The Saint Paul globe., 1905-01-30
COUNCI[M Men FIRM
IN TROLLEY FIGHT
Few of the Aldermen and AS
sembIymen viii Consider
a Compromise

in favor of enforcing the collection of
the gross earnings tax that has ex-
listed throughout the long fight when
the next conference occurs between the
general committee of the council with
the street railway officials.
Rumors have been frequent about
the city hall to the effect that many
members of the council were either
materially or partially weakening in
their hitherto strong advocacy of the
gross income tax and that when the
matter came up for action slight ma
jority. in each house would favor an
abatement of the fight for collection.
With the purpose of learning just
how much truth these rllnors cen-
tanned I he G. lob e yesterday secured
statements from many of the assem-
blymen and aldermen concerning their
present attitude in the matter.
The counciluen from whom opinions
were secured We're picked, haphazard,
from the list, and while the results
show that some members of the council
are beginning to f1irt with propositions
for compromise or for dropping the
fight to collect the tax, yet the gen.
eral summary shows that without
doubt the council viii take a stand
which will leave all the compromising
for the street railway company to do.
To each councilman the direct ques-
ton was asked:
Are you in favor of the fight for
the collection of the gross earnings
tax?'
The answers varied over a consid-
cradle field in some cases where an
attempt to dodge the real issue was
evident. Following are the answers
and supporting opinions:
Aid. Charles e. Nyberg, First Ward
No, do not believe that the city should
push this attempt to collect the gross
earnings tax any farther. I doubt if
We could collect it anyway, and it
seems to me that there are other more
important street railway matters which
might be lost if the attempt to collect
the tax is Insisted upon.
Assembiyman Rudolph Schiffmann-
certainly am in favor of pushing the
fight to collect that tax into the court
of last resort. l think that the city
will win in the end and I know that
the street railway company can afford
to pay the tax and should be made to
do SO. This talk of the improvements
which they will make in ease the city
drops the fight for collection does not
appear very logical to me. These i'm
provements that they promise they ap-
pear to be not only willing but anxious
to make. And they should be SO, for in
every instance the Improvements are
such as will benefit the company in a
financial way just as much as they will
benefit the city in the way. of con-
venience. I believe that the great ma
jority, of, the council hold the same
opinion as do in. this very important
matter and I do not anticipate that
any action will he, taken to quash the
proceedings now in. the courts.
Assembiynan Winn Powers-I stand
pat by my first position in the matter.
/ think that the street railway COM
pany can be and should be made to pay
the gross earnings tax. If there are to
be any concessions made / think it is
up to the company to make them.
confidently believe that when the case
is decided on the appeal the opinion
now standing will be reversed partially
at least.
AssembIyman Herbert p. Keller -
Yes, have not seen anything yet which
should cause me to change my mind
in the matter. 1 believe the levying Of
the tax to be perfectly reasonable, and
while would not blame the street
railway company in escaping payment
| if they can escape I do think that the
city should exhaust every means in its
disposal to force such payment, and 1
believe that payment can be forced. l
do not favor compromising this matter
upon any grounds that have yet heard
mentioned.
Aid. j. w. L. Corning, Seventh Ward
| II hardly know how would answer
that question just now. 1 really be-
lieve, though, that it would be better
| to see what can be done in the way of
a compromise. There are good many
people who do not think that the gross
earnings tax is the most important
thing in street railway affairs just now.
They would be willing to forget the tax
| if some other things, such as improve
ments, readjustment of fares and of
service, could be brought about from
| this source.
Aid. Joseph M. Hackney, Tenth Ward
| - want such an adjustment of the
| matter as will suit the best interests of
/ the people, and it seems to me that it
would be best to excuse the company
| from paying the tax for some time, say
| ten years, upon their promise to make
! the improvements that they speak of
I and that the city needs. I would sug-
geSt that in making such an agreement
| the city should be given the power to
regulate fares and I believe that if
| these concessions were granted the city
could well afford to excuse the pay
| ment of the tax for a period of years.
I am open to conviction, though, and
| if the general committee can convince
me. that it is wisest to push the case
and endeavor to commence the pay
ment OF. taxes Immediately Twill vote
] that way.
Aid. r. 3. Lynch, Eleventh Ward
Yes stand as have stood all along
for the forcing. of the suit to make the
| street railway company pay the tax.
If the company would make some reaS>
| sonable concession of privileges to the
city-something somewhere near equal
| to the value of the taxi would prob
ably change my mind. but have heard
no concessions suggested yet that have
caused me to s1waver' in the least.
Aid. Matthias Bantz, Eighth Ward
Well, hardly know whether we should
| insist upon the payment of that tax
any longer or not. I believe the people
are little divided in this matter,
know that they are in my ward and
am going to be governed pretty largely
| by what they say.
Aid. Michael j. Moriarty, Sixth Ward
III would favor compromising this
matter. The city wants the improve
ments and I think that for this reason
| it would be better to drop the matter
AID Otto w. Rohland, Fifth Ward
| Yes. I think the city should exhaust
every means in it's endeavor to coll
| lect this tax from the street railway
company. The city is certainly enti-
/ tied to some compensation for the use
| of it's streets by the tracks of the COM
pany and it should be getting this
compensation. I would be willing to