The Redwood gazette., 1902-03-05


Witnessed Messrs. jacobson and
Dunn, the latter auditor. On the
morning of that day Mr.. Dunn pub
lished an article in the Pioneer
Press opposing the tonnage tax on
iron ore, and coming at the time
that it did Mr.. jacobson took it as a
direct thrust at Fl. #. Sc, and from
a man who has always held a high
position in the esteem of the people
of the State. Mr.. Jacobson charged
Mr.. Dunn with having used his in
fuence to defeat the tax code pre-
pared by a commission which Mr..
Dunn had asked for, had counselled
with, and had materially aided in
framing its bill. After taking his
fall out Of the auditor Mr.. jacobson
created roars of laughter and fre-
quent applause by jumping onto the
enemies OF all kinds of tax reform by
saying that they no longer had the
widows and orphans to fall back on
for an argument. There was moth. :.
ing in this bill to hurt the widows
and orphans, the farmer, the small
depositors in banks, or the elevator
men. They must face the issue
squarely.
Mr.. Lay bourn of Duluth spoke
for the St. Louis delegation, which
seems to be opposed to any kind Of
tax code, on account of the interests
that would be affected in that coun-
ty. Mr.. Laybourn dwelt on the
tonnage tax almost exclusively, in
sisting that five per cent. was ex-
cessive, and that it would really be
better to leave the tax as it is at the
present time J. A. Peterson, who
has always been a champion OF tax
reform, and certainly a powerful
help to the leaders of the reform
bills, made an irresistible argument
in favor of Sc, saying that it could
no longer be stated that it affected
the farmers, the widows and or,
phans, but the corporations and the
mining interests alone. which have
so long escaped taxation. Mr.. Pet.
erson made hit even greater than
Mr.. jacobson, and the applause at
the conclusion of his speech demon
stTated to the enemies OF the bill
that their Jig was upin the house.
at least.
In the afternoon Mr.. Whitford of
Dakota county attempted to get an
amendment to the bill providing
that the tax commission be reduced
from three to one member, but ow-
ing to the work before such COM
mission as soon as appointed, and
that different interests should be
represented on the board, the Whit
ford amendments were defeated by
a fair-sized majority, An attempt
was then made to have one of the
commissioners from a party differ
ent from that in power, but this
was turned down.
L. Fl. johnson of Hennepin spoke
in favor of the tax, saying that the
United States Steel corporation con
trolled the output of the mines of
northern Minnesota, without paying
but minimum tax. shipped the
output to other states to be manu-
factured as desired, sold to whom
it pleased and thus forced out
smaller concerns on bridge and
other steel work. and remarked
that every cent the State
would wrest from the corporation
would be but small part of what
was coming to the State.
Mr.. Laybourn asked that Auditor
Dunn be allowed to reply to Mr..
Jacobson, but an objection was
'ffered and then Mr.. Laybourn
made his last stand for st. Louis |
;ounty, making the best effort Of
lis career on the floor of the lepis-
ature. but his appeals ana argu-
nents fell on deaf ears. Mr.. Jacob
'on then reminded him that he (Jac-
,bson) had tried his damndest' to
'ass bill that would be equal to
u interests of the State, but that
dr. Laybourn and his friends had Il
ought every form of tax measure,
nd it was now going to react against