Little Falls weekly transcript. (Little Falls, Morrison Co., Minn.) 1894-19??, 1898-11-04

The effort is being made in this
district to make the Anderson
bill one of the issues of the cam
paign, and as far as we know it is
the only district in this state
where that bill is regarded as a
political issue at this time. The
Royalton Banner was energetic in
trying to make that bill. an issue
during the campaign for the sena-
torial nomination, but it was a
dismal failure, and the frantic eff.
forts made by that paper to excite
prejudice against Fuller because
of his attitude on that bill in 1896
had no apparent effect. The men
who opposed Fuller's nomination
this year would have opposed him
if he had voted the other way on
the bill, or if there had never
been such u bill under considera.
ton. But the Buchanan papers
take such an interest in the bill,
without even stating what the bill
is likely to accomplish, if it ever
accomplishes anything, that the
people should know just what the
facts are.
The Anderson bill proposed to
make certain changes IN the laws
and contracts under which rail.
roads are taxed in Minnesota.
Under laws and contracts made
over thirty years ago the railroads
have been paying 3 per cent of
their gross earnings into the state
treasury in lieu of all other taxa.
ton on the property necessary to
the operation o. the road and on
the land.grsnt lands given to the
roads to secure their construction.
Under these contracts and laws
the railroad companies pay The
state of Minnesota over 81, 000, 900
year. This is the largest item Of
income in the states resources.
1t brings into the state treasury
more monsy than is received by
the state from direct taxes. It is a
constantly increasing item as the
business Of the railroads increases
The Anderson bill proposed to
change the laws and contracts so
that the land. grant lands should
be taxed in addition to the 8 pei
cent tax on gross earnings. II
was an effort to break an agree
ment under which the state is re-
ceiving over $1,000, 900 for the
sake of taxing for a short time the
comparatively small amount Of
railroad land remaining in the
hands of the railroad companies.
The total amount of land granted
the railroad Companies in Mime
sofa was 13, 100000 acres, of this
amount but little more than 1900.
900 remains in the hands Of the
companies. Over II, 000,00 acres
have been sold, are owned by pri.
vate parties, and are no longer
under the influence of the con
ira cts between the railroads and
the state, by which the taxes on
railroad property necessary for the
operation Of the road and the
Immigrant lands were paid by 3
per cent of all the railroad com.
panies' earnings. The PROPOSE
ton to change the contract re-
garding the taxation of the
Immigrant lands, and thus en-
danger the standing of the whole
contract providing for the pay.
ment to the state of the 3 per
cent, was as dangerous as a propo.
sition to provide for some new
method to tax depots, or freight
cars, or sidetracks, or any other
property upon which taxes were
paid under the contracts by the
3 per per cent gross earnings.
The people are unanimously in
favor Of retaining the 3 per cent
tax on gross earnings. The
richer railroads in the southern
part of the state had sold practi-
cally all their railroad lands, and
were perfectly willing that the
state should now break the old