The Minneapolis journal., 1903-04-17

And if all the logs sawed in these mills
had been from the stock carried over,
there would then remain more than 500,-
100000 feet OF logs to account for. It is
probable that but few, if any, Of the old
logs were sawed at these points. The
Little Falls mill is owned and operated
by one Of the largest stumpage owners,
not only in the state but in the world. In
conversation with the assessor in that
taxing district, I asked him how many
logs he assessed to that company. He
replied, saying: '"I do not know; logs
and lumber were assessed together" I
asked him what part was logs. He re-
piled: How can tell? Their scaling
is done by private scalers, there is no
stream they were on, what county they
were cut in, nor in what part of the wild
erness they carried on their logging opera
tions.'
+ AS to what happened below Minneapolis,
I will say that practically 235,000,000 feet
of logs came down the St. Croix river, and
were emptied into the Mississippi at Still
water. At least 110,000,000 feet went
thru Saltwater to Red Wing and points
below. While I have no accurate knowl-
edge as to the number of feet Of logs that
were manufactured in Winona, am con-
vinced that this 110,000,000 feet are three
times as many logs as were manufactured
in the state below Minneapolis. "Lum-
herman further contends that I falsely
represented facts as to the law relating
to the place Of listing prperty for taxa
ton. What maintain is that all tang1-
BILE property except logs and the equip
ment esential to logging operations are to
be listed for taxation in the district where
found on May 1, regardless of the place
Of residence of the owner. This state
ment. am informed by the state auditor,
is true. In the year 1894, a. law was
enacted providing that bank stocks should
be taxed in the district where the bank is
located. In 1897, another law was enact
ed providing that wheat in country ele-
vators should be taxed in the district
where found on May /. Last year a law
was enacted providing that all stocks Of
Industrial corporations doing business
wholly within this state should be taxed
where the business. was carried on, re-
gardless Of the place Of residence OF the
respective owners. -- ...s<,
One object of the1s changes is, that the
property is located can get at 1t for tax
alton. The assessor where the distant
owner lives cannot. This law Of 1901 also
provides that logs destined for points out
side of this state should be taxed In the
district where found OIL May 1. But, as
stated before, 1t is impossible to tell when
logs are started on, their journey where:
by the owner. Consequently, this law,
providing for the taxation Of logs where
they are found on May 1 stands as a dead
letter upon our statutes. Suppose three!
persons live in Minneapolis; one owns logs
to be manufactured in this state; another
owns logs intended for export, and an.
other railroad ties, intended for Minneap- :
oils, and all located in one Of the northernS
counties. Under existing laws a part OF
these logs should be taxed in Minneapolis,
and a part Of the logs and all Of the ties;
should be taxed in the county where they
were located. May !. But who is to tell
which logs are for Minneapolis and which
are for export, if the owners are striving
to dodge their taxes? Here you have;
confusion worse confounded.'' One Of
the stock arguments of the tax dodger is
that the logs are not all in the county.
where they were cut on May l. They GER
tainly are not in Minneapolis. More than
three quarters of them lie where they
were landed by the loggers during the
winter months. All summer long persons
riding on the Minnesota & International
railroad will see logs decked up along the
right of way, and in lakes conveniently
near, where the logs can be raised by
holsters onto the cars. And in the larger
lakes and in the smaller tributaries to
the Mississippi which are very difficult to
drive, the work Of driving these logs will
still be in operation when September and
October come. tt
Why does "Lumberman" claim that the
law providing for the taxation of bank
stock in the taxing district where the
bank is located is not different from the
law providing for the taxation of logs
where the owner lives, as against the
place where the logs are found May /?
Does he not know better, or does he as
sumo that all other men are idiots? A
person in Cass county owning $1,000 worth
| Of stock Of the First National bank of St.
Paul has to pay his tax in st. Paul, and,
under the present law providing for the
taxation of logs, a man in st. Paul own
| ing $1,000 worth of logs in Cass county
May / pays his taxes where he lives, in
| st. Paul. St. Paul gets the taxes in both