Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1902-02-13


your purpose be to so legislate that taxes
may be apportioned In fair and equit-
able manner to all classes and kinds Of
alyze the proposed code In detail. COM
4 mend 1t to you as vast Improvement
! over our present inefficient system. That
TONS will bring large revenues to the
state Corporations of this character are
so taxed in many states OF the Union.
Without going into details permit me to
call your attention to the provision for a
permanent pc tax commission. In the state
Tor, such commiSsion--that being practi-
cally the only change in then existing
laW-and the first year after, the same
creased ABOUT Ss50,0o00oo. s
Every interest should have an ops
portunity TO be heard, and no injustice
should be done to any industry or to
any individuals, The large interests of our
state will probably be represented and
seek = hearing, but we must, bear In
OVERWHELMINGLY paid his suare and more
or taSes cannot am appear; but his rights as
es cit ha and taxpa Yer should neverthe,
him Is to.se to it that all who have
contributed too little or have escaped al
together pay their full share, and in that
event his burden will be lessened.
IL Is confidently predicted that the en-
! actment of this code will result in large
~ increasing the assessment in our
state II So the rate of taxation will be
| materially decreased and if those who
oppose the listing of all property at it's
full money value will bear in mind that
as assessment increases the rate de-
clreases. less opposition will be heard.
Thls however, suggests a matter which
certainly Ger calls lis, for your most earnest con-
| SHERATON. The issuance of bonds by
municipalities is limited to a percentage
| or existing local assessments. If you so
| legislate that assessments will be ma
terially increased, then you should con-
slider the advisa bility of enacting a meas
ure which will prevent the corresponding
increase of municipal bonded indebted
ness. --.E
would recommend that an amendment
be made placing the exemption on per-
sonal property at one hundred dollars as
especially beneficial to the people of small
means. This suggestion, l am advised,
| meets with the approval Of the tax COM
l would also suggest that the bill be
SO amended as to require the listing of
Prop fd +h on May 1st rather than April
pare for putting into operation the new
code, If it passes, probably will be too
! limited to make the necessary prepara-
lions Tor proper assessment.
+ Our grain men express the fear that the
proposed code if put into operation, would
be against their interests and drive their
business into Wisconsin. By making the
date of listing the same as in that state
transit although temporarily stored in
elevators, would place these interests
upon upon an equal footing foo, with those of
should be done Ali other grain i'm except :eaSt
that IN interstate transit is assessed and
taxed taxed In WISCONSIN, as other personal
| am also advised, meets with the APP
prevail OF the tax commission.
The proposed code provides for the re-
peal Of the vessel tonnage tax In this
respect allow me to make the following
suggestions: !.
Every good citizen takes pride in the
commercial advancement of his state It
which promise greater wealth and pros
perity, to any section of the state Al
though remote geographically from the
be W HIS II IS aPparent unless prevented
outstr1p many of her rivals in the mag
nltude OF her shipping interests. The reg
i Iiona IN o. vessels navigating interna-
Gates that it is a favorite port When
We bear in mind that Interstate tonnage
IS beyond the taxing power of the state,
ana that the revenues derived from a
tonnage tax upon vessels must always
greatly exceed what would arise from
any other method applied to that class
Of property, it is apparent that the sub
Ject is one which calls for your most
careful consideration I trust, therefore,
that you will be able to enact legislation
stitution. will preserve to the state adj
vantages already gained, and present no
impeachment to the, growth of our inf1u-
ence over naviga ton upon the Great
Lakes.
By request of the commission to revise
our general laws, I submit the following:
1901, providing for the appointment by the
justices of the supreme court of com
mlssloners to revise codify and annotate
cludes from their consideration "stat-
utes on the subject of taxation and. as
. it is desirable that the revision, when
appropriately arranged, it would seem
advisable that such legislation be had as
will be conducive to that end. 1t is OBJ
sioners is Of such character that'it should
not be unduly hurried. The legislation of
the past thirty-five years has reached an
enormous bulk. much Of which is now
obsolete, and, on many subjects, redund-
ant. and contradictory. Only the most
patient research and painstaxing labor
e t9 Feat Which
may be continued in such manner as to
accomplish the best results action should
commissioners will submit for your con
slderation some suggestions on the sub
ject, to which invite your attention.
The entire matter now rests with you.
1t is for you to decide whether the work
Of your tax commission will be in vain
or not. | trust, and have faith to be-
lieve, that your deliberations will result
in great good to the state and that
tax law will be placed upon the statute
books that will equal if not surpass that,
of any other state in the Union.
1 am advised that the members of the
tax commission, if desired will at all
times during your session, be ready and
willing to respond to your call and give
you whatever assistance and information
you may request.
At this time desire to inform the legis-
lature of the suit brought by the State
. of Minnesota against the Northern Sc
Acurities Company of New Jersey Believ-
ing that this corporation was organized
for the purpose of evading and violating
the laws of the State Of Minnesota by
consolidating the properties Of the Great
Northern and Northern Pacific Railway
companies, which companies own parallel
and competing lines of railway within the
state, I requested Attorney General
Douglas to bring suit in the name of the
state to prevent such consolidation. That
such consolidation is against the law is
clearly shown by reference to our stat
utes. I quote from sections 2716 and 27l7
of our General Statutes.
! Sec. I716. mo railroad corporation shall
consolidate with, lease or purchase or in
any way become owner of or control any
other railroad corporation, or any stock,
franchises, rights or property thereof,
which owns or controls a parallel or
competing line.
I Sec 2717. mo railroad corporation, or
the lessees, purchasers or managers Of
any railroad corpora ton, shall CONSOLE