The Redwood gazette., 1901-03-27
RAILROAD Tx
"A Remarkable Fight in the
Lower Legislative
Body.
Open CHARGE OF Railroads
Using Money to OBJ
tain Votes.
Special to THE GAZETTE:

Special to The GAZETTE:
ST. PAUL, MINI, March "a There
never has been, and there probably
never will be again, such a stub
born fight in the legislative halls OF
Minnesota, as there was witnessed
during a portion of last week, on
the Jacobson bill increasing the
gross earnings tax onrailroad prop
erty from three to four per cent.
Old legislators, legislators Of vast
experience, who have witnessed
manysa forensic battle, where every
move was fought inch by inch, say
that this was the most sublime par
liamentary spectacle that they have
ever witnessed.
An immense Republican majority
was in a discordant mood, divided
on a proposition claimed to have
been a party measure in the last
campaign, with jacobson and j A.
Peterson championing the pledge
Of the party, and Laybourn lead
ing the opposition and claiming
that no direct pledge was ever
made. AS side issue, slowly
';egging" on. the big fight, anxious
to bring out every detail of one Of
the most violent contests ever wit
messed, stood Umland of Ramsey,
the leader of the Democratic minor
ity. He was working for campaign
material, AID some there are who
claim that he got what he was prob
ing for ss.
It was a wild, sensational scene.
jacobson, almost foaming at the
mouth, his eyes extended from their
sockets, his nostrils breathing the
air Of defiance, was smeasuring every
step that he made, every word that
he uttered. Behind him stood J.
A. Peterson of Hennepin, hurting
defiance at the men who proposed
to refer the bill to the tax commits
sion, and with unconquerable legal
arguments that the bill had no more
right to 60 there than to the ceme
terry. Peterson was cool in advanc-
ing his arguments, rising but two
or three times tothe sublime heights
of emphasis and eloquence COM
bined, only to let fall some thunder
bolt into the camp Of the enemies of
the proposition to pass the bill at
this session. Lavbourn Of Duluth,
the leader. OF the forces in favor
of reference, was snappy in his ar
gument and contended that every
new proposition for taxation should
be referred to the commission. Far
above them all, when the critical
moment arrived, stood young Wash
burn, trembling as he made the
motion for a committee of five to in
vestigate the charges of bribery to
secure votes for the reference of
the bill to the tax commission. 1t
was he, if the story is true, who
had been approached. 1t was he,
who after listening to a certain par
ty for some moments, in which the
latter told him where he, as one Of
Is, had secured 5000 to vote for the
reference OF the measure, and where
he. Washburn, could secnre like
sum, who Immediately went before
one of the foremost senator's aud at
torneys in the senate, a former
State official. and made an affidavit
to every word given to him in con-
nection with the bribery of members
OF the house.
Rumblings of the storm appeared
as early as Monday evening of last
week, when an evening paper
claimed that rumors Of bribery
were floating around the capitol in
connection with the bill proposing
to increase the gross earnings tax
on railroads from three to four per
cent. The rufnblings quieted Tues