The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1901-01-12
IT IS 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.

Favor of Good Roads.
Governor Van SAINTS inaugural address
was, in substance. as follows:
Gentlemen Of the Senate and House of
Of office as prescribed by law, / desire
before entering upon the discharge of my
duties, to acknowledge my profound
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
eminent are separate and Independent of
each other, yet by. our mutual co-opera-
slon ana the exercise Of our united ener-
the best interests of the state will be
served.
At the very. commencement of the task
before US, 1t is well to consider the ques-
ton of securing the necessary funds to
ment. State Auditor Dunn. in his report,
makes an estimate of the receipts from
all sources for the biennial period. Such
(. estimate is based on a tax levy of 3-10
mills Dn 9a g The first the
year 50, ia, 1920: the disbursements for
the first year. .s2,6sO,OOo, and for the Sec
pst os eaHag ba ala zee for the
$l94. 743: 20-a balance for. the biennial pc
riod of $444, 1856. This balance is available
Tor new buildings, extraordinary repairs
charitable institutions. university, normal
schools, etc. This amount, in the estima-
ton Of our state auditor, under the most
creased to more than ssoo,ooo for r the 81 pur-
poses mentioned, without increasing the
tax levy. This should not be done, and
omy and the most careful Investigation of
every. appropriation presented for your
consideration.
hospitals 3Sy s. &c., WAS ss ss s'?as
warrants the governor in commencing
class ens at u hsRa Pan f fr 5aa th
completed, and he Particularly calls at
board of to the pc de aT which the
tons have asked. to have enacted, viz, a
law requiring each county from which
RatiSn for are eaeS na9 to pa se
thinks this would tend to lessen the num-
Der of commitments. and would in a
measure solve the question constantly
in The question Of taxation ,s one Of vita,
importance 2 and one that the legislature
SION. There should be a uniform tax law,
which would place the burden of taxation
no one class of people shall feel it more
present, for the poor man, if he has a
home, cannot am, hide it. and pays his full
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 a law that would bring this
class of property from hiding, have it
there properly valued. would be bene-
factor to the state. | am of the opinion
that fully one-half of the personal prop
is true not only of Minnesota, but of 9TH
er states as well.
! 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 d.
property. am inclined to that view, and
believe that our own state in time can
and will be relieved Of this mode of tax
this. direction if we had franchise law
similar to the one in New York. Ali
corporations operating under special laws
domestic and foreign. would have to SUBJ
NIT to the operation of the law. If said
companies refused or neglected to do SO,
voked.. The franchise law, 1 understand,
is working admirably in New York, and
under date of.Nov. 26, Peter Deyo, secre-
year of operation of the franchise law,
there was an increase of valuation of the
sooo6oo Tbs IS r pseed UPON ot the a 81
sessment rolls in tax districts where the
property is located and is subject to the
4 will not discuss this subject further.
fective, and | agree with several Of my
Should be Created for the the p purpose Of
drafting a law that would meet as nearly
soud be tak a that
commission might Immediately proceed
with the , work in hand and # possible
legislature. If this cannot be done and and
the plan proposed by State Auditor Dunn
meets with favor, the commission could
aS kng ha Its s WGre by jan 1892
one upon which there is the widest d.
vergence of opinion, but it seems to me
that that there should no be none as to the ne
Said commission could collect and collate
laws from all the states and select those
which are best and then draft a law that
would be 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
moneys thus received. In round numbers,
1t Is estimated I'm at that for the next fiscal
year soooood will be needed for current
s1.lOo, 600. and for new buildings and re-.
pairs. s75o, 600, making total for our
r a tSa ns1t na4oa
+. am convinced that there should be a
board of control for the management of
all these institutions. Such board,
non-partisan in its character, the MEM
bers receiving adequate compensation for
their services and devoting all their time
ties. would be vast Improvement over
the &eparate board plan, and would re-
suit in a large saving to the state an
lessening the efficiency Of the service to
the inmates. The board would be free
from local and political influences, and
Z and after receiving competitive bids.
In concluding this subject. we may be
p ass f9r pointing with pride to the
our state. institutions in business-like
manner, but Of far more Importance is
less people intrusted to our care are now
better. fed and better clothed than they
were before being, placed under the con-
4. / do not wish to be understood as cast
Ing, any reflection on the management of
under our present system. In fact, / am
satisfied that they have done their work
as faithfully and well as it could have
possibly been done under the present sys-
/. tenn; but the, question is, how can we dis.
burse the vast sums of money annually
required for these institutions in the most
economical manner as well as for the
best interests of the state? l am con-
WINGED that 1t can better be done under a
single hoard