The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1901-01-18
IT rs GOV. VAN SAINT.
he Delivers His Inaugural Address
To the Legislature.
Advocates Legislation Regarding Trusts,
Revision of the Tax Laws and is in
Favor of Good Roads.

was, in substance. as follows:
Gentlemen of the Senate and House of
representatives: Having taken the oath
of office as prescribed by law, 1 desire
before entering upon the discharge of my
duties, to acknowledge my profound
gratitude for the great honor conferred
upon me, and in return, promise the eX-
ercise of my best judgment coupled with
an honest purpose to faithfully serve the
people of the state. While the legislative
and executive branches of the state gov
eminent are separate and independent of
each other, yet by our mutual co-opera-
ton and the exercise of our united ener-
gies, at all times working in harmony,
the best interests of the state will be
served.
At the very commencement of the task
before us, it is well to consider the ques-
ton of securing the necessary funds to
defray the expenses of the state govern
ment State Auditor Dunn in his report,
all sources for the biennial period. Such
estimate is based on a tax levy of $40
mills. During the first year the sum
s to Is st3 and for the second
the first year, $3.50, 00O and for the Sec
ond' $2920,0O0, leaving a balance for the
first year of $249, 20, and for the second,
1874 743.20-a balance for the biennial pc
riod of $444,4S6 This balance is availab BILE
for new buildings, extraordinary repairs
and improvements for the correctional,
charitable institutions, university, normal
schools etc. This amount, in the estima-
ton of our state auditor, under the most
favorable circumstances. could not be in
creased to more than 100000 for the pur-
poses mentioned, without increasing the
tax levy. This should not be done, and
l urge you to practice the strictest econ.
Omy and the most careful investigation of
every appropriation presented for your
consideration
The number Of patients in the state
hospitals July 81, 1900, was 1859, an in
crease of 324 in two years, fact which
warrants the governor in commencing
the state hospital plan for treating this
n nj rf fnC hr1i1 ivnrC o.
Anoka and Hastings. he says. should be
completed. and he particularly calls at
tenton TO the proposed law which the
board of trustees of the above institu-
tions have asked to have enacted, viz. a
law requiring each county from which
patients are committed to pay $3.50 per
week for each patient. The governor
thinks this would tend to lessen the num-
Der of commitments, and would in a
measure solve the question constantly
presenting itself-demands for new build
ings. .o,
importance and one that the legislature
must carefully consider during this SeS-
sion. There should be uniform tax law.
which would place the burden of taxation
equally upon the shoulders of ALL so that
no one. class of people shall feel it more
than another. Such is not the case at
present. for the poor man, if he has a
home. cannot hide it. and pays his full
share. The mechanic cannot conceal his
chest of tools, the poor woman her sew
ing machine, nor the farmer his real
estate, implements or stock. 1t is the
wealthy who evade their share of the
taxes, the large owner of personal prop
erty. such as moneys, loans and credits.
This class of property does not bear its
tor who could draft bill and have it
enacted into law that would bring this
class of property from hiding, have it
Waas Woed be- rolls
factor to the state. I am of the opinion
that fully one-half of the personal prop
erty of this state escapes taxation: This
er states well.
I think the consensus of opinion of all
who have given the subject of taxation
the most careful study and research, is
of the opinion that revenues should be
raised for the state otherwise than by di-
rect levy on r real d,, estate an. and personal
believe that our own state in time can
and will be relieved Of this mode of tax
alton: A great advance could be made In
this direction if we had a franchise law
similar to the one in New York. All
corporations operating under special laws
could be exempted, but every other, both
domestic and foreign, would have to sub
NIT to the operation of the law. If said
companies refused or neglected to do so,
their charters or licenses could be re-
is working admirably in New York, and
under date of Nov. &c, Peter Deyo, secre-
tary of the state board of tax commits
year of operation of the franchise law,
there was an increase of valuation of the
property. including special franchise, Of
.sessment rolls in tax districts where the
property is located and is subject to the
local tax rates"
I will not discuss this subject further.
fective, and l agree with several of my
predecessors in office, as well as State
oud be for he
drafting a law that would meet as nearly
as possible all requirements. Action
should be taken at once, SO that said
with the work in hand and if possible
report a bill during this session of the
legislature: If this cannot be done and
meets with favor. the commission could
easily complete it's work by Jan. l. 1902.
know that the SUBJ Subject Of Of ta3ati9n is
vergence of opinion, but it seems to me
that there should be none as to the ne
cessity of a tax commission for our state.
Said commission could collect and collate
laws from all the states and select those
which are best and then draft law that
would be a vast Improvement over our
present inefficient system of taxation.
You will find this subject of tax COM
mission fully and ably presented in the
report of our state auditor, and you will
do well to read and carefully study the
same.
Equally important with the collection Of
taxes is proper disbursement Of the
it is estimated that for the next fiscal
year, 81, 100000 will be needed for current
expenses, and for the one succeeding,
81 ,1000 600. and for new buildings and re-
pairs, $3.50, 600, making a total for our
correctional and charitable institutions of
81. 900 for the next biennial period
I am convinced that there should be a
board of control for the management of
all these institutions. Such a board,
composed of experienced business men,
non-partisan in its character, the men,
bers receiving adequate compensation for
their services and devoting all their time
and energies to the discharge of their du-
ties, would be vast improvement over
the separate board plan, and would re-
suit in a large saving to the state an
nually, and this, too. without in any way
lessening the efficiency of the service to
the inmates. The board would be free
from local and political influences. and
all purchases would be made at wholesale
and after receiving competitive bids.
'In concluding this subject, we may be
pardoned for pointing with pride to the
record made, not alone in the saving
effected by purchasing the supplies for
our state Institutions in business-like
manner, but of far more Importance is
the fact that the unfortunate and help
less people intrusted to our care are now
better fed and better clothed than they
were before being placed under the con-
troll of this board"
The board Of control is no innovation.
Other states have adopted it, and from
ably. While in Iowa, not long ago, I
made careful investigation Of the work.
ings of this plan as recently adopted
~here and was informed by those we'll