The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-12-30

DO the forerunnes Of other Ike COM
nunities.
- 4 = j.
The steel corporation does not hold
that 1t has discharged its entire obj
cation to society BY paying its Just
share Of taxes-this Is shown IN thA
Coleraine establishment and In its gem
eral policy in taking thought xor the
welfare Of its employer But til contrt.
button to tho expenses Of tho state and
local government assumes magnificent
proportions.
Tho total contributions u the sted
corporation. thru tts operating com.
panies, to tho public excheque1 In the
state Of Minnesota this yeaz win Be
approximately e8.75o,ooo, sl,75o,ooo IN
general taxes and 81 .ooo, 900 in tho tar
on the gross earnings Of It's railroads.
In tho distribution Of the money paid In
by tho corporations 9 million and q
quarter Will find It's way Into tho local
treasures Of the communities on tho
range giving them tremendous re-
sources to draw upon for the construc-
ton and maintenance Of public Inst.
buttons and works. This means mnr
ncipl opulence In country that had
no population whatever fifteen years
ago and which is not dotted with cities
and towns in which the educational and
other public equipment Is Of the high
est character. St. Louis county will
benefit directly to the extent Of nearly
100000 in It's tax receipts anti the
balance goes into the state treasury for
general purposes. -... --.
Tho railroad companies which are the
transportation branches Of the United
States Steel corporation, and which will
pay a million dollars on their gross
earnings, contribute one-ffth Of the
gross amount paid as gross earnings tax
by the railroads Of tho state. The
money paid is paid without cavil or
protest, and this In spite Of the fact
that the earnings upon which the tax
ia paid do not come out Of the tillera
Of the soil or tho merchant class, alto
sether. as in the case Of the other rail-
roads. These earnings are largely con-
tributed by tho United States Steel
corporation for the carriage of tho
commodity which it creates by the op.
GRAFTON Of its mining industry. And
tho extent to which the development
Of the country in which tho auxiliary
companies Of tho United States Steel
corporation exercise their activities is
= indicated by tho remarkable fact that.
while the Duluth & Iron Range and the
Duluth, Missabe b Northern railroads
own and operate but one-tenth Of tho
railroad mileage Of the state, those two
roads pay one-ffth Of the sum paid az
. tax on gross earnings. :.
- y - ~
These things the United States Steel
corporation has accomplished
It has developed tho resources Of the
iron ranges.
It has increased tho efficiency and
compensation Of labor.
It has enormously expanded the steel
and iron market and has made that
trade stable.
It has found means for the utiliza-
ton Of vast quantities Of ore that was
thought to be understandable and has
thereby added immensely to the riches
OF the Mesaba range.
It has added to the health and COM
fort Of 10000 citizens Of Minnesota d.
rectly, and Indirectly Of every individ-
ual Of the state, and it carries large
share Of the burden Of taxation for
the whole state.
It has demonstrated that a great
corporation can be conducted on such
lines that its influence is in all things
benefcent and in nothing inimical to
the interests Of the people among whom
it operates. It presents to the people
Of Minnesota in particular, and Of the
country in general, an object lesson
which should go far in pointing a line
Of business policy that, if generally
adopted, would make all great corpora.
lions servants Of the people in proper
ton to the strength they derive from
the resources they control.