The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-02-10
PLEA FOR FAIR PLAY
HON. J. b. COTTON DISCUSSES THU
REEVES BILL BEFORE COMMIT
TEE ON TAXES.
IN INTEREST OF THE MINES.
CLAIMS BILL SINGLES OUT MININ{s
INTERESTS TO WORK REFORM
UPON
I INTEREST OF THE MINES.
WHILE OTHERS ARE OVERLOOKED
And at the Same Time Are Reiu~
Taxed Much Less Than Iron
Properties.

The Reeves bill was given a. whfrl
last night before the house committee
on taxes and tax laws, when Joseph
Is. Cotton, an eX-member Of the house
and down here from Duluth in the in
terest of the Consolidated Mines, talked
against the measure for something over
two hours and submitted to terrific
cannonade of questions from the diff
ferent members. Every member Of the
committee, save Ignatius Donnally,
was present, as were also Speaker
Jones, Senators Greer and Sheehan,
Capt. Joseph Sellwood, Of the Mime
sofa Iron company; Hopewell Clarke
of the st. Paul & Duluth land depart
ment; W. j. Olcott an iron man; Chair
man Vail, of the house committee on
mines and mining, and other members
OF the house. AS a result of the even
ing's session it is safe to predict IT,
there will be some opposition to a
recommendation of the bill for passage
on the part of the committee When
Immediately after Mr.. Cotton had con-
cluded his remarks the committee went
into executive session, the author Of
the bill, Mr.. Reeves, wished a vote
taken without delay. In this he was
supported by Mr.. Meyers, of Hennepin;
Mr.. Anderson, of Chisago, and others.
Other members Of the committee OPP
posed any action until the committee
could consider the bill and the re-
marks made upon it's provisions at
greater length, and after a brief parley
it was decided to adjourn until 4
o'clock today when a vote will prob
ably be taken. 1t is known that there
is considerable diversity Of opinion on
the question Of recommending the bill
for passage but several of the gentle
men who oppose such a course said
last night that unless it should de-
velop the sentiment was divided nearly
equally, there would be no minority re-
port, but that the matter would be
fought when the measure came tG gen.
eral orders.
When the committee was called to
order by Chairman E. E. Smith. Mr..
Reeves submitted a substitute bill,
which he explained embraced
number Of minor amendments,
such as referring to di-
vision of the property mentioned, etc,
and which contained an additional sec
tion Numbered 10), which provides
that the state board Of assessors may
require officers, managers or agents Of
mining companies to attend the meet
ings of the board armed with their
books, and shall testify under oath to
facts about the business. property.
c1e dts, value Of property, etc, for re-
fusal to do which fine Of not less than
$500 is provided.
Mr.. Cotton, after explaining that ne
was talking to the bill, as originally
Endorsed, as he had not mad the OPP
no finn Nv 70 inc hn e-1Ih re
outlined in comprehensive fashion the
provisions of the measure as he under
stood them, and then proceeded to
make his case. The substance of MS
remarks was to the effect that the bill
singled out the mining industry to
work a reform upon, while it said moth
ing of the many other industries which
were at this time being taxed very
much less in proportion than were the
iron properties Of the state. He en-
larged on this and pointed out the ar
gumert, which has been printed in
the G o b e, that the people of st.
Ii us county resented the threatened
withdrawal Of their right to assess the
property in their own county by an
action of the legislature giving that
right to the state board of equaliza-
tiCn. Mr.. Cotton thought the st. Louis
county folks quite capable of doing
justice to the asse sSunent Of their mines,
and pointed out that they would see to
it, on their own account, that nobody
was subjected to an unfair or lower
valuation than was right. The present
law he considered quite adequate to
meet the present demands for reform.
A proper enforcement Of the law, in
stead Of a discriminating bill, would,
he thought, better meet the require
ments
The speaker showed himself possessed
of an unusual amount Of information
concerning mines, their valuations, cost
OF operating, railroad rates, and Fairly
daZZled his hearers with statistics in
tended to show that the mining inter
ests were at present being taxed great
ly in excess of the Touring or lumber
interests. A tonnage tax he consider
ed about the fairest way to get at
the mine owner in proportion to other
kinds of property, and allowed that
perhaps not to exceed ~ cents per ton
on the annual output would be an
equitable amount in lieu of all other
taxations. He drew, with considerable
detail, the comparison between the
assessed valuation Of the mining prop
erty on the Mesabe and Vermillion
ranges, at something near their actual
value and the assessed value for pur-
poses of taxation of the property Of
the jobbers, wholesalers and retailers
of, St. Paul, Minneapolis and Duluth.
He replied quite fully to leading ques-
tions put to him by such searching
cross-eXamirers as Representative
Jacobson, Reeves and Douglas, and
made a strong plea that the bill be
not forced on a community already
willing to pay it's just and full share
Of the taxes, If only allowed their SIM
pie rights in the premises.