The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1904-10-18

ing of the board the jobbers and
wholesalers of the big cities are
present in person and by attor
neys and the most active efforts
are made to keep down the as
sessments of these big concerns.
At each meeting of the board for
the past ten years Mr.. Dunn in
his capa ;ity of state auditor has
appeared before the board and
has shown conclusively that the
jobbers and wholesalers are not
assessed one tenth of what they
should be assessed. Mr.. Dunn
even went to the labor of investi-
eating the amount of insurance
carried by the jobbers and whole
salers in the twin cities and
when he appeared before the
state board Of equalization with
the figures, it was found that the
total assessed valuation of the
stocks carried was but a small
fraction of the insurance placed
upon them.
A Bold Thing.
It is matter for marvel that
any man who has held the office
of state auditor and done his
duty should dare to become a
candidate for governor. The
jobbers and wholesalers and
other big corporations of Mime
sofa pay but a small portion of
the taxes which should be levied
against them. The merchants in
the smaller towns and cities, the
professional men, the working
men have to pay for them. Any
state auditor who knows his duty
and does it must lay these facts
before the state board of equali-
zation and by mis- Investigations,
recommendations and personal
efforts compel the big concerns
to pay their just share of taxes.
The state auditor who does this
and then has the boldness to run
for Office will find solidly arrayed
against aim some of the most
powerful influences in the state.
The Cry of Stop Thief"
Mr.. Dunn has done this bold
thing. He has exposed the in
significant assessment of the
jobbers and wholesalers. He has
vigorously demanded that they
be made to pay what they ought
to pay. He has repeatedly APP
peared before the state board of
equalization, armed with facts
and figures and refuted the con-
tentlons of the paid attorneys of
the big twin city concerns. It
was bold thing to do, but it was
the right thing to do. Now that
Mr.. Dunn is a candidate for gov
ernor the jobbers and wholesal-
ers are naturally much disturb
ed. It is a favorite ruse of the
the thief to cry "stop thief and
to raise a great Juror to divert
attention from himself, the real
culprit, and this appears to be
about the position the twin city
jobbers and wholesalers are TAX
ing.
Can't Blame the Jobber.
You can't blame the jobber.
His pocketbook is affected. If he
should have to pay his share of
the taxes his pocketbook would
be good bit fatter. By the
same token yours and mine,
gentle reader, would be fatter.
The jobber has good cause for
alarm; he has good cause to be
afraid of Bob Dunn, and it is
very natural, under the circum-
stances, that he should do every
thing in his power to defeat the
man who has already compelled
him to pay more taxes than he
used to pay and who as governor
would be in a still better position
to force his tax asse ssm 9nt up
to an equitable figure. Where
fore the travelling man journeys
up and down the state and hol-
lerS.
"Dassent Say a Word"
There has been a great deal of
speculation as to Why the travel
ing men are SO stenuous in their
opposition to Mr.. Dunn. There
have been hints of the real rea
son, but until the present issue
of the Pioneer, there has been no
attempt made to fully explain the
situation. This seems a little
strange, does it not? The truth
is that the republican newspapers
and the republican speakers dare
not say word about it. The Pho.
neer Press is expanding a great
deal of energy in Mr.. Dunn's be-
half but it dares not say one
word about the matter--it does
not even dare say that the job
bers and wholesalers are against
Dunn. Senators Nelson and