Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1900-07-13
A WEEK Of.
GREAT EVENTS
THE KANSAS CITY CONVENTION THE
GREATEST IN THE PARTY'S
HISTORY.


Railrosd Commission Declares the Sale
of the St. Paul and Duluth Votd-More
Involved of a Public Nature Than the
Railroads Care to Have the Public
observation-disclosures Political Com
ment Covering the Events of an Inter-
esting Week.
Reform Press Bureau.
St. Paul. July 9, 1900.
It is impossible to give anything like
a reliable forecast of the work of the
Kansas City convention. Suffice it to
say that the convention was the largest
and most enthusiastic of any ever held
under the auspices of the Democratic
party. This augurs immensely for sue
cess, not only in the nation but in Min
nesota all along the line.
With united party, with Bryan as
the matchless standard bearer, with is
sues that stir men 8 hearts and with a
cause that is righteous and just, how
can we fail!
When Governor Lind, some weeks
ago, reminded the Republican secretary
Of state that by doing his full duty in
the enforcement Of the Somerville law
the state treasury would be enriched
many thousands of dollars he did that
which cannot fail to rebound to his ma.
terial advantage when he comes to
seek the suffrages Of the people at the
polls this fall. To be sure the secretary
WINGED and said he could not see
wherein it was any of the governors
business to be pointing out his plain
duty and bidding him perform it, but
what Of that! The governor saw that
the law wasn't being enforced, that the
state was being deprived of money that
was justly it's due, and as long as the
secretary didn't know enough to act
for himself, the people are not going to
blame Governor Lind for coming to his
rescue, even if it did involve an exer-
else Of authority not strictly within his
province. On the contrary, they will
reward him as a servant, who, like the
man who carried the message to Garcia,
doesn't need to be told what to do, but
goes ahead and does it.
Now comes another matter in which
Governor Lind does credit to himself by
performing an act, not necessarily with
in his province, but nevertheless Of
great importance to the state.
The Standard Oil company is a cor
poration, incorporated under the laws
of this state, and having general Offices
in the city Of Minneapolis. In COM
munication addressed to the Hennepin
county assessor Governor Lind points
out that this corporation has stated
capital of $4,000 and is as clearly sub
ject to taxation as any other corporation
in Hennepin county, Notwithstanding
the fact that it has escaped such tax
alton during all the years in which it
has been reaping profits from a mon
opoly of the business of this state. To
assist the assessor i'll reaching proper
valuation the governor says: Under
the provisions of the Standard Oil trust
it appears that one Of the terms of the
4; agreement was that corporations, to be
called the Standard Oil company of the
state in which they Incorporated, should
be incorporated from time to time in
the several states Of the Union
as the trustees might direct and
as the business interests Of the trust
might suggest; that the capitalization
of the state corporation should be the
equivalent of it's property and instru-
mentalities for carrying on business in
the state; and that SO soon as the new
corporation was incorporated, pursuant
to this agreement, the stock of the cor
poration in excess of the number of
shares equal to the number of directors
of the corporation should be transferred
to the trustees of the Standard Oil
trust W no would issue in lieu thereof
trust certificates for the face value of
the shares 90 deposited. These trust
certificates. it appears, are now quoted
ut from three to five times their face
value.' ':.:
Now, if the Hennepin assessor will
only follow the governors suggestion
and enter up for taxation, at q fair val
uation, the property of this grasping
institution the gain to the state will
w CnOA AOu6S AVA uAOVA A0SVAt
ruling of the United States supreme
! court the assessor can and should enter
up the property for at least six years OF
the time during which it has been de-
linquent.
In this connection it might be inter-
esting to note that Governor Lind ad'
dressed his letter to the Hennepin as
SCISSOR on the very day that the Repub'
lcan convention nominated for the i'm
| portant Office of railroad commissioner
one of the Standard Oil company
hired men at Two Harbors.
Some statesmen there are, some pol
iticians, whose influence ceases the
moment they retire from active public
service. Not 60 with Tom Reed From
his lawyers Office in New York he con
tinues to express himself on all public
questions, and it is remarkable to oh
! NJ