The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-03-21


each time the legislature had, after re-
viewing 1t carefully, decided that the
bill should not be passed. 1t is Mr.
Jacobson's special hobby, he said, and
its alleged virtues are magnifed In his
mind.
Mr.. Laybourn did not hesitate to saw
that he believed the railroads are now
paying their full share of taxation In
proportion to other property he said the
amount of money collected from the rail-
roads of the state was Very large and in
comparison with that Collected In other
states it is far greater than it might
reasonably be expected to be, when the
mileage of the various states is taken
into consideration "''p
In Mr.. Jacobson's original speech he
tried to force the argument upon his
partisans that all the Republicans in the
house We're bound sto5support his meas
ure by reason Of pledges made to that
effect at the last Republican conventions
and in view of the plank in the Repub-
lican platform. He appealed to the
Democrats, also along this line, by say
ing that it is not only a Republican
partisan measure, but also a Democratic
measure. 49, ts
Mr. Laybourn successfully refuted the
former statement by proving that the
pledges and plank referred to. treated
the matter i'll an entirely different way
than that represented by Mr.. jacobson.
The member from Lac Qui Parle, who
was quite vituperative and insinuating
in his remarks generally failing to I'M
pugn the motives of anyone when it
might seem his cause could be strength
ened, was estopped in several statements
Of this character by Mr.. Laybourn and
other members.
Mr.. Laybourn, continuing, said that the
Nor, %l,r To-,
legislation. He wanted the bill referred
to the tax commission, not only because
such course was proper, but also for
the reason that it would relieve the
house from a useless expenditure of time
which it really could not afford to waste
at this stage of the proceedings He
thought the legislature had done it's part
toward the inveterate author of this BIZ
ennial measure in giving it due consider
alton at three consecutive sessions. Now
another body should be called to the
rescue.
CONTRACTS ARE BINDING.
Before adverting to the validity of
passing the bill over to the tax commits
sion, MIR. Laybourn referred to the bind
ing force of the contracts existing be-
tween the state and the railroads whose
dissolution is impossible at the hands of
the legislature. The rate of per cent
which the roads pay the state upon their
gross earnings, he said was fixed by the
territorial charters and when established
was intended to be perpetual and for the
legislature to attempt or undertake or
even assume to change this contract
which has stood for Jail the years of
Minnesota's history was absolutely pre-
posterous. Furthermore, Mr. Laybourn
wanted to call attention to the fact that
under this rate the state has never suf-
fered, but has prospered and there is no
reason why the rate should be raised,
since the states proportion of the rail-
road earnings, which embrace inter-
state as well as state, are increasingly
large Ffe49
AS to the tax commissions power, abil-
ity or integrity Mr.. Laybourn said there
could be not single question of doubt
In his mind it was the proper body to
consider this measure! 1t was created
for the specific purpose of investigating
and considering tax laws and reporting
upon them and why the tax laws which
applied to one class of property should be
excluded from it's consideration was a
question which could not be satisfactor-
lily answered. The commission is vested
with all the powers necessary for this
task, said the ST. Louis member.
And as to the ability of the commission
no one would question that Composed
of two former attorney generals of the
state and one lieutenant governor, an
of whose judgment in matters of law are
held in the highest regard he declared
1t would be difficult or impossible to get
better commission. They are perfectly
honest and fair too. said Mr.. Laybourn,
and no man will question their integrity.
He believed the bill would get a fairer
hearing before this tribunal of three
than it would before the legislature Mr..
Laybourn said that former Attorney
General Childs, one of this commission,
had appeared against the railroads in be-
half of the state upon just such a law
as this bill is intended to affect and why
should not his experience ability and in
tegrity be trusted?
Asked what course Speaker Dowling's
ruling left for the enemies of the bill,
Mr.. LayboUrn stated that there was
plenty of recourse which could be taken,
He insisted that the fight did not end
with that ruling and intiInated that the
purport of the majority report would yet
be carried into effect. Speaker Bowling
conceded that the committee has the
right to present substitute report,
recommending that the substance or SUBJ
ject matter of the bill be referred to the
tax commission BY this method, which
is no doubt the one the committee means
to pursue the matter will, after all, go
to tax commission for consideration.
The opponents insist that they will not
allow the bill to get on general orders.