The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-02-28
WHY 1T WAS BEATEN
Because twas a Bad Bill, Mr.. Wash
burn Says.

oeca use 'lSF0s u bAU bill, MI. wash
burn Says. ~
Regarding the defeat of the tax bill,
W. D. Washburn, Jr., says: -.
While I hear considerable about conspiracy
and corporate influence in the defeat of this
measure, I think this is radically unjust to
the members. The bill was beaten because
1t was (. bad bill and unjust and unfair to
almost every interest. If enforced it would
have done untold damage not alone to the
laboring man and farmer, but to the principal
interests upon which the welfare Of the state
depends. II 1t were not to be enforced it
would have been folly to have placed this un-
digested and illogical bill upon the statute
books. .ss. .".
Personally believed that the constitutional
amendments should have been passed at once
and that we could afterwards have patched
up the present law till the new amendments
should permit more scientific law. The So
called friends Of the bill Informed me, how
ever that they did not expect to pass these
| amendments and that they did not regard
them as matter of Importance. AS the
passage Of these amendments constitutes the
only excuse for this extra legislature, did
not feel that there was any use in further
nottering with the present bad and defective
laws. .-... .;-. ,.... -., IL.
In detail I regarded the recent bill as un-
wise and injudicious in many particulars
practically did away with any pretense of
collecting more personal taxes. All
| this would fall back immediately
upon the real estate which al
ready bears more than it's share of taxation
The assessment upon farm property would
have increased nearly 100000, 900 upon the
farms of the state. while little or nothing
more would be collected on the personal prop
| erty Personally believe in an income tax,
and do not think it wise or judicious to make
more stringent attempts to collect taxes upon
personal property. The property invariably
vanishes under these stringent laws, and in
every state that has attempted the drastic
enforcement Of personal tax laws has been
defeated In the attempt. I am unable to UNI
derstand, therefore, why the members from
the farming districts so strongly supported
the final bill ...
Neither do believe In the taxation of pub
! lie service franchises as outlined
| in the bill. I believe in a
| tax on franchises, but I believe
| that it must be levied with fairness to all
concerned believe it unfair and unconsti-
| tutional to levy 4 per cent gross earnings
tax on railroads and then to levy per cent
| tax upon the capitalization of other
service corporation Upon the basis
| of the proposed law, the rail-
road taxes would bring the state
! Sc, 0O0, 900 instead of 81, 100000 This law if
enforced, would take the entire net earnings
! of the gas company and nearly three-quarters
| OF the net earnings of the street company in
yearly taxes. This is simply confiscation
under the name of law. I do not believe that
the state has the right to thus confscate
property simply because it has the power
Tho franchise tax should be levied equally
against all corporations, but it must be levied
equally and without favor to any.
AS to the matter of the tax on grain in
J 4ro, CHI Arfn ho,,
every elevator and -four mill in this city. It
! would have thrown thousands of our people
out of employment and would have paralyzed
the industries of the CITY. The mere fact that
the leaders of the measure said 1t could not be
enforced is no apology for leaving 1t upon the
! statute books. This is the last and weakest
| excuse for bad legislation.
! AS to other defects in the bill, do not be-
lieye any member of the house knew the
exact meaning of this law with it's forty
| amendments as it finally appeared before the
house. The state of Minnesota should CON
graduate itself that this half digested and
chaotical measure was killed just where it
/ was
! AS matter of fact, neither the legislature
nor the state is now prepared to pass upon a
| final tax code. Neither the legislature nor the
state has made a sufficient study of this COM
pick problem to warrant the passage of such
! vital legislation in sixty or ninety days. No
/ legislation at all is better than bad legisla-
i ton believe that we should pass the con
}stitutional amendments and then adjourn
The next session can then take the matter
lin hand with a better knowledge Of the sub
Iject and better knowledge Of what their
/ constituents really want.
Il While every member who has wished To
i amend the commissioners measure has been
4 fercely assailed as a tax dodger and a tool OF
1.-THE corporations, have yet to find d single
scitizen of Minneapolis who supported this