The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-02-03
FAR FROM COMPLETE
TAX LAW, SAYS A. G.
WEISS
SOME POINTS PASSED oVEB
Did Not Meet All Objections to Sew
eraI Vital Provisions OF
the Proposed
Code.

Col A. C. Weiss, the popular Duluth
editor and politician, does not wax par
tlcuarly enthusiastic over Gen. Childs
exploitation Of the new tax law.
Before the Minnesota bankers the 9TH
er day he said:
In speech before the Minnesota Bank
ers' association in St. Paul Thursday aft
ernoon H. w. Childs, Of the tax commits
sion, made what the Minneapolis Times
calls a complete answer to all criti-
Cisms of the tax CODE" Doubtless Gen.
Chjlds' intent was misconstrued by the
Minneapolis paper, for his speech was
very far from complete answer. lie
devoted most of his time. according to
the published reports Of his speech, to
praising certain features of the proposed
tax CODE which almost everybody will
agree to be excellent, and in honor of
which all will join Gen. Childs in throw
ing up their hats.
There are many excellent features about
the tax code. If personal property is
to be assessed, the general principle that
it should all be assessed is good, and
if it is all to be assessed experience has
as the code provides are necessary to
fierce it upon the assessment roles. But
when it comes to the application of the
general principle that all property shall
be taxed, there comes into the contro-
Versy the question whether the state
c&r better afford to lose $4,000 taxes
or $1,000,OOO in business enterprises.
Some of his speech is a defense of the
law For instance, he says that the
fear that the law will cause an annual
panic is groJhldless because the present
law as to bank deposits is embodied
without change in the new code. In
this case either Gen. Childs was mis-
quoted, or he is mistaken. The new
law adds to the provision that trustees
of any sort shall list the property in
their control, the word banker making
it essential. in the reading of the best
attorneys, that bankers must list their
cepositors and the amounts of their de-
posits of April l of each year. It means
the depositors will withdraw their bal
ances, so that the banker will have none
TO list on April l, and it means that
in order to meet such run the bank
er must call in his loans.
Gen. Childs made no defense of the
provision for taxing vessel registration
and vessel taxes out of the state He
made no defense of the provision for
taxing grain in elevators, which would
result in taking grain out of the ele-
Vators of this state and into the ele-
vators of another state where such a tax
is not demanded. He made no defense
OF the reduction of the personal prop
erty exemption from 500 to S25, but adj
Inilted that that is mistake, and prom
iSed that the commission would recon-
mend an amendment to this provision
replacing the exemption of $780,
A member of the tax commission might
be expected to rally to it's defense He
roight be looked to for even more en-
thusiasm that Gen. Childs showed in
his speech. But the most unfortunate
thing about a defense of the tax code
from g member of the tax commission
Is that none Of them is in position to
defend the most effective criticisms that
have been made, because these criticisms
are in the report of the commission it,
self They are to the effect that with
the present constitutional limitations in
the road, it is impossible to frame a sat
iSfactory and scientific tax law. and that
It was regretted that the commission did
not have more time in which to frame
the tax code. These sentiments leave
ire impression that if the constitutional
flndrances We're removed, and the com
mission had had more time. a much
letter law would have resulted.
The tax code that Minnesota will adopt
is to be used for a long time. little
while spent in further consideration and
In waiting for the most favorable Oh
portunity to frame a tax law will be
better used than the time that may be
lost in whiting away through future
sessions in an attempt to improve an
unsatisfactory law.