The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-03-06
A Strong. Combination.

The secret of the bills defeat was the
combination Of three powerful influences
against it. Each objected to particn-
lar feature. The mining interests object
ed to the tonnage tax on iron ore, the
merchants Of the three cities to the tax
commission, and the public service cor
pora tons TO the franchise tax. With
these three Interests it. was the motto OF
the Three Guardsmen, All fer one, and
one for all" They had forty votes against
the bill, FOR different reasons, and to pre-
vent any melting away OF this strength
they killed the bill out Of hand, without
giving its friends chance to put II III
presentable shape. The ELL was doCmeo
and would not in any shape have received
rs many votes as were cast for the mi
nority report bu, the friends OF the meas
ure made a legitimate protest against the
summary methods used.
The principal floor work against the bill
was done BY Senator Sheehan, Spokesman
for the street railway interest, and Sen
ator Horton, representative OF the eX-
press companies. The latter was caught
by friends of the bill in a misleading
statement. He said there was nothing IN
the bill to provide for the distribution OF
the franchise tax to counties and cities.
Senator Thompson referred him TO sec
ton and line, directing the state auditor
TO make the division. Senator Horton
turned TO Ine page, Dut 1Sod oAACeAiSA
clause, and stuck to his statement. In
closing the debate, Senator Snyder called
attention to the misstatement.
Il meant, except street railway COM
panies,'' replied the senator from Ram
Sey.
You made no exception Senator Sny-
der re;urned. 4 do not think you VIII
fully misled the senate, but the section
you quoted refers to telegraph and tele-
phone express and other companies. 1t
does not apply to municipal. franchise cor
Dorations, and the bill distributes their
tax as it is now ']' 10 3D.
A Strenuous Debate. o.. 49,,
In the debate yesterday afternoon, Sem
ator Horton said the legislature had been
summoned together to pass the report of
the tax commission. not to enact into a
law a bill designed for the aggrandize-
ment of the republican party or any in
diyidual Later in his remarks he stig
matized the measure as most inequitable
! and unjust, and referred to it as has
! tard bill emanating from unknown
| sources ....'.'
| "If"@ said he, I'VE had wanted to do
the proper thing for our constituents; a
motion to adjourn sine die would have
| been passed two weeks ago.
| Senator johnson said. he considered the
Jacobson bill contained several Of the
| WORST l6uluIeS VI TIC ldA tOlIlllSSlOu
| code and he promised to vote against it.
| Senator Johnson explained that he was
particularly opposed to sections Al and As
| Of the bill, to which he referred as the
| "farret" sections to the section creating
a tax commission; to the provision for a
| franchise tax because of what effect il
| would have on country telephones: to the
| tonnage tax provision because he believed
| it to be unconstitutional.
! , ''Fliminat2 those featur0S.' said he
| ''and what have you left? Political bun
combe and the Twin City Rapid Transit
! company" -y
| Senator Young then secured the floor
| and proceeded to throw new light upon
! the figures presented before the senate
| by representatives of the Twin City
| Rapid Transit company. In brief, these
| figures, under Senator Young's hand
| showed state of affairs quite unlike that
| presented by Mr.. Calderwood. The pre-
| ferred stock Of the company. he said, was
So 600, 900; the common stock, SIS 900.