The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-10-28
~
Apparently Overlook Their Direct
Charge That Van SAINT Boats
Paid No Taxes Anywhere.


dangerous position. The poster which
Governor Van SAINT complains Of says in
large letters in the center of a cartoon,
ivan SAINTS Steamboats,, Not Taxed"
A telegram is in the possession of the
republican state committee, from the
county auditor at Muscatine, Iowa. stat
ing that for ten years the governors COM
pany has paid it's taxes at Muscatine, and
that the taxes for the current year are
paid.
The reply of the committee to Governor
Van SAINTS demand is as follows:
"St. Paul, Oct. 81, 1902-To Samuel R.
Van SAINT, Governor and Candidate for Re-
election, st. Paul, Mimi: Dear Sir-After
careful perusal of the statements COM
planned Of by you as having been widely
circulated by the democratic state central
committee In poster FORM, we find nothing
therein to retract and nothing that, sac
cording to the best of our knowledge and
belief, is not the truth.
1.-THE poster to which you apparently re-
fer, touching the evasion of your steam
boat taxes, contains the following SEN
fences:
% Steamboat Taxes-Governor Van SAINT
pays not one dollar of taxes on his steam
boat fleet in Minnesota:
Says Van SAINT: II pay my steam.
boat taxes in Iowa.
AS regards the accuracy of the above
statements we have not only the written
statements of the county auditor and city
treasurer at Winona, but your own writ
ten admission.
another statement Of which you de-
mand retraction you describe as follows:
The statement that I claim to pay my
taxes at LIE Claire, Iowa, is false, and the
wide circulation of this assertion in the
poster issued by your committee and the
LIE Claire assessors return on said poster
is Malicious and wilful innuendo to
place me in a false light before the people
of the state
I'm regard to the alleged statement that
you claimed to have paid your steamboat
taxes In LIE Claire, Iowa, our authority
is the city assessor Of Winona, where your
| steamboat company has offices and where
you, the purported president Of said COM
pany, reside. -
1.-The written statement Of the city as
| SCISSOR follows:
4" In answer to your inquiry Of recent
| date concerning the assessment of steam
boats ETC., against Samuel r. Van SAINT,
I would say that two years ago, that is,
| In 1900, when I asked Mr.. Van SAINT to
make return of his boats for taxation pur-
poses he informed me that his boats were
all taxed in LIE Claire, Iowa. This year
did not see him personally but sent
| him three separate blank returns for him
to fill out, but all the word we got from
| him was from his son, who sent word to
assess him the same as last time He is
not assessed anything in Winona city or
unity for stei,nboats or tugs. Yours
VI uly, f-E w. Rebstock,
city Assessor Of City Of Winona.
| "City Assessor Rebstock Of your city at
firms the statement complained of by you,
and does 1t both in writing and in per-
son. AS he is public official, sworn to
perform his duty in such matters, and has
| a reputation for accuracy and Integrity In
! the discharge Of said duties, we are unable
! to take the ground demanded by YOU
and that his statement is false It seems
to be a question Of veracity between the
city assessor and yourself, and there we
leave it.
GAS regards your further complaint that
your position in regard to the assessment
Of public service corporations has been
misrepresented, we again beg to take ex-
ception to your remarks.
1.-THE poster Of which you complain con-
tains on that point the following sentence:
Street Railway Taxes-Governor Van
SAINT and the state boards appointed by
him, voted on Oct. 3, 1902, to tax $685.
100000 OF street railway cash value at
$5,572,961 notwithstanding the demand of
the state auditor for $1,000, OO0.'
"After careful REORGANIZATION of the
facts in regard to the assessment Of said
public service corporation, we find and
herewith affirm that said statements are
absolutely true"
Determination of the Wall street quota
tons Of the Twin City Rapid Transit COM
pany capital stock shows that said stock
In the month of May was worth all Of
$1,000, 900.
Access to the stenographic report Of the
proceedings Of the state board Of equali-
zation Oct. 8, 1902, you yourself being
present and participating as member of
said board, shows that State Auditor Dunn
on that occasion delivered in your pres
ence an extended address demanding the
assessment of the street railway fran
chises at not less than 100000.
Zone line from Auditor Dunn's address
will suffice, as follows: In justice to every
other class Of property think they should
be assessed at least $1,000, 900.
1.-THE record likewise shows that you
supported the proposition for the lower as
sessment, that Of $751; 51, notwithstand-
ing the demand Of the state auditor for the
100000 valuation.
con the vote to make the assessment
SIS, 572, 951, your reply was: Il vote aye'-
notwithstanding that State Auditor Dunn
and board members ;. G.. Lawrence,
George s. Brainerd, o. G. Laugen, I. L.
Filley and A. E. Strong voted in favor Of
the 100000 assessment.
"The question whether the higher or the
lower valuation on said franchise valua-
ton Is just and right seems to be largely
a question Of judgment between State
Auditor Dunn, the states financial advis-
er, on the one hand, and yourself on the
other; and there we leave it.
I'm regard to the numerous other issues
Of this campaign, we respectfully refer you
to our list Of campaign literatue to the
speeches of Leonard A. Rosing and to the
state democratic platform.
''In conclusion permit us to say that we
have stated nothing in this campaign re-
garding you or your candidacy that is
malicious" or "outrageously false" We
have published nothing but the facts
which the people have right to know,
and you will have to be satisfied at this
time with our refusal to retract and our
restatement of the facts as above given.
III. l.. Buck,
Chairman of the Democratic State Cen
trail Committee, g.. .--
Frank A. Day,
Chairman Of Democratic Press Commit
tee."