The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-01-23

TALK At BANQUET BOARD
81 IL
IMPORTANT MEASURES ABLY AR
GUED BY sOLONs AT A SOCIAL
MEETING
va
mi
PRIMARY LAW PRO AND CON
i s.
Strong Points Made I'm Favor of Tax
alton Reform and Senator
StOut's Marriage
Bill.
PRIMARY LAW PRO AND CON

MAOlOON, w IS, Jan. ZZ.-\Op0Cldl)-
The discussion of number Of bills that
are up before the legislature drew large
attendance at the monthly dinner of the
Six O'clock club last night. The dis
cussiOn of the primary election bill was
rather a disappointment, as the bill has
not yet been completed. Assemblyman
Stevens, who is preparing the bill, made
a short speech, in its favor, saying he
believed that the primary election idea
would bring better men into public life,
and that was what everybody was seek
ing.
He was followed by Mr.. Aylward who
spoke against the BILL and was in turn
followed by M. Coe.
E. D. GOES ARGUMENT.
E., D. Coe insisted that there was no
public demand for the primary election
plan. He did not believe that political
conventions were corrupt or betrayed the
confidence of the people who elected
the delegates. One of the best recon-
nomination was the nomination by the
Republicans of Gov La Toilette, and the
convention in response to this demand
nominated him. Nothing was proved,
Mr.. Coe insisted, by throwing bad names
at the present system; and that had
largely been the condition of the cam
paign for the primary election plan.
election system was that it is impossible
for the average voter to know the men
who would be candidates for the nomina
tons for all the Offices He might know
a few of them, but in the very nature of
things most of the candidates, especially
those from other sections of the state,
would be strangers2-afa what criterion
would he have by which to select from
among these strangers The men whom he
wished to see nominated The political
convention could dosthis, for 1t was COM
posed of men who kneW the candidates
or7could at the contention come to know
them, and the members of the conven-
ton could make a mores Intelligent selec-
ton for the public goodSand the good of
the party. Mr.. Coe would prefer to sec
the legislature perfect the present eau
Gus laws than to establish a primary
election system.
MIR. ORION ON, TAXATION.
Assemblyman Orion, in his discussion
OF taxation reform, spoke in oomp.i-
mentary terms of the-taX commission,
saying that its recent report was proof
of the wisdom of its creation. Every
body wanted fair taxes, but there was
an absence Of fairness and equality IN
the present system. The legislature
should make taxation equal, before it
undertook to Improve the taxation meth
obs. The cure for inequality was cen
tral authority which would secure equal
assessment throughout the state. Judge
Orton did not think, however, that bank
deposits should be taxed, or in fact that
the circulating medium should be taxed
| at all. He pointed out many of the dir
hcult1es in the way of taxing bank de-
posts. Business men would draw out
their deposits before the assessment day
! If they were assessed and this would
| seriously Interfere with the banking
business. Again deposits were often
| credited in several banks under present
banking systems, and it would be diff
| cult to avoid double taxation. The de-
posts in local and rural banks were de-
posted by that bapkfifl some city bank
and the same deposit might be taxed in
each bank. The Whole idea of taxing
bank deposits, he said, was impractical.
An instance was the treasury notes,
which were under the law of the United
| States not taXableIs How could the as
SCISSOR determine what5deposits or parts
OF deposits were made lin treasury notes :?
This was simply am inustra ton of the
difficulties confronting. the legislature,
/ when considering that eelass of taxation
| WOODWARD ON MARRIAGE BILL
Attorney Woodward made a brief
speech for his marriage bill. He said
| That the charitableSdnd penal institutions
We're full of people Who were there from
! no fault Of their sowRe but because of
the sins of their parents, and the state
had right to protectfitself by examine
ing all candidates for marriage. A large
proportion of the people who are state
charges were born of diseased parents,
and the Stout bill, if passed, would pro-
tect the state to a large extent from
this burden. Many people married who
were certain to produce children which
would be from birth public charges. The
diseases named in the bill annually killed
more people than the epidemics of small.
pox and similar diseases killed in CEN
| fury.