The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-09-07

ing the discussion of the general gross
earnings bill, passed a bill through tho
senate imposing a per cent tax on that
company, but added a clause repeating
inc existing law for the taxation OF rail-
road lands. The latter feature of the
Dill was discovered in the house, and its
consequent speedy burial cut short its
mission OF senatorial usefulness. Had the
legislature adopted the legislation which
recommended, the increased revenue to
the state from those sources, together
with careful and frugal administra ton
would have enabled us to start on the
new century without being compelled to
ask the taxpayers of the state for one
cent Tor defrdying the ordinary expenses
OF the state government or maintaining
our state institutions; and l here ard
now pledge the people of the state of
minnesota that If they elect a house of
representatives that will carry out these
reforms ana induce the present RepuDli-
can senate to listen to the arguments of
reason, justice. patriotism and duty.
that after the laws thus enacted in ac-
cordance with my recommendations have
gone into effect the taxpayers of this
state will never again, under ordinary
circumstances, be called upon to pay one
cent of taxes for the support of the state
government, or for the maintenance of
state institutions.
CARE OF PUBLIC LANDS.
Another subject only second to that OF
taxation In Importance is the care and
administration of our public lands. Short
ly after our admission to the Union the
general government with a muniffcence
to the state Of Minnesota all the swamp
and over-fowed lands within cur bound
aries. This grant Will probably aggre-
gate not far from 100000 of acres when
the survey and the segregation of the
lands are completed. Had this bountiful
donation been huSbanded even with rea-
sonable care 1t would have proven ample
IN time not only to drain the large
bodies Of wet ard untillable land in the
northern part of our state but it wou Il
have contributed much to the maintenance
or our state institutions and our public
schools. But former legislatures and
executives. with a prodigality little less
than seandalous, have succeeded in fritz
terlng away more than 100000 acres of
that magnificent donation by grants to
railway companies for other schemes.
Upon entering into office I found litiga-
ton In progress between the state and
the Duluth & Iron Range Railroad ON
pany to test the validity of the grant to
that company embracing some sec, 0CO acres
OF land. The railroad had not been
putt upon the line or between the points
designated by the legislature nor had it
been completed within the time fixed bv
the granting act for its completion IN
tact, 1t was clear, and SO conceded on all
nandS, that had the state authorities TAX
en- advantage of this failure of the COM
pany to earn the grant according to it's
Terms in time, the state would not have
lost the land; but instead of that it ai5
peared upon the trial in the circuit coult
OF the United States as was the fat
that, notwithstanding the failure on the
part of the company. to build on the
line OF route designated or within the
tllne stated, the governor and the state
AUTHORITIES, In whom the power was vest
ed by the granting act to pass on the
performance of these conditions, waived
all these conditions and accepted the
road as a compliance with the law and
the terms of the granting act Under
thls state of facts the circuit court de-
c1ded. and | think rightly, under the rule
t that prevails In the federal court, that
the state had its right to insist upon a
compliance with the terms of the CON
tract. and the grant was held valid, This
company, which has the right to select
It's grant in the counties Of st. Louis.
COOK ana Lake, now insists that the state
swamp lands in those counties shall he
held open by the state Indefinitely to en-
able the company to select It's quota at
It's pleasure and convenience A most
careful consideration of the questions in
vowed, by the state auditor and myself
mad led US to believe that under the law
we have the power
TO CLOSE AND ADJUST
this grant now, and we propose to do so
as speedily as the work involved enables
US to do It with accuracy and care, Tn
this matter and in all other matters in