The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1901-04-05
A WILD SCENE.
In the House When Jacobson
Bill is Taken Up.
The House Makes Gross Earnings Bill
Special Order of Business for To-
morrow Morning.

st. Paul. March 2S.-The jacobson
bill raising the railroad gross earnings
tax rate to 4 per cent is nov an issue
fairly before the house of representa-
tives. Yesterday morning after as
heated a debate as the session has
known, it was taken from the table
by very close vote, was read The
second time and made special order
for next Friday morning at 10 30.
This arrangement means that ad-
vOcates of an increase in the gross
earnings tax have at last obtained that
for which they have so long been
striving-a direct vote upon the bill.
The debate when begun Friday will
be continued until a final vote is taken.
At no time during the morning
until the final vote was taken was it
possible to pre-determine the attitude
of the house toward the motion to take
the gross earnings bill from the table.
Its friends were hopeful but made no
boasts Mr.. Laybourn, who has man
aged the opposition fight on the floor,
seemed equally sanguine. 1t is prob
able that in no quarter was it expected
that the margin by which the house
would declare itself would be so
small. The vote stood 81 ayes TO 56
nays, the last one in the affirmative
being that of Speaker Bowling.
As the author of the bill, Mr.. Jacob
son claimed the right of making the
motion to give the measure new
status. He rehearsed the various rea-
sons which seemed to demand action
and voiced his conviction that unless
an increase in the gross earnings tax
rate was determined upon at this ses
sion, those who advocated it might as
we'll give up hope for dozen years to
come. The issue was so familiar to
the state at large that no lodging
would be tolerated. The increase in
the tax rate had been made an issue
by both political parties, and he beg
ged the house to remember, when the
vote was taken, that the most ardent
champions of reference to the tax COM
mission had been the avowed enemies
of the bill
Mr. Umland, as friend of the bill,
desired to have action postponed until
the committee on bribery investiga
ton could be heard from.
Mr.. Peterson went after the opposi
l4OLl N1GL1Ouo SlOhSS, w lAO
contention that the tax commissioners
were in a position to advise the legis-
lature upon the desirability of an in.
crease as 1.-The variest bosh'' and an
"old dodge. 3" No harm could result
from consideration of the bill on it's
merits, and if the members voted to
leave it upon the table, what could be
their explanation when interrogated
hxr &hnf,. aAngEi &c Evya,.xyth ~
that had been argued in favor of the
bill, he said, must stand admitted be-
cause there had been no attempt at
REPUTATION.
There was no one upon the floor
more sincere than Mr.. Dobbin in urg-
ing that the status of the i'll should not
be disturbed He based his remarks
upon the theory that the house was not
sufficiently informed to arrive at an
intelligent opinion upon the proposed
increase. He did not propose to sub
nit to browbeating, and he reminded
all those who supported the increase
IN the gross earnings tax rate that
charges of corruption and bad faith
made upon the floor had accomplished
little in enlisting friends for the bill.
His statements aroused Mr.. Peterson,
and the two Hennepin members en-
gagged in a warm exchange. The vote
was taken after the previous question
had been moved.
In taking up the debate upon the
motion to make the bill special or
der, Mr.. jacobson covered even more
ground than on his previous effort
The bill was not This hobby" he
said; two great state conventions had
1aVoayAa1 iyon IN tho 70
and no member of the house could
possibly justify opposition to the bill
by basing upon something offensive he
had said
Mr.. Laybourn' s reply took on very
tart tone. He declared that the time
had passed when the member from
Lac qui Parle could dictate to the
house. Messrs. Clapp, Fletcher, Dunn,
Steele, and other well-known Repub-
licans had drafted the plank in the
platform so often referred to, and in
so doing they had declined to accept
the radical views Of Mr.. jacobson. At
this Mr.. jacobson reminded the mem
Der from Duluth that he had not been
before the ''conclave' to present his
views.
''We can sit out this discussion, if
necessary, said Mr.. Roberts. "Of
those who voted for reference of the
bill to the tax commission, some favor
an increase in the gross earnings tax.
These advocates of the gross earnings
system cannot afford longer to ally
themselves with the enemies of the
bill. There is an appeal made to the
house to fix this debate for a day GER
tain, but If necessary we will take it
up at this time. -
The house applauded MI. Roberts
sentiments. 1t was everywhere recog-
nized that sooner or later the issue
must be met, and the foes as well as
the friends of the bill voted for sus-
pension of the rules.
The Bush tax ferret was the subject
of majority and minority reports in
the house. The majority favored in
definitely postponing the bill, while
the minority submitted substitute.
Messrs. Bush, Larson, Torson, Lay
bourn, jacobson, Schwarg, J. A.
Peterson and Burns constituted the
minority
Mr.. Bush opened the argument for
the bill and was followed by Mr.. Al
len.
The minority prevailed and had the
substitute read twice and ordered
printed.
ssThe senate passed the Hennepin dele
cation bill allowing the cities of over
30, 600 inhabitants to issue bonds for
the purpose of making local improve
ments and the Benedict bill allowing
bridge companies to build bridges
without draws on the Minnesota river
above st. Peter.