The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-01-28
MAY POSTPONE TAX BILL
EVIDENCES THAT 1T MAY BE LAID
OVER FOR REGULAR SESSION
Opponents of Bill willing to COm-
promise ON, This Basis-GOv-
ernOr Opposed to
Delay.

The coming session of the legislature
may not take any action at all On the
tax bill except to lay it over until the
regular session. This is believed to be
more than a possibility at the present
time. The opposition to the bill which
has been SO suddenly developed, has
alarmed some of the supporters of the
new law and they are seriously thinking
of effecting a compromise by agreeing to
put it over till the regular session.
The contingent Which opposes the law
and is preparing to fight, would wsicome
a postponement, as it would give them
opportunity to Systematically organize
and conduct q campaign of education
among the people of the state.
eff we had six months time in which
to get our side of the case properly be-
fore the farmers and producers I am sure
we can defeat several provisions of this
law. What we need most is time" says
g we'll known Republican senator from
Northern Minnesota This being so the
opposition would readily agree to post
pOnement
Many of the governors friends are
alarmed at the prospects Of trouble so
close to election time, and would gladly
postpone action on the law until after
election. One senator sizes Up the situa-
ton this way:
Everything is chaotic just now. There
is no such thing as harmonious opinion,
no agreement as to what should be done
with the tax bill, and therefore no pros
pect of harmonious action if we try to get
action at the present time. 1t could not
be otherwise. Such a bill, the work OF
months Of study. cannot be fully digested
in a months time Them many of its
provisions are wholly experimental, and
their probable working cannot be sized
UP theoretically in a minute. We should
have a year at least to think it over, dis
cuss it. and arrive at some reasonable
agreement concerning its merits If we
take it up now, we are sure to have
trouble and will only make more work
for the regular session.
Gov. Van SAINT will rot hear the argu-
ment for postponernent. He says the
people expect the session to act on the
tax law, and he called it for that pur-
pose. He thinks that the bill should be
passed anyway, and given trial The
regular session can correct any provl-
Sions which prove to be unfortunate
Many of the senators DESTROYS of taking
up general legislation are afraid that il
the tax bill is postponed and other busi-
ness taken up there will be a storm OF
popular indignation.
Gov Van SAINT is not opposed to a linn
tied amount Of general legislation if
This boys" are good on the tax law. He
has given his approval to an amendment
to the primary election law. The action
Of the school people seems to insure the
taking up Of the board of control bill
The elevator men of Minneapolis have
combined against the new tax code. On
| Saturday, at a preliminary meeting, II
was decided to stand together. All the
| leading elevator companies were repre-
scented. P. B. Smith and G. M. Harring-
ton voiced the sentiment of the leading
interests in opposition. No lengthy ar
| guments were made. The effect of the
| bill, should it pass in its present shape,
| upon the elevator interests OF the CITY,
were SO clearly made evident that all
| were against it.
The elevator men will probably retain
| some able lawyer to go before the Iegis-
| lature on their behalf. The suggestion
was made that the legislature be asked
| to postpone the operation of the bill for
year, but the proposition was voted
| down as of q teInporizing nature. The
| elevator men want the provisions affect
mig them modified materially, and they
are united to- accomplish this, failing In
which they will zRork@ to kill the entire
1 Dill