The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-02-05

Governor Van SAINTS extra session mes
sage was read to the senate and house
this morning, assembled in joint session
In the house chamber. 1t was listened to
throughout with the closest attention.
Reading OF the message occupied TWEEN
ty-seVen minutes. 1t was delivered slowly
and 1mpressively, and the only demon
STATIONS were Of approval. The first ap-
plause was started by the declaration
that I'VE must meet the issue now"
Later, when the governor recommended
restoration Of the $500 exemption. there
was ripple of approval.
me peroration Of the message, declar-
Ing that mo consolidation contrary to the
law shall take place If it can be pre-
vented brought longer volley of hand
clapping than any preceding, and even the
request for an appropriation for the at
torney generals use brought applause.
The general feeling among the mem
adjournment the governor held an i'm
promptu reception near the rostrum. to
receive congratulations.
Duluth Members Surprised.
Duluth members were surprised at the
liberal stand taken by the governor. Said
George r. Laybourn:
For my part l am surprised and pleased
at the portion Of the message which relates
to taxation. l think Duluth people will
be gratified at the message, which is GER
tainly all that we could expect. I would only
ask that the friends of the bill, Messrs. ia
Cobson, Roberts and Wallace, will be as fair
in their treatment Of our interests as the
governor has been.
Tax Reform Helped.
Senator C. L. Baldwin Of Duluth be-
lieyes that the governors message, If his
recommendations are Needed will do much
to reconcile Duluth members to the adop-
ton OF the proposed tax code. Duluth is
particularly Interested in defeating the
grain tax and the tax on vessels. Both
OF these points are touched upon in the
governors message. In addition, Duluth,
in common with other points of the state,
is opposed to the reduction Of the personal
property exemption, and to the proposed
tax on savings deposits. A delegation
from the Duluth labor organization Is here
to protest against these last two pro-
visions Of the code.
DulutRs interests IL the grain tax
arise through a fear that it's imposition
would result in driving business to West
Superior. At present, the Minnesota city
has an elevator capacity of 10000, 900
bushels, while West Superior has storage
facilities for 10000. GEO bushels. Duluth
elevator men rs rule are not specula-
tive. They rely for their profits upon
their elevator charges and seldom carry
any great amount of wheat on their own
account longer than one day. This ele-
Vator charge is less than one cent a
bus'hel, and consequently the elevator
men naturally cannot pay 8 per cent
tax on wheat of which their profit is
per cent. This situation according to
Senator Baldwin would mean only one
thing, that the farmer. not the dealer,
would have to pay the piper. Duluth is
the largest primary wheat market in the
world, but with the per cent tax which
1t is proposed to levy, upon grain, the
business of the zenitk city according to
Senator Baldwin, would inevitably be
driven across the state line.
Governor Van SAINT in his message
recommends that the date for assessing
the grain be placed at May instead of
April l. He also recommends that grains
which are in transit be not taxed. This
would obviate the difficulty, says Sena-
tor Baldwin, If it Is it quite clear what
the term lin transit really means. If
1t can be stretched to cover grain in Du-
luth elevators, awaiting shipment east,
pending the opening of navigat ion, the OBJ
lection Of Duluth to the adoption OF that
particular section of the code would be
withdrawn.
Regarding the vessel tax, Senator Bald
win said that experience had shown a
tonnage tax to be the only practical ex-
pedient The listing of vessels and per-
sonal property would, he thought, simply
compel their owners to change their place
OF register. In his message the governor
refers to this matter and advises remedial
legislation, although making no specific
recommendation.