The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-03-20
HOUSE DISAPPROvEs OF THE TON
AGE TAX AFTER LONG DE-
BATE.
LASTED ALL DAY YESTERDAY.
PONENTS HAD FIVE SPARE -.
VOTES.
ONE LAST EFFORT TO BE MADE.
Friends of the Measure still Have
Hopes OF Mastering Strength
to Carry 1t.

The Reeves bill, to tax mines and
mineral lands, which has had the care
full consideration of the house COM
mittee ON taxes and tax laws, which
has been opposed by the mining inter-
estS and which has been the exclusive
topic of discussion in the house since
Thursday afternoon, was killed yes
terday by an exceedingly close vote.
Coming up as a special order. close at
tention was paid to details, the ser
geant-at-arms was kept busy keeping
the attendance up to the limit, and
nearly every orator in the body and
some who are not orators were heard
either for or against the measure,
which is considered of more than pass
ing Importance, The debate on the
bill was thorough and was led for the
opposition by Representative Schmidt,
Of St. Louis county, while Mr.. Reeves,
after brief fight for his bill originally
Drawn with an 8-cent-a-ton tax, adopt
ed the Jacobson amendment, putting
the figure at cents, and, with Jacob
sons assistance, headed the supporters
Of the measure. The matter was talked
over completely and carefully and de-
day afternoon. The Reeves adherents
believe that they will yet be able to
secure the passage Of the bill and have
given notice of motion to reconsider.
When the journal Of the house for
the day before had been dispensed with
yesterday morning, Speaker Jones
yielded the chair to Representative
Snyder, and the special order on the
Reeves bill to tax minerals and min
eral lands was resumed. Almost the
first thing, when Mr.. Snyder had ex-
planned the amendments pending,
Messrs. Vail and Schmidt withdrew
their amendments substituting 8
and cents respectively for
Mr.. Reeves s cents per ton
tax under the provisions of the
bill. This left the house to fight it out
as between Reeves cents and Jacob
sons 5, after some time had been con-
sumed with a call of the house. Mr.
Abbott stood by the Reeves end of the
proposition and said he would vote
for the bill as it stood. He advocated
a trial Of the plan suggested, and OPP
posed the Jacobson amendment. Mr..
Donnelly urged that it was not a tax
but a royalty, which was being pro-
posed, and he considered cents not
a bit too much. He went over the
ground Of how this valuable iron and
timber land had been given over to
persons for the beggarly sum of l cent
ton. He asked for a division of the
question, so that the house might vote
first on the question Of striking out
the before inserting the Jacobson fig
ure..g 81 ..,. .-s ... @
Mr.. Jacobson felt that, while the one
cent tax was too low, as stated by Mr.
Donnelly. the state was making too big
a jump to go to eight cents. 1t would
be possible to close up the mines by a
prohibitive tax. but that would avail
nothing. The Reeves measure, he ar
gued, would bring the state 100000
additional revenue, while hts amend
ment would bring in some $4,000. Per
scnally, he might favor the Reeves
rate, but he considered his own amend
ment as being the fairest on all hands.
Judge Hicks reminded the house that
it must be borne in mind that Mime
sofa had to compete with other states
in the iron market, and that the tax
rate could easily be made too high.
Mr.. Staples opposed Mr.. Donnelly's
motion to divide the question on the
ground that to cut out the Reeves fig |
ure and leave the bill in it's entirety
might not receive a favorable vote
Mr.. Reeves rose and spoke at some |
length on the conditions which sur
rounded the whole matter of taxing |
iron mines and iron lands, and finally |
gave 1t as his opinion that, while he |
thought eight cents was not an unjust |
or improper tax, the best which could |
be accomplished at this session was |
the passage of a bill providing for |
five cent tax. He therefore felt con- |
strained to support the Jacobson |
amendment While on his feet Mr.. |
Reeves paid his respects to the mem
bers and others who had expressed |
wonder that q man coming from a rur-
al district surrounded by farms and |
pastures had interested himself in |
matter from so remote a part of the |
state. He decried this notion that leg |
islators should limit their efforts TO |
their own circumscribed territory, and |
urged all friends Of the bill to support |
the Jacobson five cent amendment
The house voted not to divide the |
question, and when the vote was taken |
on the amendment the vote stood 63 |
in favor and 4S against. The vote |
stood as follows:
Ayes
Basford, er-63, Poetz