The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-01-11
BETWEEN TWO FIRES
VAN SAINT SAID TO HAVE FINALE
DECIDED UPON AN EXTRA
SESSION
THE LESSER OF TWO EVILS
Northern Minnesota Making VIVA
Threats if He Does, and Pol
iticians VIII WAR il
He Doesn't.

Gov. Van SAINT is said to have finally
decided to call an extra session of the
legislature, despite the fierce opposition
from Northern Minnesota, with Duluth
crying, "Call it and We'll beat YOU to a
finish" and political friends declaring,
mo governor ever broke promise and
was reelected. The executive has
had hard struggle to decide. He still
has time to reconsider, but is not likely
to, although his life will be made a bur
den by the pressure brought to bear
upon him. He believes he has chosen
the lesser of the two evils, and hopes
to get over the legislative attack. with
out serious consequences.
Il cannot believe that Gov Van SAINT
will allow himself to be fooled by schem-
ing politicians who would make him
think that the sentiment of the state
is against an extra session. [ conf
IDENTIFY believe that he win call it with
in a few days and in so doing redeem
his promise to the legislature, which was
a promise to the people of the state.''
So said a well known Republican legis-
lator yesterday in discussing the extra
session proposition.
THE men who are trying to dissuade
the governor are men who fear the po-
litical power the governor may derive
from such a session. There are many
In the first place he is under obligations
TO call the session because he promised
to do so. When the legislature passed
the bill creating the tax commission the
members expected that the commission
would be ready to report important mat
tiers at the extra session to be CALLED
this winter, and the commission is ready
to so report.
''If there was ever any reason for APP
&c
reason for calling the legislature to
consider the work of the tax commission.
If It is left to the regular session it
can never receive the proper considera-
ton. and there will be so many other
interests to be cared for that it will not
be acted upon with due consideration
Then there is always danger at regu-
lar session of more or less jockeyfng by
friends of other measures. II consider
ed at an extra session there will be every
opportunity to properly discuss 1t, and
10 act with wisdom and discretion The
longer legislative action on the report is
deferred the longer will it be before the
people can act upon the bill If 1t Is
true that the passage Of a proper tax
bill would save millions annually to the
state. the sooner the bill Is put in opera
ton the better for the state. The cost
Of an extra session would be small in
comparison Wlut lAS SN'4h5 ~ SAAO
state
On the other hand. well known au-
thority on tax matters, residing In the
northern part Of the state, sums up the
situation in this wise:
1t will be a serious mistake if Gov
Van SAINT calls an extra session or the
legislature to act upon the report OF the
state tax commission. Laying aside the
possibility Of the report being an i'm
provement on the present tax laws, he
fact remains that there would be endless
complications as a result OF It's ADO ::
for the reason that Inc time IS so Inn TED
in which to put it into effect that It's full
scope could not be graSped successfully.
/ know something about tax matters,
and am perfectly free to say that fully
one-half Of the auditors and assessors of
the state would necessarily commit the
the carly adoption Of the proposed rev
tax laws, hence, whatever good there
may be in them would be worse than
wasted. It would be far better for ev-
erybody and particularly for the auditors
of the state to have ample time in which
to study the changes in these laws so
that when the proper times comes to put
them into execution it can be accomplish
ed without endless confusion and error.
of late and am firmly of the opinion that
it is wisdom to allow the present laws
to stand for the present. It is most de-
Sirable that we should all be given an op
portunity to read and thoroughly digest
the proposed changes, and there is no
more time than is necessary between the
submission of the report and the con-
vening of the next regular legislature.
For our legislature to take up that re-