The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-03-02

Hard to Send 1t to Committee.
The Somerville bill, IS. F. go, pass
ed the house yesterday by a vote of
81 to 46 votes. after four hours had
been devoted to Offering amendments
and discussion as to its provisions. The
lawyers in the house insisted that the
measure was badly drawn. other mem
bers that 1t would effect the discount
ing and re-discounting Of paper at the
banks. and that It's provisions were
such corporations with unlimited capt.
tai could come into the state and do
business without paying a cent Of fees.
In spite of these objections, however,
the friends of the bill rallied to it's sup
port and pushed it through. To clinch
the matter a motion to reconsider was
made and laid on the table and all that
now remains for the measure to become
a law is the signature of the governor
The bill was made a special order for
1880 o'clock and Mr.. Larson (Rep), of
Redwood. who had charge of the meas
ure in the house, opened the discussion,
arguing that the bill simply placed
foreign CORPORATIONS on an equal foot
ing with domestic ones. In Minnesota
domestic corporations were taxed and
the foreign ones not. Illinois, New York,
Tennessee, Michigan and the Dakotas
had similar laws. The manufacturing
and corporate interests demanded the
passage of the bill.
Mr.. DwinneI (Rep0, Of Hennepin, re-
allied that it was not popular to OPP
pose a bill of this kind. The popular
thing to do whenever a corporation
head was in sight was to hit It, He was
In favor of giving the corporations fair
play as long as they recognized
the law The amount of money which
would come into the treasury under the
bill was about $4,000, of which $4,000
would be paid by railroad4corporation
There was not one state in the union
that had a law such as athe one pro-
posed. The only argument advanced
was that other states had passed such
a law. The result woulds be that there
would be retaliatory legislation and
Minnesota would start a. plan without
knowing where it would end.
The principal injury to the state was
the clause which required banks out
side the state to Incorporate and APP
point an agent. The Eastern banks
in the fall of each year advanced about
$15,000,000 to move crops None of these
institutions would bother with the
paper under the provisions of the bill,
and it would result in the commerce
of the state being crippled.
Mr. jacobson (Rep), of Lac qui Parle,
said it was we'll known fact that
when corpora tons doing. business in
the state and the Twin Cities organic
ed, they went outside the state in order
to escape the paying Of the incorpora-
ton fee. The member from Hennepin
talked about dealing fairly with the
corporations. Were the corporations
dealing fairly with the state? The street
railway company of the Twin Cities
to save the payment of fees under the
law of the state went to New Jersey
and organized, though all the business
done by the company was in the state
of Minnesota Another large lumber
corporation doing business in this state
with a capital stock of $40, 00O,00O went
across the line and organized in order
to save a fee Of $4,000, simply because
in the other state no fee was required.
STIvERS' AMENDMENT.
Mr. Stivers Oem), of Grow Wing,
offered an amendment, which provided
that-the act should not apply to any
railroad company which had entered
the state and built. purchased and
operated railroads, and that the act
should not apply to any foreign corr
poration which came into the state
with lawful authority. prior to the pas
sage of the law of 1889, which taxed
domestic corporations.
Mr.. Grondahl (Rep.), Of Godhue, ia
vored the bill He had mailed a copy
of the bill tc the leading bankers of
his city several days ago and had heard
no opposition from them. The claim Of
the member from Hennepin that the
bill would prevent business between
banks OF this state and other states
was foolish.
Mr.. Winston Oem.), Of Hennepin,
had a lengthy communication from a
Minneapolis banker read opposing the
bill
Mr. Deming Rep.), Of Hennepin, Of
fered an amendment excepting from
the provisions of the bill corporations
engaged in the business of loaning mon
ey or investing In securities In the
state.
Mr. Stivers Oem.), of Crow Wing,
argued in favor of railroad corporations
which had come into the state before
the passage of the law of 1889 being
exempted. He was willing that those
which entered after that time or had
increased capital stock should pay the
fees.
Mr.. Dunn wanted the bill sent to the
Judiciary committee, and pointed out
that by the repeal of the law of 1895
and the exemption mentioned in the
not be required to have any agent in
the state.
Mr.. Riley Rep), of Jackson, favored
the bill, but was fearful that the dan
ger about Eastern banks not being al
lowed to do business under it would
prevent his voting for 1t.
FOSNES CITES AUTHORITIES.
The noon recess at 1890 interrupted
the discussion, and a motion to refer
to the judiciary committee was with
drawn by the statement from Mr.. Lar
son that at the afternoon session the
points made by those opposed to the
bill would be explained.
Mr.. Fosnes Onion), of Chippewa,
opened the afternoon session by cit
ing decisions Of the United States cir
cult court to the effect that the pro-
visions of the bill would not affect the
rediscounting of bank paper, brought
up by Mr.. Dwinnell. : He was not in
favor of imposing on foreign corpora
lions, but wanted them to pay their
share. At least one-fourth of the time
of the courts of the state was taken
up by suits brought bysor against for
eign corporations. For this reason
they should pay part of the expenses.
One of the best features Of the bill was
that 1t would place the foreign corpora
tions where they would have to answer
to the state courts. The gentleman from
Hennepin had stated the revenue from
the bill would be about $50, 900. He had
been Informed that ttgwonld be nearer
$4000 900.
Mr.. Morris Rep), of Hennepin, held
that the passage of 1.-THE bill would In
crease the amount to be paid by in