Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1895-03-08

That gross earnings tax relates, as stated
in this book. to earnings by that company
for the year ending June, 1898. 1t you
will turn to page BIZ Of this same book you
will find what the gross earnings of the
Northern Pacific railroad were for the year
1894 as follows: $2,065 224.6S.
II the man who was lobbying for this
bill desires that you should vote intelli-
gently upon this question; if he had the
best interests of the state at heart instead
of that of the railroad companies, why did
and p so s4,SoS s5,$s 49, but puth in 1871 SSST the b BOOK Ssk also 50
shows on page 317 that it was 100000, less
than the statement shows; and why does
he not say in his report that the tax
would be more than $4,000 short of the
amount no pits forth in this statement.
We will take another one, In this state
the Milwaukee railroad was $678, 1884!
A few minutes ago l was in the auditors
Office, and there met n OF your members,
and to him l showed the sworn statement
Of the Chicago & Milwaukee road, II
which controls their gross earnings for the
coming year, and l ask you now, DR.. Nc
Lachlan, to tell this house what you found
those figures to be.
DIR. McLachlan-I fould the figures to
correspond with those given on page 81 of
the commissioners report, $4,000.
Was that intended to deceive? Was that
lGcu Cile on winch you SnOulO
base a vote in this house?
Are you here to be influenced by state.
ments of this kind, when in your own state
auditors office is shown a statement of the
facts?
Railroad companies, under the PROVISIONS
of this bill and under any other gross earn
ings law, base the amount of tax to be COL
ected on q wOrn statement of a hired
man, who keeus books 500 miles away
from your capital, and by his statement
you collect the tax.
There is no provision in the Law which
provides that they shall keep gross earn
ings separate and apart in a book where it
for anything except that the company shall
render a statement under oath. The man
who renders that statement under oath is
an emplOye whose job depends upon his
doing the will of his employer. Would
they allow your hired man 10 give in a
statement OF your property and swear to it
when you were present, and let you go?
affidavit of the property on which you
were assessed? And the same will apply
to every member of this house.
Because the railroad lobby lists put forth
such literature as this shall railroads be al
lowed to escape taxation, and because re-
ports are made saying there is no law for
the taxation OF railroads?
Allow me to say. gentlemen. there is a
law for the taxation of railroads and the
man who slipped through this house the
provision which repealed that direct taxa
ton law failed in his object, because it was
discovered before it passed the senate and
there was put back upon the statute books.
The speaker continued his remarks
about 80 minutes, giving figures and facts
on the line of the editorials heretofore pub
lished in the TIRE JUNE.
Mr.. SIMPSON, in replying. ridiculed be-
cause of an alleged change of mind, claim
ing that, as a member of the constitutional
convention, Mr.. Stevens had been one of
the strongest advocates of the gross earn
ings system. lie said there were two
classes of farmers--one who farms the
farm, and another who farms the farmer
and alleged that both he and MIR. Stevens
belonged to the latter class. He alleged
that unless this bill was passed there would
be no law for the taxation OF railroads, and
insisted that the gross earnings system
| would make the cattle of Montana and the
and Montana. and the products Of China
Japan n the western world pay tribute
to North Dakota, while there will be a re-
duction from use in the value Of the prop
erty. He claimed the error in the circular
referred to by Mr.. Stevens was an error Of
the stenographer-not an intentional error
to miSlead.
Mr.. HODGSON read a telegram from
Madison. Wis.,, which shows that the rail-
| roads have %purpOsely mis- their gross
earnings in order to defeat taxes.
Mr.. MCLACHLAN demanded to know
by what authority the judiciary committee
stated the railroads W. re ready to accept
the gross earnings system.
Mr.. SIMPSON replied that their repre-
sentatives had so stated to the committee.
Mr.. WINEMAN called attention to the
working OF the gross earnings system III
Mr.: H0DGsoN claimed that the North
ern Pacific paid more tax IN ten miles in
Sargent county on the direct tax system
than thco other roads on ninety miles.
APPROVED BY THE GOVERNOR.
bie's for health aud decency in school dis
trlctS.
Adjourned till 10 a. m. today.
CAPITOL NOTES.
Mr.. Lambs maximum coal rates was de-
! ferred until today.
DR.. w. A. Bentley was extended the
courtesies Of the floor.
The gross earnings repeal reached the
governor at 2 p. m, March g..
Mrs. John Russell of Valley City, is WIS.,
iting Miss Bates at the capitol.
Walter Hancock of Fargo, was granted
the courtesies of the floor in the house.
Mrs. Senator Rourke and Miss Devine
left for Lisbon on the train going east this
morning.
The senate has inserted the old law for
the direct tax Of railroads into the code:
al5o Mr.. Little's revenue bill, substantially
the Minnesota law, which removes many
of the Inconsistencies Of the present law.
Mr.. Logan's amendment, reducing the
salaries Of state officers, was indefinitely
postponed.
Lieut.. George II. Morgan, U. S. A, left
for his home at Minneapolis this morning.
| Mrs. Morgan remains over Sunday with
her mother, Mrs. Col. Lounsberry.
The total number of bills introduced in
the house is 1870. OF these liz passed and
68 failed in the house. Yesterday morning
s. renamed in the senate for considera-
ton.
A typographical error appeared in the
TRIBUNE in its paragraph as to the time
the governor received and returned Par
kin's Senate bill No. so. The facts are he
received it at 4:25 p. M. Friday, and re-
turned it at + p. m. Tuesday. according to
the book kept in the governors Office.
sIXTIETH DAY.
SENATE