The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-03-04

Is BOTH UNFAIR AND UNJUST
Mines at Which No Work Was Re-
ing Done Would Yield No
Revenue to the
States
INCOME TAX Is RECOMMENDED

IF had done as my conscience die
tated, instead of listening to the plead
irgs of the friends of the tax code, I
would have recommended to the house
that 1t adopt the administrative features
OF the tax code real estate clause frame
a set of constitutional amendments and
go home. State Auditor Robert C. Dunn.
State Auditor Dunn yesterday admitted
that he had been prevailed upon not to
oppose the tax code, and that he is sorry
he allowed Van SAINTS friends to decide
him against his judgment. Mr.. Dunn
yesterday afternoon was accorded tie
hearing on the Jacobson bill. which the
house refused him. He strenuously op-
posed the passage of the bill as unjust
and unconstitutional He was particu-
lar to protect the administration, but
made several admissions which, unoues-
tlonably, confirmed the active part the
governor and his political boomers have
taken IN the attempt to force the tax bill
through. Mr.. Dunn said in part
Today the mining companies are pay
ing taxes on q valuation of $I3,00 coo
Ihe revenue is about $309,000, of which the
state gets the same share that it enjoys
N any other direct tax. l admit that
the companies are assessed too low: but
II IS not my fault l am only one of
eighteen members of the state board of
equalization. The valuation can be raised
tax the mining interests 5 cents or 80
cents per ton, 1 have no love for them,
ror they for me.
But l believe in fairness. You have
no right to tax a corporation just be-
cause 1t is corporation. Now, you pro-
pose pose tonnage tax. ! opposed it in
I dSSo. oppose it now. 1t is not right.
The direct valuation is the only fair
method. All you have to do is make
the valuation high enough In 1897 | Sc
cured the passage of law giving the
a ard Of ~,
raise individual assessments. 1t permits
US TO get at the corporations, and if they
mad known it's full import it would have
had anything bat easy sailing We need
new machinery. An that at is me- necessary slg s is
to increase the assessments. NOW, we know
what the mines are worth and can as
sess them accordingly.
Miners Would BE i'm Control
This tonnage tax would leave the mat
ter of taxation in the miners hands They
did not pay half their taxes when we had
a tonnage tax law, and they would not
under this proposed law. I can well sc e
how the mining spectator wants tom
mage tax law. He might hold 81 ,0G0,0Ge
worth OF mining property as long as ne
liked without working it, and never pay
cent of taxes. What would you think
of a, law which did not impose a tax on
pine lands until the pine was worked up
INTO lumber% The principle is the same.
The minute mine was shut down, that
minute its taxes would stop.
1T is said we would derive more rev.
enue from the tonnage tax l deny that
statement. l say we can derive more
revenue from direct taxation than from
a tonnage tax of even cents per ton
A valuation OF $50 1885, coo would return
revenue of $900,000 an amount far in
excess of that which the promoters of
this scheme hope to raise. And by di-
rect taxation we would get that revenue
every year. whether the mines are op-
Grated or not.
The proposed law is both unfair and
unjust. There are many grades of ore
and you propose to tax the owner of ore
worth 90 cents per ton and the owner Of
ore at 81 per ton exactly alike, without
regard to valuation. Then again, YOU
would tax 100000 worth of ore 500 and
100000 worth of lumber piled up beside
the ore $1,000. There is nothing fair or
constitutional about it, and If the con-
stitution were fixed to permit the enacl-
ment of such a law it would be wrong
| am not pleading for the mine owners,
but for the principle. / have always
fought the mining interests, but l want
them to have what is right
1T has been said in the house that I
more than any one, am responsible for
the tax commission and the extra ses-