The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-10-11
VAN SAINTS STEAMBOAT TAX.

Gov. S. R. Van SAINT wrote and de-
Ivered to the extra session which he
called, a message urging that famous
body to pass the drastic tax code.
The legislature could not do "the
stunt"-although it passed a bill for
the fiscal relief of the suffering canine
industry and also voted a $4,000 re-
tainer for cause of great political i'm
port to the state administration.
But the important question is-What
are Gov. Van SAINTS views on the i'm
portant subject of taxation, in prac-
tice and in fact?
In regard to the taxation Of the
Twin City Rapid Transit company, the
as a member Of the state board of
equalization he voted to assess the
street railway at $5,572,951 upon $685.
100000 of actual market value Of CAPT.
tai stock, in spite of the protest of
State Auditor Dunn, that $7,0O0,OO0 was
a conservative valuation.
boats Gov. Van SAINT has an expe-
rience of direct and practical char
acter, which gives a perfect test of
his taxation, principles reduced to
practical application. A sa
The governor, as all know, owns
steamboats,. That is, he has tugboats,
bow boats, ETC., which he uses to raft
logs on the Mississippi river. When
we know what the governors practice
is in paying taxes on steamboats,,
therefore, we have his taxation princi-
pies reduced to .'brass tacks."
Authorities differ as to just how
many steamboats,, tug boats, row.
boats, etc., the governor owns and OPP
erate-the estimates running from four
to thirteen boats, and the valuation
from $4,000 to $4,000.
Turning to page 1856 of the state au-
ditor's report for 1900, we find that
Schedule l5-"Steamboats, sailing
vessels, barges or other watercraft" -
for Winona. county, the governors
home, bears total valuation of $5,-
700, or about one-fourth Of the sup
posed minimum value of the governors
river transportation system.
How. account for this paradoxical
condition Of things?
Winona tax and assessment authori-
ties explain the mystery.
Coupled with the information, that
Winona county during the past five
years have been assessed at never
more than $500 nor less than $4,375,
comes the other amazing announce
ment:
"Of the above amounts nothing is
assessed to S. r. Van SAINT or any
company in which he might be inter-
ested."
The failure of the assessor to as
sess Gov. Van SAINTS boats is ex-
planned by the statement:
'Mr. Van SAINT always claimed that
his steamboats, were assessed in Iowa"
Why is Gov. Van SAINT paying per-
sonal property taxes in Iowa?
Why should any Minnesota citizen
pay personal property taxes in any
other state?
Is not Minnesota a good enough
place for a Minnesota citizen to pay
his personal property taxes in2
Is it always necessary for the boats
to float down into Iowa during the
month Of May?
Why could not the patriotic rafting
fleet Of Gov. Van SAINT, floating under
the glorious stars and stripes through
the azure deep of the grand and gor-
geous Xather of Waters, etc., ETC., pay
its taxes in Winona once, anyhow?
A little revenue from steamboat
property would offset the loss Of rev.
enue from dogs-due to the govern
or's extra session.
Besides, 1t would make the threaten
ed victims Of the drastic tax code
who could not float their property
down into Iowa in the month Of May
feel a trifie more comfortable in their