The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-02-05
FOSS FLOORED AGAIN.
His Inheritance Tax Bill Is De
feated in Committee.

feated in Committee.
Certainly, Representative Louis o.
Foss, hailing from Wendell, in the
county of Grant has troubles Of his
own and to spare. Somehow or other
his bills all go wrong. They, for the
most part, refer to or have to do with
matters in which the people are inter
ested, but for some reason an unfeel-
ing committee or some member who
possibly does not understand it's pro-
visions, throws cold water on a bill as
soon as a chance is presented.
His Morbid Sentimentality" bill, his
tramp" act and other bills, are all fa-
m1l1ar to even the spectators in the
house. When he took the lead in op-
position to the bicycle path measure,
he was Joined by Jacobson and other
valiant supporters, else he would have
run the risk Of being encircled by the
sacred GORDON which he so much
dreaded. Now comes his tax on in
heritance" bill. Even the aid of such
prominent members as jacobson,
Reeves, Douglas ct al. will probably
not avail in the case of this measure
The bill, which provides for a gradu-
ated and progressive tax on inherit
arces, requests, devises, gifts, etc., was
sent to the committee on taxes and
tax laws. 1t is the same bill which the
Grant county bicycle opposer put in
two years ago. Lately, it was taken
up by the committee, and Foss was
heard on it. He enlisted the aid Of
Mr.. jacobson, and, when an informal
ballot was taken, the committee was
evidently divided. Here Foss first
weakened. He asked, if there was
any doubt, to have a subcommittee ap-
pointed. This was done Messrs. ia
cobson, Laing and Anderson being
chosen. One thing the committee in
o. m Ia<xx
mittee was that the tax should be
made to apply only to personal and
not real property. This was agreed
upon. When the bill came back to the
committee again, it was found to have
been changed to include both real and
personal property. The committee
kicked, and Mr.. Jacobson threatened
a minority report. Foss gasped again.
He had not yet had a bill favorably
acted upon. What was the matter?
He mad perhaps not explained them
clearly enough. He would do that
he spoke again, and concluded with
the pathetic plea that, if the commit
tee could not report it for passage,
please report it without comment.
Representatives Myers and Hartshorn
opposed the bill, and the latter moved
to report for indefinite postponement.
There were twelve members of the
committee present, eight of whom
voted in favor Of the motion. The
other four were Messrs. Jacobson, An
derson, Douglas and Reeves. The mi
nCrity report submitted by these was
also signed later by Messrs. Donnelly
and Torson, not present at the meet
Ing at all. Representative Smith, of
Hennepin, the chairman of the com
m1ttee, submitted both the, majority
and minority reports yesterday, and
stated gracefully that, while he moved
the adoption of the former, he was not
unwilling to have both go to general
orders, there to be discussed. This
disposition was made Of the matter,
anG the wise ones say that House File
4, providing for a graduated and pro
gressive tax on inheritances, etc., will
be added to the long list Of doomed
bills introduced by Representative
Louis Q. Foss, Of Wendell, in the coun-
ty of Grant