The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-02-24
TAX COMMISSION CHOSEN
MEN WHO WILL COOLEY THE TAX
LAWS HAVE BEEN
SELECTED
CH1LDs WILL BE CHAIRMAN
Legislative Session Likely to Be Ter
minated by April 1-Reappor-
donment as Far Away
as Ever.

FORMER Attorney General H. w. Childs.
or st. Paul, will be chairman of the new
tax commission, created under the Law
bourn bill to codify the tax laws of the
state.
Although lacking official confirmation
thls statement is regarded as absolutely
reliable
Gov. Van SAINT yesterday affixed his
signature to the Laybourn bill, and later
In the day gave out the statement that
the three men who are to constitute this
commission have been definitely deter
mined upon by himself, Attorney General
Douglas and State Auditor Dunn, to
whom were delegated the power of max
ing the appointments Both Mr.. Dunn,
and Mr.. Douglas made the same state
ment, but said that the names of the
commissioners would be withheld from
the public until Attorney General Doug
las returns from Washington, whittier he
went last night on legal business. The
appointment of Gen. Childs. which is
locked upon as quite certain, was dis
cussed in political centers late yester-
day afternoon and most favorable COM
ment made with reference to it. Specu-
lation is rife as to the other two men
on the commission, but it is practically
certain that they will be chosen from the
country districts, one from the northern
and one from the southern section of the
state.
The bill authorizing this commission
originally called for an appropriation Of
5000, but the senate amended it, re-
ducing the amount $4,000. This is con-
sidered ample to meet the requirements
of the commission.
The tax commission bill having become
a law and the commissioners having
been determined upon it is generally in
timated that there is little reason for the
legislature prolonging it's present session
to the full ninety days. The states in
terests could be better subserved it is
urged by many If the session was
brought to a close the first of April with
the understanding that an extra session
be called early in 1902, and the
report of the tax commission submitted.
The work of codifying the tax laws will
consume nearly the entire year and it Is
insisted that the report should not go
over until the next regular term of the
legislature. Since there is nothing of
Importance remaining for the lawmakers
to do after April 1 it would be better to
adopt the course as suggested.
State Auditor Dunn strongly urged this
in his message to the legislature and in
sists upon it even more strongly now.
Said he, yesterday in speaking Of the
proposition:
cit would be cheaper to hold a special
session next spring and attend to this i'm
portant work, which could not, of course,
be attended to this term anyway, than
it would to continue in session for that
length of time now. There is absolutely
no reason that I can see why the leglsla-
ture could not adjourn leaving ten,
twenty or even thirty days for an extra
session next year, when the commission
presented its report. I believe a ten
day session would be sufficient 1 hope
this course will be adopted. AS to the
work of the commission, it is of the ut
most Importance, and there should be no
disposition to hurry the commissioners in
their laborious undertaking. The tax
laws of the state are badly in need of
revision and it will require time to prop
erly attend to the work.
Mr. Dunn said that when the state be
came acquainted with the new commits
sion officially the appointments would be
generally commended as excellent ones. /.
Mr.. Jacobson, at the beginning of the
present term, intimated that he would
close the legislature at the end of sixty
days. as was then noted in the G b t.
He has not been heard to express diff
ferent determination and he will prob
ably insist next week, when the matter
is to come up for consideration upon the
short term Some will oppose the idea.
Mr.. Hurds oil Inspector bill will prob
ably have another inning next week. 1t
is intimated that the Schiffmann fortifi-
cations in the senate have practically
been fully erected and the peers are now
ready for the first onslaught.
When the measure reaches the upper
body. it will, in all proba bility, look diff
ferent than when it was presented in the
house. If it is decided by the Schiff-
mann crowd to let 1t pass, the measure
will enter the senate with an amend
ment attached providing that the bill
shall not become effective until two years
hence. This is of course, an obvious
move, to protect the present incumbent
of the chief oil inspectors office against
any effect of the bill. 1t is whispered
that it would be a good joke to let the
bill go through amended in this wise, so
that the result of it may be first felt by
a Democratic official.
Unless the committee decides to amend
the bill and insists upon it's going through
the senate in it's original form, a fight TO
the finish is promised. There is a large
Hurd faction in the upper branch, how
ever, and even under those conditions
the measure might survive the attacks
of it's enemies.
If there is to be a reapportionment of
the state and two new districts are to be
found, Chisago county bids fair to be-
come bone of contention between the
two largest counties in the state. Not