The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-01-31

cog slipped somewhere, although +ha
general outline of the governors scheme
is preserved.
Apropos, the scheme to pass the fax
Dill ana defer it's operation until 1903.
recognized Republican house leader
yesterday said" This talk of swallowing
the tax code piece meal and deferrine it's
operation is all tommy-rot and a politica1
scheme to protect the interests now sup
posed to be in danger from within tho
party. The peoples interests are first
this time. The tax bill and the tax com
mission We're the governors own propo-
Sitlons and If his creations have not ac-
comp1shed all they were calculated to
accomplish, the people can not be asked
to suffer to insure against political harm
coming to Van SAINT. If a session of
more than ten days is going to be harm
full to the governors political future. a
ten-day session which would result in
the passage Of the tax code as presented
would be ten times more harmful to the
people. If the party cannot afford 10
shoulder the responsibility of the ex-
pense of an extra session that will be
something more than ratification meet
ing, 1T can quite as lily afford to hang
the milestone, prepared by the commits
sion, around its neck. If it is a question
of expense, I will gladly give up my per
diem and mileage and stay as long as
may be necessary to secure the enact
ment of an equitable tax code. but I will
not allow political bias to draw me into
line for the passage of a bill which will
work direct harm to my constituents The
present laws are bad enough"
Representative A. B. Kelly, of North
field, is opposed to the tax bill proposed
by the tax commission. At the Mer-
chants yesterday Mr.. Kelly said the
scheme to pass the bill as submitted and
defer its operation until 1903 is rank
foohshness. Mr.. Kelly is more particu-
larly hostile to the mortgage, mining and
real estate tax provisions of the pro-
posed law. He is in favor of
short session, which could pave the
way for equitable tax legislation by the
formulation Of constitutional amend
ments and which would leave the en-
tire consideration of tax legislation UNI
til the next session. He thinks the nee
essary amendments could be prepared in
ten days. Then he would have a special
election called for the sole consideration
of the amendments. He says that the
expense of a special election would be
justifable, because, with nothing else to
vote on the people would prepare them
selves and vote intelligently; while if
the amendments are attached to the gen
eral election ballot thousands of voters
will overlook them and their Importance
will be overshadowed in the more eX-
hilarating and absorbing game Of voting
for partisan favorites.
Touching his particular diversions to
the proposed tax bill Mr.. Kelly said bad
as the present mortgage tax law is the
method proposed by the tax bill would
increase the premium on tax evasion as
it is calculated to increase the inequali-
ties of the present law. Mr.. Kelly be-
lieves that with a one-haf per cent tax
on mortgages the state would receive
revenue of 100000 for every $1,000 which
it now receives from the same source.
He cited as an instance of the incentive
to evasion, the experience of the owners
of a farm near Mortified. They sold
farm for $6,000 received $1,000, the bal
ance being secured by mortgage. When
these gentlemen were the owners of the
farm the tax on it amounted to about
$35 annually. Now the purchaser pays
the same tax and the former owners are
liable to a tax of $3.50 annually on their
S., 900 mortgage. The value of the farm
or it's productiveness have not been in
creased, but the tax has been augmented
800 per cent. This is the system Mr..
Kelly says, which results in the conceal
ment of mortgages and loans being made
in the name of non-residents
Mr. Kelly is opposed to the assessment
of property at it's full value, even if it's
true value could be obtained. He insists
that the true value of small properties
only could be obtained, and that the pro-
posed systems first evil is that it would
throw a greater share of the burden of
taxation on the poor man and small
property holder than the present law
does. He maintains that fifty cents on
the dollar should be the maximum as
sessment and that a higher assessment
would not decrease the rate of taxation
but result in administrative extrava-
gance. He has always been committed
to a tonnage tax system for the mines
which are, he says being depleted with
out returning an equitable revenue to
the state.