The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-01-09
AWAIT VANS WORD
POLITICIANS CANNOT GUESS GOV.
ERNOR,s ACTION ON EXTRA
SESSION
MUCH AGITATION AGAINST IT
Politicians Would Convince the
Governor That Northern Min
nesota Is Opposed
to 1t.

The extra session of ne legislature
still seems to be an undecided PROPOSE
ton. If Gov. Van SAINT has arrived at
any conclusion In the matter, he has
kept 1t well to himself. The report Of
the tax commission is completed, and It
was to consider this report that the ses-
sion was to be called. The report, with
the law framed by the commission, is
now being printed for distribution, ard
if the extra session Is to be called at all
this winter there is little time left to is
sue the call. Those close to the executive
say that he has not decided the question
himself as yet
Within the past week great pressure
has been brought to bear upon the gov
ernor to induce him not to call the extra
session. Most of this agitation has come
from the northern part of the state. An
effort has been made to convince the gov
ernor that Duluth. and the northern part
Of the. state were very hostile to the idea
Of an. extra session.
Representative Mallory, who was in
st. Paul yesterday, declared that this
sentiment actually exists, and that North
ern Minnesota is opposed to the session.
1t is pointed out that if the extra ses-
sion is not called the people will have a
year in which to consider the tax CONS
missions report, and the legislature can,
at its next regular session, act with more
Judgment and with better knowledge
of the facts, and more in harmony with
public, sentiment than it could If called
together hurriedly at the present time.
It is claimed that Northern Minnesota
is not so set against the extra session
as some politicians would have 1t ap-
pear. A. G. Weiss, of Duluth, says:
The announcement that the report Of
the tax commission has been completed
in ~.
hands this week has been quickly fol-
lowed by renewal of the agitation by
the corporations and. their satellites and
newspapers against the calling of an ex-
ira session of the Legislature. An effort
is being made OF convince Gov. Van SAINT
that it would be poor political policy on
his part to call an extra session. and
that If the legislature should act unwise-
~ IN any respect the blame would rest
upon him. This is said with a view of
lntlm1dat1ng the governor and causing
him to abandon his decision to summon
the legislature in extra session.
THE News-Tribune is carrying out this
policy in Duluth, and has also raised
the cry that the business connected with
the tax commissions report Is not ur-
gent and can just as well as not 10 over
another year. and that an extra session
would be a heavy burden upon the tax
payers. An attempt is made to bolster
up these claims by interviews with Du-
luth citizens, but it lis a pitiably weak eff
fort. Most of those interviewed frankly
acknowledge they did not know anything
about the matter and were not compe-
tent to express opinions, but a few peo-
pie were found who were afraid 1t would
'unsettle things There are always some
persons who are awfully scared about
'unsettling things whenever it is pro-
posed to reform the tax laws and compel
the large corporations to bear their just
share of the taxation. And these same
people would offer the same objections
to the matter being taken up az the regu-
lar session of the legislature.
THE commissions recommendations, if
adopted by the legislature, must be passed
upon by the people. If an extra session
is held, the constitutional changes can
be voted upon at next falls election. If
no extra session be called it will be
nearly three years before the people can
vote on the proposed changes, and that
would mean so much longer time for the
tax dodgers to escape.
GOV. Van SAINT will hardly be deceived
by these interviews Certainly they de-
ceive no one else"