The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-02-26
Minnesota Legislature.
WHY It MET DEFEAT
Republican Votes Were What Killed
the Tax Bill.
ITO PUT VAN SAINT IN THE HOLE
Worked Behind the Scenes
but Certainly Influenced
Some Votes.

I'VE have lost great opportunity
through selfshness and cupidity.''
| This is the view taken of the defeat OF
the tax bill by a prominent republican
| member Of the house, discussing 1t yester-
day. 1.-THE republican party had the OPP
portunity of a generation he went on
| 1.-THE passage Of the bill would have been
| a great stride in the direction of tax re-
form, which would have red0unded to our
credit for many years to come. Some
thing may come out of the session yet.
but the great opportunity is lost.
Why was 1t lost? The question is 9
| natural one, and to those who have
watched the current of events at the CAPT
| tai it is easily answered.
The tax bill was above all else a re-
publican measure, and an administration
| measure. The small democratic minority
may be charged with defeat Of the bill,
for sixteen Of their twenty-one votes
were recorded against It. That was poll
! tics, however.
Forty-ive republicans voted against the
bill. Was that politics?. In large meas
| ure, yes. Among those forty-four were
a few friends of the state administration,
but for the most part they represent the
opposition to Governor Van SAINTS re-
nomination. Their stand against the tax
bill was taken deliberately with intent to
"put Van SAINT in the hole" It was part
Of the plot Matched by the cabal Of which
mention has already been made in T b 9
j ourn IL. 1t did not5look like politics
! to vote against a party measure, but
politics was at the bottom of many Of the
votes. p, g.
HeatwOIe's influence Suspected.
At least two of the votes against the
| bill are charged by it's friends to Joel P.
Heatwole, who spent Monday in St. Paul,
and interviewed several members from
his district Messrs. Whitford and Won
Valid, who had voted all along with the
friends Of the bill, surprised them by
going against it on the roll call.
This was only an incident of the many
influences brought to bear. The element
in politics which is susceptible to Great
Northern influence voted and worked with
state administration. The Van SAINT sup
porters will not let this element forget
that they are responsible for the tax COM
mission, and thus for the extra session
and all that it has entailed.
This coterie was the nucleus of the op
position, and did the active work on the
floor aginst the bill Lobbyists were not
to be seen about the capitol. They kept
discreetly in the background, while these
members did the hustling.
The principal lobbyist in St. Paul was
a former Minneapolis man, now resident
in Philadelphia, who makes a business of
looking after the interests of gas and
electric companies. He did not show up
at the capitol, but had headquarters at a
well-known restaurant, whittier doubtful
ones were steered by fellow members. y
( In justice to the opposition it must be
said that a large share of those voting
against the bill did so honestly and on
their Judgment, fearing its effect on va
rious interests, but this element was in
bad company, and feels it keenly.
Rosing Worked Against 1T. -
L. A. Rosing, chairman Of the demo-.
cratic state committee, was in St. Paul
for several days before the vote, and it
was his personal influence which lined up
SO many of the minority members against,
the bill. Five Independent ones refused
to be led, and voted for the bill because
they believed it right. They were Dealey
Of Scott, Dorsey of Mcleod, Henricks of
Kittson, Herbert Of Hennepin and Hill
mond of Grant. Messrs. Sageng, Penning
ton and several others broke away on &C
count of the Wallace amendments, but
their righteous indignation over the "un-
holy compromise" which resulted in an
unholy alliance with the corporation in
terests, is charged to politics.. They
hoped by defeating the bill to get con-
sideration for the democratic program
and to cast discredit on the extra ses-
sion.