Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1902-02-13
A STATE DOCUMENT !.
Gov. Van SAINTS Message to the
Legislature in Special SEES
sion, Feb. S, 1902.
A PAPER VALUABLE FOR C0NCISEnESs.
Urges the Members to Prompt and Careful
Action in Revision OF Tax Laws.
Money Needed for Pending
Legal Expenses.

st. Paul, Feb 6.-Following is the
full text Of the message delivered by
Is Governor S. h. Van SAINT before the
Minnesota legislatures:
To the Members of the Senate and
IlouSe or Representatives:
You have~bee called together in en-
traorulhary session for the purpose Of re-
ceiVmS the report ct the Tax Commits
zion appointed pursuant to your enact
inent at the last session. and for taking
action upui. the measures proposed by the
SAD commission
1T Is matter of common knowledge
universal demand in our state for a COM
mission clothed with the duty of pre-
p !ia1fi o, more nc efficient tax laws. The
been urged by the public press, has been
recommended by many of my predeces-
sors and earnestly advocated by our
make him especially familiar with the
defects of our present tax system.
l., Your body was practically unanimous
IN approving the bill providing for a
. commission, there being only eight votes
recorded against it, four in the House
ana ana four in the Senate: In order to have
sion effective during the present year,
a the act provided that the commission
should 1o complete it's work prior to the
nrSt OF the present month.
IN compliance with the law the commits
sion tiled its report, together with certain
Ipop PRO- measures. IN order that the re-
port might be considered and it's meas
ures enacted into laws as soon as pos
sible you adjourned the last regular ses-
sion before the constitutional limitation
IN order that the subject matter of the
report of the commission and the meas
ares proposed might be taken up in extra
session without additional expense to the
state.
Owing to the urgent necessity of more
effective tax legislation it was tacitly
understood that ii your general session
was was shortened you would be. called to-
Gether IN extraordinary session imme-
dlately after the report of the commits
SION, Tor the purpose of atfording an
early opportunity to consider the meas
nres proposed, and to enact such laws
as you might deem just and wise. Pur-
Suant to the understanding stated. and in
accord with your purpose and deeming
Inc work OF the commission most thor
ough and complete, issued my proclaim
at:on converting your honorable body at
this time. -.
Pursuant to your enactment the follow
ms cltlzens of our state were appointed
as tax commissioners, to-wit: Hon. W. J.
GAIN 71es HOY Tio II a W c hi and Hon: e.
follows: >-~ .''S ''
The duties of said commission shall
be to make a tax code for the State of
Minnesota. . Such code shall include a
complete system for the just and equit-
h hote, taxation ;,' of az forms of property
be properly indeXed and prepared in the
form of a bill or bills for presentation
to to-, the legiisiature Such code shall in
commission, and shall define it's duties
powers and compensation. The commits
sion shall also prepare report and bill
or DlllS providing for any constitutional
amendments which may be necessary for
properly carrying out the system of taxa
ton recommended by the commission
RealIzing the magnitude of the task
missioners Immediately commenced their
work upon receiving their appointments
For nine months they labored incessant-
~; they visited other states and familiar
i2c3 themselves with the tax laws there
P pc oht. Of our ,,o own state there
value After becoming Thoroughly
familiar with the tax laws of other states,
and the defects of our own system, they
set earnestly to work in the preparation
of the proposed measures now so IA
mliar to all of you: That their work
has been done faithfully and conscien-
earnest, honest and impartial discharge
of their duties they are entitled to the
nnstinted praise OF the people of our
state. The gentlemen composing this
commission are lawyers of eminent abil-
lty, and have in the past occupied such
public positions as fitted them espec-
assumed These facts suggest most err.
phatcally the wisdom of carefully con-
Slderlng their work done and refraining
from criticism until their proposed meas
ures are thoroughly understood 1t must
be borne in mind that limitations were
placed upon the commissioners by the
constitutions This fact made their duties
particularly. eNacting, and that you may
fully understand the difficulties under
which they labored 7 refer you to their
report which accompanies the bills pro
posed by them.
That the measures proposed are per-
feet, no one will claim; even the commits
+J,t
code might be framed were it not for con-
stitutional limitations. Nevertheless, that
the measures proposed are an improve
OF taxation will not be doubted for a
moment. / am aware of the fact that
opposition to the adoption of the meas
Ires has arisen. and has occasoned many
suggestions looking to the defeat of the
measures or the pOstponement of their
consideration. In my JUDGMENT it is wise
TO meet the issue now. To temporize will
simply amount to deferring the consider
alton of the very questions which now
confront US; No time will ever be more
great question of taxation so important
TO the welfare of our state. If in your
judgment the bill is defective let it be
amended If too drastic let it be changed
randidly, and make whatever changes
your wisdom dictates as proper. The sug-
delayed until the constitutional limita-
tions be removed does not commend itself
to my judgment, for we have no assur-
ance that the people will ever remove
these limitations. Past experience DEM
onstrates that SO large a percentage Of
our people persistently fail to vote upon
constitutional amendments as to make
1erring Inls important matter will in all
probability simply delay the considera-
ton of the issue which now confronts
you If the bill proposed is passed by
you, and subsequently, the constitutional
limitations are removed, then the law can
be so amended as to conform to the new
conditions. The primary purpose Of tax
legislation is to compel all property to
bear its just burden of taxation, except,
of course, such as public policy suggests
should be exempt. There should be no
i discrimination. The property of ali
should be treated alike. Laws should be
so framed that every dollar Of the man
of means should respond to taxation the
same as every piece of property of his
less wealthy neighbor;. Under our present
system the comparatively poor Of our
state bear more of the burden Of taxa
ton than the weather. classes. Such
conditions should no longer exist. 1t
is largely due to the fault of our sys-
tenn. The greatest evil of taxation is
the inequality Of the burden. have
sufficient faith in human nature to be-
leve that every man will ungrudgingly
pay his share of taxes if he is satisfied
that his neighbor does likewise. The
- 49, a;1ns