Morris tribune., 1906-02-24
aTHE STATE IS NOT CRIPPLED

1
decisive action showing that it will refuse to
Western, which under territorial charter pays
only per cent on most Of it's Minnesota mile
age, is expected to follow suit.
The other railroads are paying the per
cent tax without murmur, and already the
new law has swelled the state revenues by
about 100000.
Opponents Of the increase used to say that
the railroads would refuse to pay, tie up the
whole tax in litigation for years, and cripple
the state financially. With 100000 more re-
ceived from railroad taxes than last year, the
state can hardly be said to be crippled. The
fact is that there never any serious danger
of contest by the majority Of the roads. The
only ones that have any legal ground to stand
on are those holding territorial charters which
named a specific tax, which the roads claim as
contracts, not to be altered without their con
sent. Those roads have the same grounds for
contest now as they had when the per cent
proposition first came up By acting eight or
ten years ago the state might have had several
millions III it's treasury, and might have had
the issue with the Great Northern and Great
Western determined. We know that there
was never any danger of the state being crippl-
ed by the roads withholding all taxes. That
Iargument was much like the
arguments against railroad rate bills The
only way to find out whether the government
can regulate railroad rates is to pass such law,
and the way to determine the states right to
increase railroad taxes was to pass the gross
earning bill.
The action of the railroad companies will
not meet with any popular sympathy. Beyond
a question they are paying less than theirI
proper share of taxes. The best estimates give
5 per cent as more correct rate than four. The
roads with territorial chaaters should pay lust
as large share of the tax as their competitors
and i'll all probability the courts will take broad
view Of the matter and uphold the states right
to levy just tax on corporations enjoying the
protection Of it's Minneapolis Journal.
S !
Some decidedly interesting political com
ments dished up in The St. Paul Dispatch
by that clever writer. "The County Chairman
whoever he may be. In the issue of Saturday
this friend with the George AIDE non-de-p plume
tells the story of how Governor Johnson has
Ort1hed h1nSelf Tor the next campo gn. Nv hen /
he republicans of the state are ready for their
all campaign" writes the chairman, they will
nave rival about complete a democratic
organization it is possible to make. On the
very day that Governor Johnson took up the
-eins of government, he was as much a candi-
late for reelection it is possible for an office
seeker to be, and ever since both he AMI his
official family have been directing all their
energies at making things safe Speeches,
attendance at public gatherings visits to schools
Kind words to graduates and the thousand and
one things that go to keep in the lime
light have been attended to with all the care
and political wisdom possible. Honeyed words
and adriot speeches calculated to catch the /
gullible and uttered by the executive at the
functions which he almost weekly attends have
been carefully preserved in pamphlet and news
paper supplement form, so that if the campaign
opened today, the st. Peter mans end of :. II
would be started out with a wealth of publicity II
matter that would take the other side months, II
yes years. to collect. And it is all readv-ready 1
gun is fired. Added to this Mr. Il
Johnson's official family have been putting in |
their spare time collecting data concerning the H
opposition. Every republican possibility offered II
has had his record searched for the past mis- H
takes. Stored away in the executive vaults is Il
complete data OF every republican candidate \
mentioned. Nobody has been overlooked Il
Those engaged in the work boast of it. They II
glory in their task and figure an easy victory 1
as result. Governor Johnson has no more to
his credit today than any of his predecessors
r1ch nO4 1,,.4l hoe n