The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-08-15
THE TONNAGE TAX FRAUD.

THE TONNAGE TAX FRAUD.
The tenderness of the Republican leg
islatures that have ruled the state, a
softness for all corporate interests,
that has increased with each succeed
ing session for the last twenty years,
is not more conspicuously shown than
in the enactment of the tonnage tax by
the legislature of 1895. 1t is but a
sample of many others, among which
may be mentioned the grain inspection
and elevator laws, the exemption Of
railway lands from taxation, the sur
reptitious remission of the taxes of the
old Chicago & ST. Paul road land grant
by the notorious House File 157, and
the petty tax of one cent ton on iron
ore. But, justified by the tacit assent of
the voters to these acts of tender re-
gard for the welfare of the wealthy
and strong, the. latest, most absurdly
unjust act of all was that which re-
leased all vessel property, except that
engaged in commerce within the state,
from all taxation save the petty burden
OF 3 cents ton of the vessels regis
tered tonnage
This act is lauded by Duluth nanars
the only port affected, as highly prop
er one because it has attracted to that
port for registry number ofeboats the
TACT that these boats will have painted
on their sterns "of Duluth. ~ and the,
consequent advertising of that town
oelng accepted as sufficient recon-
pense for the loss in taxes. One of
these, paper devoted to mining and
marine interests, says that twenty
ships have been registered at that MORT
under this act, and when vessel own
ers learn this fact doubtless many
others will take advantage of this very
low rate of taxation and haul Isle, their
fleets from this port" II notes that
the new Bessemer fleet of twelve
mammoth steel vessels, with an aggre-
gate tonnage of about $4,000 tons. will
De added to the list before the season
closes, making list of thirtv-nine
vessels, of $4,000 tons burthen "r1vo
years ago." it perorates. "the nama of
Duluth was never seen on the stern of
any steamboat, but within a year or
TWO 1t will be seen upon hundreds
Ihe feet of mammoth Bessemer
boats referred to are the pronartv of
the Rockefeller syndicate. which With
the minnesota Iron company, virtually
monopolizes the Bessemer ore minas of
the state, and is already ra1aasad
from all taxation, except l cent a +on
on the ore mined land shipped" Tf n
ne on the dump it is exempt. being
taxed only when it leaves the state T.
is true that this act has been declared
IN violation of the constitution nv the
attorney general, but we have NOT s;noa
hearo that the opinion was followed I'D
py either directing the local assessors
TO list the mining properties or hv tho
auditor Of the state in making the as
sessments himself.
The attorney general would douh+1ess
declare the tonnage tax act violation
OF the constitution, because Of the in
equality it creates and the distinction
1t makes between the same classes of
property, but his opinion has not been
officially asked, and the vessels hall
ing from Duluth, with valuation
mounting into the millions, help to
bear the burdens of the state to the
paltry sum of cents for each regis
tered ton. The twelve mammoth steel
vessels" of the Bessemer fleet, with
their $4,000 tons burthen, will contrib
ute to the state treasury the munificent
tax of $1,26O. There are questions of
reform of state matters sufficiently i'm
portant to absorb the attention of the
state committee and candidates. with
out allowing national questions to en-
gross them. Whatever line of cleavage
may run among Democrats on the lat
ter, none should be allowed to divide
them on the equally, if not more i'm
portant matter of cleaning off the bar
nacles Republican favoritism has per-
mitted to befoul the hull of the ship of
state.