The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1895-04-05
I'D all important bill this morn.

~ ~ W. SOAOA "a lows
OF 1851, extra session, relating
> to the taxation of mineral ores,
and was introdced by Mr.. Reeves
OF Pope. Tn the law of 1881, the
legislature decided to levy a
specific tax of l cent o ton on
the iron ore output o. the state
and according to the last bien-
nial message of the governor,
the revenue derived from this
source last year was $4,000. The
friends of the Reeves bills think
that the amount of money re.
ceived from this specific tax
does not harmonize with the
claims of St. Louis county that
the greater part of the natural
wealth of the state lies within
her borders. In other words,
there exists something of a sus.
picion that the $e, GOO tax is not
proportionate to the amount of
capital invested in the business
Beyond all of which is this ad.
ditional point, that the law pass.
ed in 1881 is clearly unconstitu-
tional in that 1t provides a spec-
itic instead Of an ad valorem tax.
The point that the gross earn
in:s tax is unconstitutional for a
similar reason is not we'll taken,
for the people of the state so
amended the constitution as to
make an exception in the case of
the railroads. Mr.. Reeves is one
of the brightest lawyers in the
Legislature and has given this
subject much careful study. The
tax committee indorses his bill.
H, F. 851, unanimously and Of.
fcrs the following words to Sec.
tion one by way Of amendment:
Provided, that the property
specified in said chapter 81 shall
be hereafter assessed and taxed
as other property is now assess
sed and taxed as provided by
law"
The bill will doubtless go
through the house. If it fails in
the senate it will be because of
the lateEesS Of the session.
Duluth and tho Ranges Against It..
Senator Spencer. of Duluth,
says that the iroa country will
not favor the Reeves house
bill which contemplates q repeal
OF the 1881 law, levying a tax of
enc cent q ton O.. the output Of
the mines.
I'VE think up our way" said
be to The Journal, That we
should let we'll enough alone.
The 1881 law hos been, so far as
know, satisfactory to every
body, and has not worked any
injustice to the state. I will Ger
tainly oppose the bill if it should
reach the senate"
It is understood that the Du-
luth members in the house viii
oppose the bill.--Journal.
They Do Tell.
That Tuesday was election day
in Virginia.
! That there were many candi-
dates and Office seekers abroad
! in the city.
: That each and every of them
cast about for millions of votes,
and that the number cast for
some was in excess and for 9TH
ers below,xll llectant anticipations
! That the election was conduct
cd under the Australian system,
and that those who shed their
inalicnable rights were given a
fair ballot and an honest count.
That in some instances where
two or more aspirants were run.
ming for the same office, all of
them did not get there; the fail
ure to obtain a sufficient number
of votes is assigned as the pri.
mary cause.
That so far as ascertained all
candidates without opponents
were elected by majorities large
enough to preclude any possibil-
ity of successful contest
That the first city officers elect
of the City of Virginia are the
acknowledged choice Of the
greatest number of voters of the
city, and that this is a country
where majority rules.
That the upbuilding and pros
perity of Virginia depends great.
ly upon the united action and
harmonious work of all it's peo-
pie, and now that election is over
it becomes the duty of every cit
izen to whip into line for the
} general good.
That Virginia is not only the
} first and greatest city on the
range, but that her light bids