The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-04-08
HIS 4 s LOG TAX BILL.
Representative Cole Explains What
His Measure Is Designed to
Accomplish.
He Says Millions Of Feet Of Logs
Have Been Escaping
Taxation.

a. u. Cole OF Walker, author OF the bill
taxing logs where they are cut. explained
some OF Its provisions to T h o usr n a II
this morning. Mr. Cole says the measure
is not drawn to- discriminate In favor of
the country and against the city, but to
reach a class of property which now very
largely escapes taxation. He says that
600. 100000 feet Of logs escaped entirely in
1901.
Logs are the only tangible property
left In this state" said Mr.. Cole, ION which.
1t Is necessary that heIstaxes shall be
paid where the owner lives. or where the
product is manufactured All other forms
OF tangible property are either covered by
general or by some special law -.
In 1897 law was passed providing
that grain In elevators should be taxed
In the district where located. Ties cut
in one county. the owner. living in an adj!
joining county, are taxed where they are
cut, and cordwood the same: ..:'..;--5@;
In 1884 a law was enacted providing
that: the tax on bank stock should be lew
led and collected In the taxing district
where the bank Is located, regardless Of
the residence Of the owner Of the stock.
That was not, ostensibly, for a discrim-
ination against the country and in: favor
OF the city where the bank is LOCATED, but
for better determining the amount to be
taxed and where it shall be taxed.
This bill Is framed sfmplySto get at
logs which escape taxation, Il it becomes
law it will do no good to- sell logs out.
side the state. The taxes must be paid
in this stae,and the state will have lien
on the logs for the taxes. Under the pres
ent law the only way an assessor knows
OF logs s1s by the surveyor general, but
some OF our largest loggers work by pri-
vate scales obbers and sstumpage owners
haven't paid NY taxes on, logs for years"
Effect on Minneapolis. >s~. &.
minneapolis will lose nothing by way Of
taxation If my bill becomes a law. Your
city does not now ard has not for num-
Der Of years taxed as many logs as were
annually carried over lin the river by the
Mississippi and Rum River Boom Com
pany from; the year before: Ny bill pro-
vides that the first year logs shall be taxed
where they are EIcut. In all subsequent
years the taxes are to- be levied in the
county where the logs are to be manufac-
| tured or where the owner. resides. Il
| my bill becomes a iaw, Minneapolis will
reach loo, 00o,oO0 feet of logs that now
escape taxation,s the so market value Of
which is from Sc to SIS. E-
| 1T is a physical impossibility for an as
SCISSOR in Minneapolis to know how many
| logs a. man has cut the winter: before
away up in the wilderness. He does not
know the stream or lake they are on or
even the county they are in, while up In
l. Tie COullCIeS EWncE0; -LHG lOSS dlS Cut! tLc
output of each contractor Is common
Knowledge to everybody. 5One can as
easily determine how many logs a man has
cut as how many cows farmer has on a
prairie farm. Taxing the logs in the
counties where they were cut is the only
logical solution Of the question" sz.ar>y:
/ g The machinery provided by the bill is
| d county assessor 81 logs: In any county
| where logs havesbeen or are to- be cut dur
ing the, Winter,g the assessor of logs Is to
be appointed ~ the county commissioners
at their first meeting iii January. He is
| to- work ,fran that an sto May !, and te
make report before June I Of all logs
he finds cut, the Aafnaa 6fsstaie owner; &the
marks, and the value Of the logs. The ta1
fbecomes~ lien on the logs and they may
be seized by the sheriff anywhere In the
state, or tied up lin the boom until the
| taxes are paid. $500 .~z~ 1870 IF
It is claimed that lumbermen will have
to pay tax on logs and on standing tim.
Der as well, but in answer to this Mr.
| Cole says there are many records of abate:
| ments on the real estate tax where the
logs have been cut off since the assess.
| ment, and that a rebate can always be ha6
in such case upon application.
! The bill has passed the house, and Is
in the hands of the senate committee or
| taxes. --...