The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-11-03
GOVERNOR SAYS STREET RAILWAY
MAGNATE OFFERED $4,000
FOR CAMPAIGN FUND
II TAXATION WAS Held DOWN
ON THE TWIN CITY RAPID TRANSIT
COMPANY WITHIN $75O,OOO
OF OLD FIGURES
CHARGE MADE A SENSATION
East Side Turner Hall, minneapolis,
the Scene of the Political Sem
satfOn of the Present
Campaign.

Campaign.
Gov John Lind made the most sensa.-
tional utterance of the campaign in an
address at the East side Turner han,
Minneapolis, last night, openly charging
that the vice president of the Twin City
Rapid Transit company had endeavored
to influence his action as q member of
the state board of equalization by prom
Using $1,000 to the Democratic campaign
fund
CHARGE IS MOST SPECIFIC.
''BefOre the meeting of the state
board of equalization" said Gov.
Lind, ''the first week in August. to
be exact, the vice president of the
Twin City Rapid Transit company
came TO 81 friend of mine in ST. Paul
and said;
You tell the governor that If
the board of equalization does not
increase Our assessment more than
$4,000, we will contribute $1,000
tc the Democratic state central COM
ntttee to apply on the campaign
fund.-,
AUDIENCE WAS THUNDERSTRCCK.
The large audience listened i'll silent
amazement to this startling charge
Then as its full force seemed to break
over the surprise all felt yells went up
from a thousand throats, cheers for Lind,
and shouts of contempt for the represen-
tative of the railway company
"When the board met continued
the governor, "the assessment of
this corporation was raised from
$2,7OO,OOO to S4,6OO,OOO.
"This may explain the venOmous
attacks which have been made upon
me by newspapers friendly to this
great corporation. Their latest
charge is that 1 am insane"
AS A QUESTION OF SANITY.
'T am just insane enough to turn
deaf ear to an such overtures as the
one I have just related to yoG and to
veto all bills such as that providing for
the twenty-five-year tenure Of all street
railway franchises
No further explanation was required
to demonstrate to that audience why the
hostility of this company had been so
fercely aroused against Gov Ling The
governor stated that just before leaving
the West hotel to deliver his first speech
last night the gentleman in St. Paul to
whom the vice president of the Twin
City Rapid Transit company made this
statement, hastened a messenger to him
With the word that lie could make use
Of the information just as he pleased
and the evidence, if required, would be
forthcoming.
ASSESSMENT STILL TOO LOW.
Gov. Lind stated that in increas-
ing this assessment no injustice had
been done, as the company was still
paying less in taxes, proportiOHnte-
Iy, than many other taxpayers, and
are paying dividends on $IO,OOO,-
600 capital stock.
READ THEM THE BILL.
His first meeting last night was at
the Ninth ward headquarters, 1925 Cen
tral avenue. Here he met large audi
ence, mostly workingmen, and talked to
them for ten minutes on matters of
special interest to them. Gov. Lind
read the bill which the last legislature
passed providing for the granting of
twenty-five-year franchises to street rail
way companies, and which would have
become a law but for his veto. He
held it up and asked if those present
wanted him to sign that bill. The au-
dience responded with a united no"
ACCUSES THE VICE PRESIDENT.
Turner hall on the East side was the
next meeting place. There were
900 people in the hall when the
governor arrived and more came after
part in the event by giving a unique
Bryan and Lind yell. The governor
took pleasant notice OF the compliment
II was at this meeting that Gov. Lind
referred to the strenuous attacks made
upon him throughout the campaign by
certain Republican newspapers because
he had been member of the board of
equalization that raised the assessment
of the Twin City Rapid Transit COM
pany.
These attacks have been venemous."
said the governor, but perhaps l can
give you suggestion as to their provo
cation. Before the meeting of the board
of equalization, the first week in August,
to be exact, the vice president of the
Twin City Rapid Transit company came
to friend of mine in st. Paul and
said: You tell the governor that i
the board Of equalization does not in
crease our assessment more than $75O0OO
we will contribute $1,000 to the Demo-
cratic state central committee to aDply
on the campaign fund -
WILL STAND BY HIS GUNS.
Another din of enthusiasm was provek
ed when the governor declared that:
''We care not if they down US In this
campaign, there is manhood in American
citizens that will rise above temporary
defeat and impel us to stand hy our
guns and fight ort this battle to the
bitter end There is a right and Justice
and integrity, and these must and will
prevail
SPEAKS IN THIRD WARD
The governor next addressed large
audience in the Third ward, at SO Ply
mouth avenue. The hall was entirely
filled and the meeting a splendid one.
Here Gov. Lind again referred to some Of
the unscrupulousness Of the enemy, and
stated that he would, so long as he was
governor, use every means within his
power to compel every human being In
this state, whether he dWells in castle
or cabin, to bear his equal share of the
burdens Of taxation. Gov. Lind also ap-
peaied to the manhood of the citizens by
saying: want you men to vote Your
convictions on election day aEd not allow