The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-11-13
Minnesota Politics


Issue, as the Reduction Was General
Over the state-Guns Open on Block
Barker for Lieutenant Governor-sen-
ate Candidates.
The Anoka Free Press says:
The peanut partzans," who are defending
the Johnson administration for letting the twin
city Jobbers and merchants off with an assess
menE OF $2,oOO,OOO below that Of the previous
year, are resortlng to what may be rightly
termed peanut arguments.
VI course, even fool understands that q
reduction of So, 900 900 in the assessment or
one set OF taxpayers means an increase to
that amount in the assessment of others II
Is therefore ridiculous for these apologists to
claim that goods were scaled down in the same
lnta all over the state, especially SO
very reverse Of the truth
lake Anoka county, for instance. Instead
or sharing in the reduced assessment with
which the twin cities favored that county
haa 10 stand Its proportion of the raise re-
CURED CURED to make up for the favoritism shown
Minneapolis and St. Paul Anoka's s.beneat''
came in the shape of a $4,000 raise, Of which
merchandise alone came in for almost one-haIf
Or $4,000. A"Ai'
The facts are that Anoka was raised
over its return this year, and Hennenin
was TOO, but neither county is assessed
as nigh on merchandise this year as if
was last. In 1904 Anoka county was as
sessed under item 16, goods and mer-
chandise, $1O0,528. In 1905, as left by
the state board, its assessment on that
Item is $S3, 754 AS State Auditor Iyerson
has explained, the board decided to leave
merchandise lower all over the state. and
| SO Just cut the raises in two that had
| originally been decided on. While Henne-
| pins merchandise assessment is 10 per
cent lower than last year, Anoka's is II
per cent lower. Going down the line, it
Will be found that nearly all the coun-
| ties nave lower assessment this year
Aitkin has $780, against sS2745 last
year. Beltrami has 1,4s0, against s149,-
6S7; Benton, $27,743, against $50, 946; Big
Stone, $111,135, against s11S,S75, and Blue
Earth $417,536, against $472,878. st.
Louis county was slightly increased.
Hennepin was reduced from $685. 44 to
| s76SO,S65, and Ramsey from s6,s22,141 to
| s5,S27,94e. ~ .t.2 ,s>s:.'
The "apologists" referred to are sim
ply stating the facts in justice to the
state board of equalization which is not
the johnson administration" by several
miles. The boards action was unani-
nous, and it included two state officers
and eight appointive republican members
1t reduced merchandise assessments and
reduced live stock, but raised public SER
vice corporations, and the final result is
than last year. Hennepin's total is
higher.
In the words of Frank NJ Eddy, better
"cut out picayunish criticism"
Fort Sumter has been fired on. The
| Franklin Tribune has opened its bat
i teries on julius Block and the pre-con-
vention contest may be considered under
way. The Tribune expresses it's belief
that Blocks nomination would prove
disaster No. q to the republican party
Of the state. The fire will now be re:
turned from the Block house.
Senator H. G. Barker of Cambridge is
the latest member Of the senate reported
to have an eye on the nomination fo1
lieutenant governor. He has already an.
nounced his intention to retire from the
senate, but would not shrink from the
honor of being it's presiding officer for g
term or two.
/ C. w. Babcock Of Kasota IS declared
to be the popular choice for the mex
, senator from LIE Sueur county, by the
Watervile Advance, which says: "Wher
our neighbors get men equally as good
we will have an upper house free from
the influence Of corporations That!
a contamination devoutly to be wished
W. E. Lee Of Long Prairie formel
speaker of the house and member of thu
= state board of control, is said to contem
plate running for the senate next yea
in the Todd Wadena- Hubbard district
AS Senator E. B. Wood has intentions O.
coming back, there is prospect Of anothe
, good fight in the f1fty-thrd. No tWt
men in the state dislike each other more
warmly than Wood and Lee and in ever,
political contest they are found leading
opposing factions in Todd county.
! Charles 3. Cheney.