The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1903-01-16

be completed as designed by the archie
sion. The sum should not only be ap-
propriated, but appropriated early in the
session, SO that the commission may at
tbns e acr1Re oia us atrG ;y s9Dmtaea ana
est period Of time. The building should
be prepared for occupancy as soon as
possible. for many OF our state depart
board Of railroad and warehouse COM
missioners and the board of control, are
located some distance from the present
capitol building, thereby causing great
expense and at the same time great in
convenience in transacting business of
the state. With sufficient funds provided
there is no reason why the new capitol
should not be completed and ready for
occupancy July 4, 1904.
Gross Earnings Law.
A matter of much importance and one
In which the people of our state are
greatly interested will, without doubt,
enlist your attention. refer to the
way companies pay into the state treas
ury In lieu of taxes per cent of their
gross earnings. Our state seems com
question for your consideration is
should the rate now fixed by law be in
creased? At the last general session of
liberation and thorough discussion. it was
concluded that the rate shonld be
changed from per cent to per cent and
law to that effect was passed. This law.
could not, however, take effect and be
in force unless the same was adopted and
ratified by majority of the electors
of the state voting at the election at
which the same was submitted.
Pursuant to this requirement of the
constitution the law referred to was sub
mitted to the electors of our state at
the general election held on the 9TH day
of November last. The required ma
jority was not received. This result is,
preston of the people against the meas
ure. 1t was due to the fact that many
Of the voters did not vote upon this i'm
portant measure because their attention
had not been called specifically to it,
and it's import was not sufficiently UNDER
stood; and also the fact that the measure
appeared upon the general ballot. which
led to. oversight and confusion on the
part of the voters; and from the further
fact that great doubt existed in the
minds Of the electors whether the meas
nue. or not. This result suggests most
emphatically that some plan should be
devised which will require electors TO
give attention to measures requiring
ratification and to proposed constitS-
tional amendments. Under an old law
measures of this character were placed
at the bottom of the ballot, but owing to
the fact that the voters failed to heed
them, the law was changed requiring
such measures to be placed at the top
of the ballot. 1t was hoped that this
change, which gave measures Of this char
acter the most conspicuous place upon
the ballot, would solve the difficulty.
cipated, and it seems imperative that
your body should so legislate that the
attention of voters will be more definite
the difficulty referred to, would suggest
plan, to which I am advised there is
no legal objection, and I submit the
same for your careful consideration. 1t
is to so amend existing laws that each
proposed constitutional amendment or
measure requiring ratification, be placed
p beng S %oed and hat
essary, be placed by the judges of cleo
ton in a separate ballot box. This plan
effectively meet the difficulty referred to.
Before leaving the gross earnings sub
ject permit me to call your attention to
an important difference between the
language of the present law and the law
submitted to the people for adoption at
the last election. This difference gave
rise to considerable discussion during
the recent campaign. and in view OF the
fact that the difference referred to makes
a radical change in the method of COM
putting gross earnings, great care should
to this subject. That the difference may
be fully understood I quote from the
present law as follows:
"GroSS earnings shall be construed to
mean all earnings on business beginning
and ending within the state and a pro-
portion based upon the proportion or
tire mileage over which such business
is DONE"
In the law passed at the. last general
session and submitted to the People
is declared and construed,
''to mean all earnings on business be-
ginning and ending within the states
and proportion of earnings Of all inter-
state business passing through, into or
out of the state as the mileage operated
within the state bears to the entire mile
| - krv cr1ah onr MOI N ~
pass a law increasing the rate. I earn
estly recommend that you adopt the
are thoroughly satisfied that there are
serious legal objections thereto. In any
event, let the bill be so drawn that there
can be no question %. of an increase ea.e OF
In view Of the fact that officials ana
others who have given the matter
thorough consideration !, have We. con con- aIeil
table and substantially. eXacts from rail-
| way companies that they would be re-
quired to pay if they were subject to al
rect taxation recommend tnat the ra'e
be fixed at 4 per cent
Constitutional Amendments.
At the last general session a law was
passed providing for a tax commission
whose duty it was to frame a tax code
for our state, and also to prepare Dill
or bills providing for necessary constltu,
/
commission was duly appointed. which
commission made it's report and presented
| a proposed tax code for consideration by
the legislature. The commission reported
that owing to constitutional limitations
| it was very much hampered and restricted
in the preparation of the code proposed
At the extra session, called Immediately
after the filing of the report of the COM
mission, and after the most thorough con-
sideration of the subject matter. 1T was
deemed wise to present to the people OF
our state for adoption or rejection at the
next general election certain proposed
amendment to the nStitution. The said
amendment was submitted to the electors
of the state at the election held on the
| 4th day of November last, and owing to
| failure on the part of the voters to vote
upon the proposed amendment the same
failed to receive the majority provided for
by the constitution and was lost. The
proposed amendment, if the same had
been adopted and ratified by the voters
of the state would have removed many
of the restrictions of which the tax COM
mission complained and would have en-
abled the legislature to pass many tax
measures which seemed to be imperative
and required under existing conditions.
I earnestly recommend that you provide
for the resubmission to the people OF the
amendment as submitted as the last cleo
ton. Should such proposed amendment
be submitted to the people and be adopted
and ratified the door would then be open
for new methods of taxation. Under such
conditions the legislature would be en-
abled to pass a graduated income tax;
also a registry tax on all mortgages; a
tax on franchises, and If desired, to pro-