The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-12-05

Regarding railroad taxes the govern
or says that 81, Ia, 399.3O in railroad
taxes are now due the state, the pay
ment Of which has been held up by
litigation. He says that the holding up
Of just taxes by the railroads is a
serious embarrassment to the state and
had the taxes been paid the state tax
levy would not have been necessary.
He recommends that legislation be en-
acted at once which in the future will
compel the, prompt payment Of all rail
right to recover. such taxes If it shall
be found that they were unjust or
wrongfully collected. What the gov
ernor wants is first, the payment of
railroad taxes, and litigation after
wards if necessary, instead Of litigation
first and payment last, as he holds is
now the case. -. -. .. @.' =. "a ~
Regarding the tax commission, he
calls attention to defects in the statute
general property Of the state and rec
ommends additions to the law which
will give the commission additional
powers to carry on it's work. aA
Primary Election Law. @
The governor pays considerable at
tention to the primary election law, and
points out that ths stronge; point that hat
enactment is the fact that a candidate
may be nominated under the present
law by less than majority vote. He
suggests that provision be made by
amending the law 50 as to enable the
voter at the primaries to indicate upon
the ballot his first and second choice
of the candidates presented for each
office. In the event that no candidate
had received majority Of the first
choice votes, then the second-choice
votes should be counted, resulting in
nomination by majority vote. The
plan recommended is that used in Aus
tralia, and provides that If, after the
ballots have been counted. no candi-
frst-choice votes, then the ballots cast
for the candidate receiving the least
number of votes on the list are assorted
with reference to second choices to the
remaining candidates. If no one then
receives majority of first and second
choice ballots, a similar assortment Of
ballots Of the lowest remaining candl,
date is made on the basis Of second
choice and added to the votes of the
other candidates, and SO on until some
candidate has a majority of first and
second choice. With this amendment
the governor thinks the primary law
would be much stronger.
| h6RdTuluS- JIG pOChSL DdllOG, JIG SOV'
ernor recommends such changes as shall!
insure q greater freedom Of individual.
expression.
- Regrets F1shway Bill.
The last legislature passed a law re
quiring dams, booms, and piers to b.
equipped with patented fshway. TIL,
governor says he signed the bill with
out due consideration and now favor
l ifs rpnno1 a for +
ented fshways are concerned. ~ 81
He also recommends revision Of tn
law providing for the building am
} repairing Of bridges. Regarding tn
grain and warehouse commission law b
recommends that it be strengthened S
as to make it possible to carry out tn
! original intention Of the Legislature.
!, He recommends a revision of the LAY
governing the state university so that
! and repay the debt when its specis
!" taxes fall due. r-t.-. =.
Q Insurance Inquiry.
!. The investigation of public servic
e corporations and insurance companies
q one Of the most important features
+ the message. He takes the railroads t
q tax for maintaining what he calls e,
9 pensive lobbies and for resisting til
=. prompt payment Of taxes. He says:
- The people of Wisconsin, have
J. money has been expended by the raj
: roads and other public service corpor
o tions Of this state in salaries, in lobb,
= ing. in political campaigns and legisl
:. tive entertainment, as the people (
i New York have to know the same fac
= with respect to the. life insurance cor
Z ;panies Of that state.. It is no more b
a trayal Of a trust relation for the pres
:, dent of a life insurance company to pc
o dering of policyholders, than for "a
: road president to pay himself sala1
in excess OF the value of the services
. renders to tie railroad company
. He suggests that a legislative i
~ vestigation which would uncover ;
facts with relation to this importa
~, subject will require much time and
- Dor, but that no money so expend
~ would be wasted. Every fact as to t
'u expenditures which have bearing up
~ transportation rates will be of mate
~ al aid to the railroad commission. ]
- thinks such an investigation will
~ wholesome in it's public lesson.
al Insurance Scandals.
he he He discusses at length the insuran
ct scandals Of New York and is >bitt
or in his denunciation of those comp
to MES which have been caught by t
Is eastern investigation. He quotes mu
ia Of the evidence that has been unearth
"a. and compares by figures the Northwe
IN: ern Mutual Life Of Milwaukee with t
Nv eastern CORPORATIONS.
cit has yet to be intimated,"
says, "that the Northwestern is gull
Of any such irregularities as have be
found to exist in the New York com1
MES. It's invitation, recently publish,
III counting investigation, would indics
that it has nothing to conceal. The s,
all ject of insurance legislation and expt
NV ditures s6 public service. corporate
v opens up such a wide field, and there
" such need for a thoro Investigate,
sw that I recommend that q commit
of with power to summon witnesses,
o. anime books and with all power nee
sary to investigate expenditures a
.cb methods of doing business, be appoi
ed and instructed to make compl
report to the governor on or Def,
ann Nov. i, 1906 who shall submit,
same to the legislature at its next Is