The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1905-04-11
LEGISLATURE TO TAX
:. AND THEN EXPLAIN
Governor Advises Lawmakers
to Make Levy and Face
..,.ap -. Situation


creasing the state tax levy by approx
imately one mill to care for the extraor-
binary appropriations for state in
, stitutions, the appropriations commit
tees of the two bodies of the legisla-
/ ture have practically agreed to recon-
mend to the state auditor the making
of the levy for next year to meet the
situation.
Gov. John A. Johnson, in conference
with the subcommittee yesterday, told
them that for himself he believed In
facing the situation, making the levy
and going before the people to explain
why the increase is necessary. While
no action was taken yesterday by the
subcommittee, members said last
night that very probably the governors
approval of the plan would result in its
adoption.
!. Fol-. the years 1903 and 1904 the reve-
nue. fund for which a one mill tax was
levied amounted to about $1,000, 900.
The legislature, however, is met with
an urgent demand for extraordinary
appropriations for state institutions for
the next two years. Fires which de-
Stroyed the main building at the state
university, the women's hall at the st.
Cloud normal school and the school for
dependent children at Owatonna, Great
ed conditions at these institutions de-
handing large expenditures. There
are demands for an enlargement of the
Saltwater penitentiary, for new build
ings at the state agricultural college,
for a home for the wives and widows
of old soldiers at Minnehaha, for a
women's hall at the Duluth normal
school, for a school for incorrigible
girls, and deficiencies in a number of
state appropriations, including the
state aid for schools. Varied demands
upon the appropriations committee,
when the pruning knife has been in
dustriously applied, will amount to a
total of s1,600,000 more than can be
produced by one mill tax on the tax
able, property of the state.
Three Plans Considered
The committees in session yesterday
invited Gov. Johnson to confer with
them as to the best plan to be followed
in raising this big sum in addition to
that which will be yielded by one
mill tax. Three plans were suggested
as under consideration by the COM
mittees. The first is to make a tax
levy sufficient to meet the necessities
of the situation in the state. To do
this a two mill tax will be required,
but this will include the special one
fifth mill levy for the state agricultural
college. The second proposition is to
make the tax levy the same as last
year, but to authorize the governor.
auditor and treasurer to make an ar
rangement with banks to care for the
deficiency by issuing warrants on the
banks at a given rate of interest. The
third is to levy the original one mill
tax, with slight increase attached,
and also to provide for the deficiency
by means of special tax levies.
Gov. johnson is said to have advised
taking the situation by the horns. He
is reported to have urged that the
fGr,a -fn&s.
meet the issue squarely by authorizing
the auditor to make the tax levy large
enough to meet the extraordinary stu
alton in the state.
Johnson Says go Ahead"
There should be no politics in this
question" the governor is said to have
told the members. MY advice is to go
ahead, make this levy and go before
the people squarely and tell them 1T is
necessary. The system by which the
state has borrowed from one fund to
help another, and by which special tax
leyieS have been made for this purpose
and the other, is wrong in principle.
When the state auditor sends down to
my county and makes the levy for Mic
ollet county's share of the expenses of
state government, we don't care
whether it is in lump sum or is d.
vided into a number of special levies.
1t has to be met just the same.
Il say go ahead and make the levy
for what is needed to properly admin
lister the state institutions and the
state government. There is and should
be no politics in this matter. 1 am
Democrat and am willing to accept my
share of the responsibility. You as
Republicans are probably just as will
ing to shoulder the responsibility that
falls to you"
Members of the committee said after
the conference that in all probability a
1 mill tax would be added to the usual
tax imposed for revenue purposes and
that this would obviate the necessity
for any special taxes for the farm
school, state soldiers home, etc. Gov.
Johnson's readiness to accept his full
share Of the responsibility for the in
crease was heartily approved by the
Republicans of the committees.
The omnibus appropriations bill will
probably make its appearance in the
senate and house Thursday morning.
A large part of the day was consumed
by the joint subcommittee yesterday,
despite the absence of several MEM
bers who are also members of the
conference committee having the re-
vision in charge.
There are a total of thirty-six sec
tons in the bill, which has been drawn
in blank by Senator r. B. Brewer,
chairman of the subcommittee but
discuss the details of the big bill in adj
vance of its introduction. 1t is the
present programme to make the omni-
bus bill a special order for Friday in
both houses of the legislature.
"