The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-02-16
OPPOSE
THE TAX BILL
REPRESENTATIVE OF THE TILL
ERS TANGLES UP THE HOUSE.

w. r. Cartwright of Langdon yesterday
on behalf of the farmers of Polk county
entered a vigorous protest against the
enactment of the proposed tax CODE Mr..
CartWright's statement was a plain, force
full exposition of the sentiment of the
farmers of the northern part of the state
and made visible impression on members
of the tax committee and the Legislators
who heard it.
MessrS. Peterson and Roberts, ignoring
the fact that the existing laws and the
practice governing taxation are widely
different, brought their training as law
yers into play to trap Mr. Cartwright
by insisting on comparisons between the
present law and the proposed code. Mr..
Cartwright promptly told them he was
not familiar with the letter of the present
law, but as a taxpayer he was familiar
with the practice. He insisted also that
he understood the provisions of the pro-
posed code and that he and the farmers
of the northern part Of the state under
stood perfectly that if enacted and en-
forced the farmer would suffer.
Roberts and Peterson persisted in their
cross-questioning until the entire commit
tee began to exhibit temper and a pair
absolutely unique in the history of the
Thirty-second legislature was formed in
defense of Mr. Cartwright. w. w. Rich
of Ramsey and w. D. Washburn, Jr, to-
gether dashed into the fray Rich en-
phatically demanded that Mr. Cartwright
be accorded at least the same courteous
consideration that had been given the
farmer brought before the committee by
Peterson to advocate the bill and Wash
burn said it really wasn't fair, so there,
now! to subject Mr. Cartwright to such
a technical cross-examination, and that
the methods of Roberts and Peterson
were manifestly awkward, since everyone
knew that the present law is not en-
forced and is widely different from the
practice. Mr.. Cartwright said in part:
Bill Is Shot at Farmers.
1.-THE farmers of the northern part of
the state are very much dissatisfied with
the proposed code. Every shot fired for
it is fired directly at the farmer. One
great objection to it is the great stress
it lays upon moralizing the farmer. The
farmer is as honest as other men and he
feels keenly any attack on his integrity.
The administration of the oath in as
sessment will make no difference. The
men who are escaping taxation now by
lying, will escape it by perjury.
ut is Impossible to place the assess
ment of property at it's full money value
in the hands of an assessor. He cannot
do it fairly Men do not agree upon
values Of personal property or real es-
II,
and they would rot agree in assess
ment. You must have a rule
regulating values, as you now have, to
insure fairness. The real estate clauses
of the code will work us harm and the
state harm in many ways Our lands are
not under so high a state of cultivation
as those in the southern part of the state
and not in consequence, so productive
Most of us hold our farms under in
cumbrances. Beside putting the taxes
up to point that will be too high for
us to pay, this law will scare the money
lenders away. They will demand their
money and refuse to loan more to new
corners except at ruinous rates, as the
law will impair their title to the lapds.
1--WE are on a direct line with Duluth
and most of our business goes to the Du-
luth wholesale houses. If you tax them
as proposed they can remove their stores
to Superior and do business with us just
the same, while the state will lose the
revenue it now gets. If you cannot so
amend this code that it will be a just
law, amend the constitution and in the
meantime let US alone under the law as
now administered. Those who vote for
this code in it's present form will vote
against the farmers interests We do
not feel that we are suffering under the
present system and prefer very much be
ing left alone to taking chances with the
law of this code"