorney was present prepared
to shed light on the legal status
OF the discussion, and a number of
well-known citizens and attorneys
/ were also very much in evidence.
/ Among the gentlemen who are deep
/ " interested in the assessors little
! plan We're c. G. Goodrich. of the
! Twin City Rapid Transit company:
/ A B Jackson, representing the Min
I neapolis Gas company; John R. Van
/ Derlip and James 5. Porteous, repre-
senting the International Electric
I company; Maj. W. D. Hale, N. z.
] Hawley and a. N. Robertson, OF the
! General Electric company.
Mr.. Plummer was the orator of the
/ day and the merits OF the case were
! not discussed, the attorneys evil
/ IDENTIFY being on hand to secure a few
/ pointers before taking q stand.
J After an unsuccessful attempt on
/ the part OF the assessor to have all
objections withdrawn TO his valua-
I ton Of franchises, AIr. Goodrich was
heard in defense OF his company
/ rights. The street railway company,
he said, paid q car tax Of IS. 600 Der
( year, which amounted TO a virtual
tax on the company's franchise. and
in his opinion any additional assess
ment was unfair. His company
would notobject to a SO. 600 on $50
eco assessment. but if il should be
increased TO $500, 600, as proposed by
the assessor, a protest would be en-
tered.
City Assessor PIummer then read
his address. He said in part:
Like all new departures in taxation
this matter has provoked lively oppo-
! siuon- For illustration. a few years
since. when il was first proposed TO tax
logs in this city, we were assured that
such a measure, successfully carried
out. would drive every mill from the
river. Nevertheless. logs were and are
/ equitably assessed, while the number
| and capacity Of the mills has doubled
/ able and equitable assessment of the
! -four mills we were told by some Of thu
I nilleTs that the modern system OF mill
/ ing and a financial system peculiarly
their own made it possible TO manu-
facture flour without owning either
money or wheat. We are assessing
them on a uniform basis that treats
them all alike. And when il was pro
posed TO tax wheat in elevators, We
| were assured that wheat was a sacred
] commodity, from which the hand c.
the assessor must be kept of. ant
through the ingenious wheat certilt
cate they succeeded in evading almos
wholly said tax. They were then re
quired 10 comply strictly with the Law
and make their returns as corpora
tons. They coolly ignored the reques
and refused TO obey the law, until thi
board called them before il and in
sisted upon their compliance with tn
reasonable requirements of the law
These gentlemen were so incensed tina
they demanded Of the board 10 know
. how long they were 70 be annoyed wit
( notices from the assessor. and VIII,
the valuable time OF business mel
, should be spent in futile visits 10 III
sessions OF this board. They We're yer
promptly assured that Just as long a
, they failed TO performe their duties IN
der the law just so long would the an
nOyance they complained OF continue
They now make these returns wit
the result OF a material addition eacl
year 10 the assessment rolls. The LOAF
and savings associations were perhap
the most strenuous in their oppositio1
J TO being fairly assessed. taking thei
case TO the courts, where up TO tn
present time they have met defeat.
Coming TO the question at issue, tn
! right 10 assess a franchise, ii woul
seem 10 me that there can be no sue
cessfuI defense TO that issue. The Law
in chapter 8, section Il. paragraph
in which reference is made to Atto1
hey. Childs' digest. plainly reads: ''Th
| capital stock and franchises OF col
porations and persons. except as other
i,wise provided, shall be listed an
taxed, etc, etc. What is a franchise
Webster says il is q. particular priv
lege granted by q sovereign or govern
menI to individuals. The franchises /
, | question have been granted by our cit
government and are clearly within IN
! definition as given. and should be as
sessed as other property is assessed
The only problem that confronts an
> has confronted the assessor in thi
matter is the measure OF value. Tn
question may be fairly asked. VIII
have they escaped until this time? VIII
have you not put them on the rolls be
fore? My reply is simply this: I ha
no measure OF value, and the compa
MES did not furnish ne with any
Why do you make this innovation
now? Information given by some o
these companies makes II inperatfv
! upon me TO fulfill my obligations IN
der the law, to say nothing of the de
/ mands constantly being made by tn
taxpayers OF all grades of intelligence
One of the newspapers says il is boil
move. Gentlemen, it would be a niue
. holder move On my part 10 longer ig
more it
Mr.. Plummer had considerable TO sd,
| in regard to the companies affected b.
{ the assessments. He took the Genera
: Electric company 10 task first for dere
! diction, after which he remarked tina
j | the a. D. 7. company should have II
! franchise represented on the assess
nent roll.
The street railway company he ha
| arbitrarily assessed at 1853. 525. TIL
r | Minneapolis Gas company, he stated
| had made a return of Sll5.S3S. but n
. ! had revised the figures and made tn
total $3.50. coo.
CITY HOSPITAL AGAIN.
J The New c. and C. Board Incline
: Toward the BrneI>ett Site.
Yesterday AFTERNOON the new boar
: | of correction and charities VreSrlz