The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1898-10-27
Why the Lands Were Not Listed.

why the Lands Were Not Listed.
Here are my reasons for not listing the
lands for taxation:
First-The question Of whether any of
the unused railroad lands are subject to
taxation has not been finally adjudicated
by the courts. An appeal has been taken
to the supreme courts, and the matter Is
still pending. Only one railroad company
has accepted the decision Of the supreme
court of our state as final, VIZ. the Wis
consln, Minnesota & Pacific (now the Min
neapolls & st. Louis). That company has
paid so per cent Of the taxes due on it's
unused lands and paid it under protest.
None of the other companies have paid a
dollar of taxes on their unused lands.
second-I do not feel disposed to saddle
an unn: cessary debt Of several thousand
dollars on the already overburdened tax
| payers Of Aitkin and Itasca counties
Were I to return the land to the auditors
Of these counties for taxation they would
be obliged to cumber their records at ad-
dit1onal expense to the county. OF course,
the lands would have to be assessed, and
the law requires the assessor to personally
visit each forty-acre tract, otherwise the
assessment would be, invalid. Then, Of
course, the taxes would not be paid and
would have to be entered upon the tax
Judgment book, at an additional expense
or 10 cents per description. Then the list
would he required to be published at an
other expense Of u or Is cents per descrip-
tion- We have estimated that the expense
to Atkin county alone for the first year
that these taxes became delinquent would
amount to over $1,000. Aitkin county at
present has an immense area of DELINQUENT
lands, lands that the owners refuse to
pay taxes on. 1t would be an injustice to
the taxpayers Of that county to saddle an
additional expense upon them. But, sup
posing the lands had been listed, assessed
and entered in the tax judgment book and
advertised for sale, who would purchase
them? l presume there are not to ex-
coed five or six forties in the entire list in
Altkin county worth the taxes to-day. Ger
tainly the Great Northern would refuse to
answer to the summons, and the lands
would revert to the state. And If any one
should bid In a forty at the tax sale. what
sort Of title would the purchaser obtain7
1t would not be worth the paper 1t was
written on.
Third-Before determining not to return
these lands to the county auditors Of Aitkin
and Itasca counties for taxation, I con-
suited with the county auditors, as well as
with some Of the heaviest taxpayers of
those counties, and they were unanimously
of the opinion that I should not list the
lands for taxation. The county auditor of
A1tkin county emphatically asserted that
he did not want me to list the lands under
the circumstances. and that If did return
them to him, he would not feel disposed to
put them on the tax lists.
Now, who is most interested in having
these lands listed for taxation? Is it not
the people Of Aitkfn and Itasca counties?
The average tax .*7vy in Itasca county Is
1921 mills and in Aitkin county 1876 mills.
The total state tax is fraction over three
mills. In Itasca county the states inter-
est is about LA of the whole and in Aitkin
county the states interest is about lib of
the whole. 1 submit, the people of Aitkin
and Itasca counties are the people most
interested. Have they, through their off,
Gals or their taxpayers, demanded that the
lands contained in this Bierman deed To-
Gated in their counties Should be listed for
taxation? Most emphatically no. stand
! ready now, and have been ready all tho
time, to list these lands for taxation If the
officials and taxpayers of those countieS
desire me to do so. But, will not return
an acre of those lands for taxation against
the express wishes of the taxpayers and
officials of those counties. When the mat
ter has been finally determined by the
courts that unused railroad lands are SUBJ
i ject to taxation, then there will be some
| reason for returning these lands for taxa
ton. Although even then, doubt the wis
dom or advisability of doing so, but until
such time the matter has been finally
adjudicated it would be an outrage on the
part of the state to attempt to saddle adj
ditional expenses upon these already over
burdened counties.
I hope have made my position clear. l
have nothing to conceal or to apologize for
In connection with this Bierman deed, and
am willing to stand or fall on my record
in this matter. If the taxpayers of Aitkin
and Itasca counties are Of the opinion that
I have done wrong, let them say so at the
polls on the 9Th day OF next November.
| In conclusion wish to say that I do not
seek newspaper notoriety. I make this
statement in response to the demands OF
my friends. who thoroughly understand the
whole situation, and feel, and have felt.
that In Justice to myself should make q
statement OF all tho facts In the case. =
/ -~.--- r.. G. Dunn,
| r. Sfafa Aldftor