The Saint Paul globe., 1902-01-24
VAN SAINT THINKING.
PROBLEMS OF COMING SESSION
WEIGH HEAVILY ON EXEC
UTIVE'S MIND
FAvoRs A SHORT SITTING
Representative Mallory Waging
Vigorous War ON Constitutional
Amendment Proposal of Tax
Commissions Report

Gov. Van SAINT had busy day yester-
day. He had many distinguished guests
who came-to talk with him about the
extra session, the tax law and his mess
age. Lieut.. Gov. Lyndon A Smith, cf
Montexideo, was closeted with the gov
ernor for some time discussing features
of the tax law and matters of import
relating to the coming session. AS pre-
siding officer of the senate the lieutenant
governor wields considerable influence
and his attitude is one of considerable
Importance He went over the ground
thoroughly with the governor. Speaking
of the tax measure, Gov. Smith said:
81 am in favor of passing the tax bill
almost as 1t stands. 1t is an excellent
measure. There is opposition TO the re-
duced exemption, and | think that fea-
ture should be changed, and two or three
other minor matters.
Il see danger in removing the cons-i-
tutional limitations on tax legislation
The legislature ought not to be given 100
free a rein in such matters. There sho aid
be some changes in the constitution to
permit the exemption of certain classes
of property. For instance, deposits IN
savings banks should not be taxed.
THE new system will encourage in
vestments in real estate, I believe 1t
will make it more difficult to evade tax
alton of money, and naturally lead to It's
investment
The governor confided to him that in
his message he will refer to the case
against the Northern Securities COM
pany, and ask the legislature to appro-
pirate amplu funds for the attorney
general to carry out his programme in
the cater. Gov. Van SAINT assured his
callers yesterday that ne favors a short
session, and the confinement of legisla-
tive action largely to the tax measure.
He thinks that this is what the state
demands, and he thinks that it would
|. be a mistake for the legislature to take
up general legislation at this session He
thinks there is, no matter of enough I'M
portance to justify consideration by the
extra session. He feels, Furthermore,
that once general legislation begins,
there is no telling where it may end. ana
he does not want a legislative session
dragging out three months at this time.
He is especially desirous that no action
be taken on the board of control low at
this session-it is too near to election
time to stir up strife, as such discus
sion undoubtedly would.
Senator NJ. j. Daily, of Otter Tail and
several other solons are eager to get
action on the board of control bill, and
it is very likely that an effort viii be
be made to force action on this matter.
Even If the Republican caucus decides
against any outside legislation, the mi
nority will attempt to force the express
sion of Republican opinion on the board
of control.
Governor Is Alarmed
The governor is alarmed at the evil
dence of aggressive opposition to the tax
law on the part of the Duluth contingent,
That the lake people are in earnest is
evidenced by the fact that the city. coun-
Gil Of Duluth passed a resolution appoint
ing a committee to agitate the matter
and IN attend thQ IQQricIo f0
the purpose of keeping the ST. Louis
delegation in fighting mood. Mayor
Hugo, the city attorney, three members
of the council, and Ave leading business
men are on this committee and promise
to make things interesting before the
session is over. The governor hopes to
be able TO call them off, but at the pres
ent time the feeling in Duluth is very
strong and bitterly opposed to the two
offending clauses of the tax law.
Representative Mallory is wa gfng war
on the. constitutional amendment propo-
sails of the tax commission through
brother Legislators from. other parts of
the state which have large interests of
one particular class that would be ex-
posed to especially heavy tax
alton under the drafts pre-
pared He asked Senator Ed
Smith, of Minneapolis, how he liked 10
see the Minneapolis flour mills picked out
for special taxation for the support OF
the state. When Smith seemed dubious,
Mallory said: That's what this tax
commission proposes to do. They can
take your -four mills and elevators and
saw mills and tax them for the full sup
port Of the state. Or they can single
out our mines and railroads for the
same purpose. We don't want to have
our principal industries taxed out Of ex-
istence. Nor do we want our proportion
of money received into our own county
treasury under the old law go into the
state treasury. We don't want to be
robbed of a large amount of our taxable
property in order TO carry out fad,
which. While it might be well and appli-
cable in older states would be manifestly
unjust to everybody in the counties af-
fected in Minnesota" Senator Smith
is doing some thinking. Other members
are thinking. And Gov. Van SAINT is
thinking and hoDing