The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-01-29
In THE INTEREST OF PROGRESS

Speaking of r he ournal's plan
to expedite tax reform, the Tribune says:
"If good bill cannot be made now, why
not wait until a good bill can be made?"
But how can good bill be made. grant
Ing that the one under consideration is
not entirely satisfactory?
It can be made only when the consti-
tuition is changed. ... !.
How can the constitution be changed?
By vote Of the people, and in no other
way. I'D --... o..
How shall we secure the votes of enough
people to amend the constitution? 80
Only by making the proposed amend
ments objects of sufficient interest to,
sufficient number of people to make sure
of their attention and action at the COM
ing election.
If the Tribune can furnish from the rec
ords any reasons to expect the passage of
these amendments when no special inter-
est in them is created and no extra in
ducements offered we would like to hear
them. 1t certainly cannot be ignorant OF
the fact that nOW-since 1S96-it takes a
majority of all the votes cast at any cleo
ton to adopt an amendment. Nor can
it be ignorant of the fact that the last
amendments submitted to the constitu-
ton failed because they did not receive a
majority OF all the votes cast. 1t must
also be aware of the fact that we have
passed no amendments in this state at
any time by a majority vote.
AS far as h e J ur a l is concerned
1t has not very much fault to find with
the proposed new code, if we are to tax
all property tangible and intangible and
equally. as the constitution requires. It
is impressed with the idea that there is
great deal more alarm manifested than
is justified, and that the effect, even
where the greatest apprehension exists,
will be much less serious than appre-
hended. Furthermore, that great deal
of the objection to the bill arises from
people who have not been paying their
share Of the taxes before and are not dis
posed to do so now. -..-
But it is manifest, also, that there are
some facts Of the situation, some condi-
tons which make the literal enforcement
of law of this kind hardship to GER
Y tain lines of business because of the diff
ferent conditions existing in other states
which differing conditions business men
in this state must take into account 1t
is not that they are likely to be COM
PEELED to pay more than their share Of the
taxes compared with their neighbors in
this state, but that there may be condi-
lions which will handicap them in their
competition with the same lines of bust
Eess in other states which raises the
question as to the entire wisdom of this
proposed code.
To meet these conditions T h our
n al seriously urges this proposition that
the chances for the adoption Of these
amendments be made as favorable as pos
sibe. 1t proposes that the bill be
adopted substantially as it is, to go into
effect in 1903, as an aid to securing a
large and full vote upon the amendments
themselves, believing thoroughly that I'M
less such a special interest is developed
in these amendments as the existence OF
this law upon the statute books, capable OF
being amended only by the adoption OF
these constitutional provisions, it will be
impossible to secure a favorable vote
thereon.
The legislature should, at the
same time provide for continu-